| Year | Country/ Organizations/Agencies | Act/laws |
| 1970 | USA (California) | National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) 1969, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1971 |
| USA | US Environmental Policy Act, 1969 | |
| 1972 | UN | UN Stockholm Declaration outlines 29 principles concerning the environment and development |
| 1974 | Australia | Environmental Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act |
| 1975 | Philippines | Environment Policy |
| 1975 | Thailand | Environmental Quality Act |
| 1975 | West Germany | Cabinet Resolution, 1975 |
| 1976 | France | Law on Protection of Nature |
| 1977 | Brazil | Introduces EIA legislation |
| 1979 | China | Environmental Protection Law |
| 1979 | China | Environmental Protection Law, 1979 |
| 1981 | Israel | Environmental Protection Service1973 |
| 1982 | Costa Rica | Introduces EIA legislation |
| 1983 | Pakistan | Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA) 1997 |
| 1984 | Canada | Federal Environmental Assessment and Review Process Guidelines Order |
| 1984 | Japan | Principles for Implementing EIA by Environmental Agency |
| 1984 | World Bank | WB begins to promote EIA in its policies |
| 1985 | European Union | EU implements the EIA Directive |
| 1986 | India | Environment Protection Act |
| 1986 | Sri Lanka | National Environmental Act |
| 1988 | Tunisia and Sri Lanka | Introduce EIA legislation |
| 1986 | Western Australia | Environmental Protection Act 1986 |
| 1986 | Italy | Introduces EIA legislation |
| 1987 | The Netherlands | EIA Policy, 1986, The Netherlands introduces EIA legislation 1987 |
| 1987 | Malaysia | Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activity) (EIA) Order |
| 1987 | UNEP | Implements rules to introduce and promote EIA |
| 1989 | World Bank | The World Bank establishes the EIA Operation Directive (OD) |
| 1991 | New Zealand | Resource Management Act |
| 1992 | Belize and Estonia | Introduce EIA legislation |
| 1992 | UN | UN declares EIAs a “national instrument” |
| 1994 | Nicaragua | introduces EIA legislation |
| 1994 | Vietnam | Environmental Protection Law |
| 1995 | Romania | introduces EIA legislation |
| 1995 | Bangladesh | EIA Guideline 1992, EIA legislation in 1995 and EIA rules in 1997 |
| 1996 | Montenegro and Nepal | introduce EIA legislation |
| 1999 | Ecuador and Ireland | Introduce EIA legislation |
| 2002 | UNEP | UNEP highlights the need for EIA |
| 2002 | Lebanon | Introduces EIA legislation |
| 2006 | Panama | Introduces EIA legislation |
| 2009 | Honduras | A new regulation was enacted by SINEIA to update and modernize the EIA system. |