From the editor: "Chapter 5 in section 1 presents Sustainability Impact Assessment in rural municipalities, SIAT, expectations and criticism" by Meyer B.C., Laplana R and B. Hautdidier. The conclusion of the authors suggested that the spatial scale levels of policiesimpact analysis from the local adaptation of events to nation wide scale of policies formulation should be betterlinked and integrated by scaling methodologies. In the context of impact assessment of social and economicindicators of rural development, new scientific approaches are needed. Experiences and knowledge from the environmental impact assessment research must be transformed to the wider perspective of sustainability.