Environmental impact assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.
Pronunciation
/en-vi-ron-men-tal im-pact as-sess-ment/
Etymology
The term "Environmental Impact Assessment" originates from the United States legislation, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, which made it mandatory for certain projects to undergo an EIA before they could be approved.
Definition
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a systematic process that identifies potential environmental effects of proposed projects, plans, or policies. It evaluates the potential impacts on the environment including the natural, social, and economic aspects. The main purpose of an EIA is to ensure that decision-makers consider the environmental impacts when deciding whether or not to proceed with a project.
Process
The EIA process includes several steps: screening, scoping, impact analysis, mitigation, decision-making, and monitoring. Each step involves various activities and requires the involvement of different stakeholders, including the project proponent, government agencies, and the public.
Related Terms
- Screening: The process of deciding whether an EIA is required for a particular project.
- Scoping: The process of identifying the key environmental issues and impacts that need to be addressed in the EIA.
- Impact Analysis: The process of predicting and assessing the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project.
- Mitigation: The process of avoiding, minimizing, or compensating for the adverse environmental impacts of a project.
- Decision-making: The process of deciding whether to approve, reject, or modify a project based on the findings of the EIA.
- Monitoring: The process of checking the actual environmental impacts of a project against those predicted in the EIA.
See Also
- Environmental Management Plan
- Strategic Environmental Assessment
- Environmental Impact Statement
- Environmental Risk Assessment
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