Definition
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) refers to the process of evaluating the potential environmental impacts of a project undertaken prior to the granting of approval and implementation of that project.
Description
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is recognized worldwide as a formal ex ante process with specific procedural stages that incorporates consideration of the environment into the design and development of projects. Most countries now have some form of legislation or guidance to set their framework for implementing EIA, with the process also adopted by a range of institutions (Hanna, 2005; Lee & George, 2000; Shrivastava, 2003; Thomas & Elliott, 2005), for example, the World Bank. The US National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (CEQ, 2011) is generally regarded as the first legislation to codify formal procedures for EIA, and this proved to be the basis and...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
CEQ. (2011). National Environmental Policy Act, NEPAnet http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/nepanet.htm
Glasson, R., Therivel, R., & Chadwick, A. (2005). Introduction to environmental impact assessment (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
Hanna, K. S. (2005). Environmental impact assessment: Practice and participation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Holder, J., & McGillivray, D. (Eds.). (2007). Taking stock of environmental assessment- law, policy and practice. Abingdon: Routledge Cavendish.
Jay, S., Jones, C., Slinn, P., & Wood, C. (2007). Environmental impact assessment: Retrospect and prospect. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 27(4), 287–300. doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2006.12.001.
Lee, N., & George, C. (Eds.). (2000). Environmental assessment in developing and transitional countries. Chichester: Wiley.
Morris, P., & Therivel, R. (Eds.). (2009). Methods of environmental impact assessment (3rd ed.). London: University College of London Press.
Morrison-Saunders, A., & Arts, J. (Eds.). (2004). Assessing impact- handbook of EIA and SEA follow-up. London: Earthscan.
Shrivastava, A. K. (2003). Environmental impact assessment. Delhi: APH Publishing Corporation.
Thomas, I. G., & Elliott, M. (2005). Environmental impact assessment: Theory and practice. Annandale: Federation Press.
Wood, C. M. (2003). Environmental impact assessment: A comparative review (2nd ed.). Harlow: Prentice Hall.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this entry
Cite this entry
Jones, C. (2014). Environmental Impact Assessment. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_890
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_890
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-0752-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0753-5
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law