Abstract
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a formal process used to predict environmental consequences, which may be positive or negative, of a plan, policy, programme, or project prior to approval. The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) defines an environmental impact assessment as “…the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made”. EIAs should contain proposals for scheme design or operation to reduce these impacts to acceptable levels or to address different technical solutions. “Acceptable levels” is a contested and political concept, though the purpose of an EIA is to inform better decision-making by bringing wider environmental concerns into consideration alongside economic, social, and political concerns.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clark R, Canter L, editors. Environmental policy and NEPA: past, present and future. Boca Raton: St. Lucie Press; 1997.
Department of Environment. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 42 USC Sections 4321–4347; n.d. [online] [Accessed 2014 Aug 8] http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/nepa/nepaeqia.htm.
EU. Review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive; 2014 [Accessed 2014 Aug 8]. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eia/review.htm
International Association for Impact Assessment. Principle of Environmental Impact Assessment Best Practice. International Association for Impact Assessment; 1999 [online] [Accessed 2014 Aug 8]. http://www.iaia.org/publicdocuments/special-publications/Principles%20of%20IA_web.pdf?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Jay S, Jones C, Slinn P, Wood C. Environmental impact assessment: retrospect and prospect. Environ Impact Assess Rev. 2007;27(4):289–300.
Lenzen M, Murray S, Korte B, Dey C. Environmental impact assessment including indirect effects – a case study using input–output analysis. Environ Impact Assess Rev. 2003;23(3):263–82.
Ramsar Convention Secretariat. Impact assessment. In: Ramsar handbooks, 4th ed. Handbook 16. Switzerland: Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland; 2010 [online] [Accessed 2014 Aug 8]. http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/lib/hbk4-16.pdf
Wang A. Environmental protection in China: the role of law. China Dialogue; 2007 [online] [Accessed 2014 Aug 8]. https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/745-Environmental-protection-in-China-the-role-of-law
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this entry
Cite this entry
Everard, M. (2016). Environmental Impact Assessments. In: Finlayson, C., et al. The Wetland Book. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6172-8_183-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6172-8_183-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6172-8
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences