Conducting Environmental Impact Assessment in Developing Countries (United Nations University, 1999, 375 p.): 3. EIA process: 3.4 EIA process in tiers: 3.4.4 The detailed EIA study: 3.4.4.2 Assessment

Conducting Environmental Impact Assessment in Developing Countries (United Nations University, 1999, 375 p.)

3. EIA process

3.4 EIA process in tiers

3.4.4 The detailed EIA study

		(introduction...)
		3.4.4.1 Prediction
		3.4.4.2 Assessment
		3.4.4.3 Mitigation
		3.4.4.4 Evaluation

3.4.4.2 Assessment

The next question addressed by the EIA - "Do the changes matter?'' - is answered in the next step, assessment, so called because it evaluates the predicted adverse impacts to determine whether they are significant enough to need mitigation. This judgement of significance can be based on one or more of the following:

• comparison with laws, regulations, or accepted standards;
• consultation with the relevant decision makers;
• reference to pre-set criteria such as protected sites, features, or species;
• consistency with government policy objectives;
• acceptability to the local community or the general public.