Environmental impact assessment

Abstract

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a formal study process used to anticipate the environmental consequences of a proposed major development project. An EIA concentrates on problems, conflicts on natural resource constraints that could affect: (i) the viability of the project and (ii) the people, their homeland or their livelihood. After predicting potential problems, the EIA identifies measures to minimise the problems and outlines ways to improve the project's suitability for its proposed environment. The aim of the EIA is to ensure that potential problems are foreseen and addressed at an early stage in the projects planning and design. To achieve this aim assessment's finding are communicated to all the various groups who will make decisions about the proposed project such as project developers, investors, decision makers, regulators, planners, local community and politicians.