Unit 8

Social Impact Assessment

In this unit, we examine a major subcategory of environmental assessment in greater detail. Socio-economic impact assessment (SIA) is a crucial component of EA but is frequently ignored or poorly done in formal assessments. We explore the basic methodology of SIA, and discuss the guiding principles in the light of what we already know about EA.

Objectives

After completing this unit, you should be able to

1. define social impact assessment and describe the steps in completing a generic social impact assessment.
2. state the guiding principles of social impact assessment and explain the importance of each one.
3. distinguish some of the key features that characterize social impact assessment and make it distinct from others forms of environmental assessment.