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Assessing the utility of environmental factors and objectives in environmental impact assessment practice: Western Australian insights
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Assessing the utility of environmental factors and objectives in environmental impact assessment practice: Western Australian insights

V. Dahlitz and A. Morrison-Saunders
Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Vol.33(2), pp.142-147
2015
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Abstract

Environmental factors and objectives are formally identified during the scoping stage of environmental impact assessment (EIA) to structure and focus individual assessments. Environmental factors are broad components of the environment, while objectives set the desired outcome for a specific factor. This research assesses the utility of environmental factors and objectives in EIA practice based upon a combination of literature review and interviews with 21 EIA practitioners from Western Australia. Further to providing focus and structure for EIA, practitioners also use environmental factors and objectives for decision-making throughout the process. The majority of practitioners also note that factors and objectives are value adding and useful to their EIA practice. Due to their inherent subjective natures, interviewees noted a lack of consistency regarding how to meet the objectives and challenges in determining the significance of impacts on a factor. Identified opportunities to enhance use of objectives and factors in EIA included provision of more guidance, especially criteria or standards to apply and improve knowledge sharing between EIA stakeholders.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
#11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
#13 Climate Action
#14 Life Below Water
#15 Life on Land

Source: InCites

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
6 Social Sciences
6.153 Climate Change
6.153.2227 Strategic Environmental Assessment
Web Of Science research areas
Environmental Studies
ESI research areas
Social Sciences, general
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