The new Industrial Emissions Directive

Any economic development project, whether it is simple and small or large and complex has some environmental implications. The main objective of impact identification is to specify areas which are likely to be affected. Environmental impact implies an alteration of environmental conditions or creation of a new set of adverse or beneficial environmental consequences caused by the action under consideration. Impact identification starts at the scoping stage, where the project and its surroundings are made available. During the impact assessment stage, impact from scoping may be confirmed or new impacts may be identified.

Impact assessment also includes the prediction of impacts, which are based on the available environmental baseline of the project data. The basis for such predictions is the quantitative impact term, which takes into consideration the magnitude, the extent or the duration and the evaluation of impacts, i.e. determining the impact, e.g. significant/important.

The magnitude can be defined as the severity of the potential impact. It indicates whether such an impact is irreversible or reversible. If the adverse effect of a project can be mitigated then the magnitude of the impact cannot be considered as very high.

Further, it is of great importance to exactly determine the zone of influence of the impact, because the impact can be site-specific or limited to the project area, occur locally or regionally and the impact can be national.

Lastly, the duration of the impact needs to be established in order to be able to classify it. For example, an impact which arises after the project completion and lasts only for three to nine years may be classified as a short-term impact.

Nevertheless, there will always be some uncertainties concerning impact predictions, such as social, physical and economical environment, policies, priorities and legislation, planning, negotiation, coordination, etc. Of course, these uncertainties are likely to affect the EIA process, but by examining each of these concerns the credibility of the process will grow.