Environmental Impact Guidance
What is a "Significant" Impact?
You can't put all environmental impacts into your RIA, just as you can't put all 'economic' impacts into it: - you don't have the time or the data you would need.
The RIA asks you to identify and appraise the significant impacts. But what is significant and what is insignificant? This note gives all the pointers it can on how you can make that decision . When it comes down to it, only the person with detailed information about the policy option and the impact will be able to make the decision, which means that it comes down to you. Still, you can't make up your mind without regard to the facts. Think about the following:
The relative size of the impact determines whether it is significant. You must judge how the size of the impact compares to its context. In particular, consider how big the impact is compared to:
- The total costs or benefits of the policy;
- The net benefit of the policy; and
- The size, value or worth of the sector resource which is impacted.
Please click here for further information on judging significance
Page last modified: 16 November 2004
Page Published: 16 November 2004