7. Social Impact Assessments Flashcards
SIA
systematic process analyzing project-related social impact on communities (people)
aims to forecast impacts, mitigate negative impacts, support beneficial ones to support better decision-making, foster community well-being and advance sustainability
focuses on traditions, lifestyles, economic factors, social institutions health, cultural resources, can include physical elements from natural + built-in enviro.
–> econ, enviro., society all interdependent, cant be decoupled so SIA must = broader look
long-term sustainability benefits: facilitates sustainable development by addressing community needs and minimizing negative socio-economic consequences
helps drive change in institutions/orgs, helps make better decisions for improved outcome for people/enviro
not report, its a process, not about getting approval for project, but about making real difference
impacts of + impact on people
to help assess conflicts, helping development processes toward resolution of conflicts
types of SIAs
a. economic impacts; direct/indirect economic impacts influencing local economies (job creation, economic activity, business growth)
–> economies= social construct
b. demographic changes; population shifts, community dynamics, housing demand, services, cultural interactions
c. aestethic/culture; values, community identity, gender roles, social fabric
key factors to consider
- time period; construction, operations, decommissioning phases (to mitigate social/econ impacts)
- geographic scope; to understand localized impacts
- equitable distribution of impacts; ensure fair allocation of benefits/costs
step 2 ; establish baseline conditions
what need to know
what data needed
what want to generate from it
show existing econ and social enviro. legacy effects?
how project adds on (social cumulative effects)
reliable data to enhance predictive accuracy
assists in identifying potential disruptions, allowing proactive measures for community support + enhance benefits
detailed social, econ, enviro profiles of local/regional communities. serves as reference point to assess changes/impacts
–> align data collection with impact significance:
scale + depth of data collection/analysis aligns with significance + scope of project
(larger/high-impact; more rigorous methods)
higher level of social capital =
higher resiliency to negative changes
–> assess in baseline what is possible in cultural context to maintain social conditions (values want to keep)
step 4 ; prediciting impacts
demographic changes; predict demographic shifts, evaluate alterations in population structure and associated social dynamics impacting communities
anticipate economic changes (analyze job creation, income impacts, local market/economy)
evaluate cultural processes, how project influence community tradition, social cohesion, social capital, collective identities
–> all closely linked
–> adopt holistic research methods to cover all aspects of social impacts to fully understand social dynamics
–>ensure methods account for CSEs, projects have long-term effects (beyond immediate scope), how impacts may evolve/amplify with future developments
SIA methods
a. technnocratic methods: quantitative data/statistical techniques
b. participatory methods: community involvement (forums, surveys, workshops) so its voice included in decision-making. qualitative info to know context
–>applications of both (integration): combining enhances SIA quality, enrich quantitative findings with qualitative context
–> methods, assumptions, data used in assessment = transparent, well-documented to allow for replication or verify findings
step 5: managing/mitigating
a. contingency planning:
proactively identifying potential impacts (when, for how long?), ensure readiness/effective response, minimize disruptions
b. adaptive mgmt strategies; flexible strategies allowing adapt practices in response to unforeseen social dynamics during implementation
–> mechanism in place to correct if something is wrong
c. effectiveness monitoring; continuous evaluation of mitigation measures (mechanism), to identify improvements, responsive approach to community needs/conditions of approval. measure if benefits promised are being realized
–> IBAs with compliance mechanism built into it
–> short-lived? “post-development hangover” “economic euphoria”
–> multiplier effects in local economy
guidelines for effective SIA practice
- stakeholder identification:
recognize all parties impacted to identify affected people, ensure engagement - community profiling:
develop comprehensive community profiles to inform SIA by understanding local demographics, cultural contexts, know existing conditions (accurate, transformations can happen quickly, transformational conditions)
3.select relevant variables:
appropriate cultural variables to effectively measure impacts on community well-being
(essential ones NEED to know, not too personal)
- Integration of SIA into early planning:
to foster awareness, enhance stakeholder engagement, support informed, evidence-based decision-making
challenges of SIA practice
- social change: constant so complicates, need adaptive methodologies for accurate impact assessment
–> different generations
–> urban vs. rural
–> social classes
–> who has a voice, who influential? - measuring well-being: defining and quantifying well-being hard due subjective nature + diverse stakeholder perceptions
- building stakeholder trust:
effective communication + transparency essential to establish trust and enhance collaboration
–> inclusive assessments = commitment to communities, building trust + improving relationships between affected people (obtaining social license)
step 1: identify + describe stakeholders
all interested + affected stakeholders (local communities, project beneficiaries, gov, NGOs, all may be direct/indirect impacted
step 3: identify key social/cultural issues + variables
with baseline+ stakeholder profiles identify social/cultural issues relevant to project, thinking about mitigation early on
–>health, livelihood, land-use, education, cultural heritage
choose specific social/cultural variables most relevant to identified issues, indicators should effectively measure and explain potential impacts, thinking about mitigation early on
–> employment rates, service access, income levels, social cohesion, …
