Predicting and characterizing impacts

Question 1

What is impact prediction?

Answer 1

identifying potential changes in select VEC indicators determined during scoping.
Requires:

 Knowledge of conditions and trends established in baseline assessment

 Predicting future conditions, trends or disturbances in
both the project and absence of the project

Question 2

Environmental Change vs. Environmental Effect

Answer 2

Change: Temporal measure (Usually time) of an environmental or socio-economic parameter

Effect: Change under the project vs in the absence of the project

Question 3

What 3 things to predict in an EA

Answer 3

Impact of the project on the environment

impact of the environment on the project

Cumulative impact of the project

Question 4

7 ways to characterize impacts

Answer 4

Order - direct, indirect, induced
Nature - incremental, additive, synergistic, antagonistic
Magnitude - size, degree, concentration
Spatial Extent - local, regional, national, international
Frequency and Duration - continuous, immediate, delayed
Reversibility - reversible, irreversible
Likelihood - probability, risk

Question 5

4 ways to address uncertainty

Answer 5

probability analysis - probability impact will occur + confidence

sensitivity analysis - how sensitive an impact is on the area

confirmatory analysis - test to see what techniques provide same outcomes

uncertainty analysis - disclose assumptions and uncertainties