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➢ Definition

Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is the process of assessing or estimating in advance the social consequences that are likely to follow from specific policy actions or project development particularly in the context of appropriate national, state or provincial environmental policy legislation.

Explanation

Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is a stand-alone report or a subfield of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). It is defined as the social sciences required in developing a knowledge base to provide a systematic appraisal, in advance of the impacts, on the day-to-day quality of life of persons and communities whose environment is affected by a proposed project, plan or policy change.

Social impacts (also known as effects and consequences) refer to changes to individuals and communities due to a proposed action that alters the day-to-day way in which people live, work, play, relate to one another, organise to meet their needs and generally cope as members of society.

A Social Impact Assessment (SIA) therefore is a method of analysing what impact a proposed project or plan may have on the social aspects of the environment. These aspects include (but are not limited to):

• The ways people cope with life through their economy, social systems, and cultural values;

• The ways people use the natural environment, for subsistence, recreation, spiritual activities, cultural activities, and so forth;

• The ways people use the built environment for shelter, making livelihoods, industry, worship, recreation, gathering together, etc

• The ways communities are organised and held together by their social and cultural institutions and beliefs

• Ways of life that communities value as expressions of their identity;

• Art, music, dance, language arts, crafts, and other expressive aspects of culture;

• A group’s values and beliefs about appropriate ways to live, family and extra-family...