What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?

• A. A financial audit of project funding and costs.
• B. A post-implementation review of environmental compliance results.
• C. The process of evaluating and predicting the likely environmental impacts of projects during construction, operation, and abandonment.
• D. A mandatory risk assessment only for hazardous materials.

Answer: (C)

Environmental Impact Assessment is the structured process of identifying, predicting, evaluating, and planning to mitigate the potential environmental effects of a proposed project before it begins. It examines how construction, operation, and even eventual abandonment can influence air, water, soil, ecosystems, and people, and it helps designers adjust plans to reduce negative outcomes. By comparing design options and outlining mitigation and monitoring measures, EIA supports informed decisions and public input, ensuring environmental considerations are integrated into the project from the start. This aligns with evaluating and predicting the likely environmental impacts during construction, operation, and abandonment. A financial audit focuses on costs and funding, not environmental effects. A post-implementation review occurs after the project has run, not in advance. A mandatory risk assessment only for hazardous materials is too narrow; EIA covers a broad range of environmental impacts across multiple project stages.