Which stage of the Project-Level EIA process involves defining the scope of potential impacts and selecting which effects to analyze?

• A. Screening
• B. Scoping
• C. Impact Analysis
• D. Mitigation

Answer: (C)

Scoping is the step where you set the boundaries of the assessment and decide which environmental effects to study. It involves defining how broad the study will be—geographically and temporally—and identifying which receptors or components of the environment could be affected. Crucially, it also selects which potential impacts will be analyzed in detail, so the subsequent work stays focused on the issues that matter most and are feasible to assess.

This stage happens early to prevent scope creep and ensure the analysis concentrates on significant issues. After scoping defines what will be studied, the actual evaluation of those impacts—predicting their magnitude, likelihood, and significance—occurs in the impact analysis stage. Screening is the preliminary decision on whether an EIA is needed at all, and mitigation follows once impacts are identified to reduce or manage those effects.