Part I

1.4.3.1 Methodology for Assessing Environmental Impacts
Draft Black Sea Regional Transmission Project ESIA
A general method for grading the significance of environmental impacts was adopted to
ensure consistency in the terminology of significance, whether for a beneficial or an adverse
impact. The two principal criteria determining significance are the sensitivity of the receptor
and the magnitude of the change arising from the scheme, as shown in Table 1-1.
Table 1-1 shows that the significance of impacts was classed as major, moderate, minor or
none; and either positive (beneficial) or negative (adverse). This categorization is widely
recognized and accepted in the field of environmental impact assessment. Where
appropriate, topic-specific assessment methods and criteria for determining significance are
described in Chapter 5.
Table 1-1. Determination of Environmental Impact Significance
Magnitude of
change
High
(e.g. >75% of
area or receptor
affected)
Medium
(e.g. 25-75% of
area or receptor
affected)
Low
(e.g. 5 to 25% of
area or receptor
affected)
Very Low
(e.g. >0, but