Notes on cumulative environmental change II: a contribution to methodology

Abstract

A concept of cumulative environmental change and its assessment provides the framework for some necessary reform of the approach to environmental impact assessment. In particular, the cumulative change concept points to a more proactive approach to environmental management and one that takes a broader view of impact. The assessment of cumulative change does require, however, that appropriate methods of analysis be developed. Existing evaluation methods are reviewed here as to their suitability for cumulative effects assessment. The paper then describes the use of a checklist and a geographic information system in the context of an experimental cumulative effects assessment, based on a small region of New Zealand. The experience suggests that these methods have a contribution to make to cumulative effects assessment.