Socio-economic Impact Assessment Research Articles

Integrated remote sensing and GIS based spatial modelling through analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for water logging hazard, vulnerability and risk assessment in Keleghai river basin, India

Water-logging disaster is a most important environmental as well as socio-economic problem which directly associated with the utilization of soil and land resources in agricultural command areas. Water resource management and conservation is a crucial approach for agricultural development in a basin area. To identify the maximum extent of waterlogged area in a basin during the pre-monsoon, monsoon and post monsoon season necessitated a multidisciplinary approach that integrates the spatial and non spatial attributes on Geographical Information System (GIS) that can be used by the decision makers for implement strategy of the problematic area in term of waterlogged and flood prone region. The main objective of the present investigation is to identify and mapping of the waterlogged disaster areas and it associated risk using an Analytical Hieratical Process and GIS model through ArcGIS model maker in the Keleghai river basin, India. For this purpose, the post monsoon multi-temporal (1976, 1979, 1987, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009) Landsat™ satellite imagery, topographical maps, ASTER Digital Elevation Model, ground water table and population data have been used to identify the severity level of waterlogged areas and the associated vulnerability level in the basin. We applied digital remote sensing techniques like normalised differences water index, normalised differences vegetation index and normalised differences moisture index to identify the water content pixel from the multi-temporal Landsat™ data. On the other hand, we have considered topographic variation, distance from river and post monsoon groundwater depth as a proxy for waterlogged hazard zoning. In the present study, we applied spatial modelling through Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and GIS to demarcate the hazard and risk level in terms of severe, high, moderate and low. The basic model approach is the conversion of all the thematic layer attributes into a normalised weighted raster as per the water holding capacity through AHP and Multi Criteria Decision Support System. Thereafter, we used combined operation through ArcGIS raster modelling to mapping the severity level of waterlogged hazard area. The assessment of socio-economic impact, we have calculated risk by considering different vulnerability exposures viz. population distribution, settlement density and landuse/landcover. The study demonstrates the integrated remote sensing and GIS based spatial modelling to detect the waterlogged hazard and it associated risk level that occurred due to excessive accumulation of rain and floodwaters. The result depicts the waterlogged hazard zones viz. severe, high, moderate and low and its associated risk levels in the study area which can be helpful for better planning and management of both the drainage system and agriculture activities.

Scientists raise alarms about fast tracking of transoceanic canal through Nicaragua.

Seeking economic growth and job creation to tackle the nation's extreme poverty, the Nicaraguan government awarded a concession to build an interoceanic canal and associated projects to a recently formed Hong Kong based company with no track record or related expertise. This concession was awarded without a bidding process and in advance of any feasibility, socio-economic or environmental impact assessments; construction has begun without this information. The 278 km long interoceanic canal project may result in significant environmental and social impairments. Of particular concern are damage to Lake Cocibolca, a unique freshwater tropical lake and Central America's main freshwater reservoir; damage to regional biodiversity and ecosystems; and socio-economic impacts. Concerned about the possibly irreparable damage to the environment and to native communities, conservationists and the scientific community at large are urging the Nicaraguan government to devise and reveal an action plan to address and mitigate the possible negative repercussions of this interoceanic canal and associated projects. Critical research needs for preparation of a comprehensive benefit-cost analysis for this megaproject are presented.

Towards a meta-analysis and toolkit for port-related socio-economic impacts: a review of socio-economic impact studies conducted for seaports

Port authorities increasingly need to communicate with a variety of external stakeholders in order to maintain and strengthen the societal acceptance of seaport activities. The availability of socio-economic impact studies on port authority and regional development agency websites has often made this information accessible to the public at large. However, the differences in methodologies adopted, in terms of selecting, defining and measuring various types of socio-economic impacts, sometimes lead to misconceptions as well as misleading comparisons across ports within and between regions. In this paper, we suggest guidelines for the design and application of a potential best practice from an interregional perspective (UK, France and Belgium), based on research in the framework of a European Commission co-funded project, ‘IMPACTE’. The paper also aims to develop guidelines for comparing the socio-economic impacts of ports across regional and national borders and discusses the development of a European port economic impact measurement toolkit. We analyse a sample of 33 recent socio-economic impact assessment reports in terms of methodologies adopted and types of impacts measured. The review shows a great diversity among these studies, leading to important differences between the impacts of port activity communicated to stakeholders.

Assessment of Socio-economic Impacts of Urban Expansion: A Study of Dilla Town Administration in Gedeo Zone

This study was conducted in Dilla Town Administration at Gedeo Zone, SNNPRS, Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to assess the socio-economic impacts of urban expansion. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data has been collected by questionnaires and interviews with 99 respondents of Dilla Town Administration in Gedeo Zone. Even though the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) constitution ensures provision of adequate amenities to the people. This study showed that the Dilla town has been facing lack of various basic amenities, which include insufficient public facilities, acute shortage of houses, poor sanitation, and employment, etc.; all these, in fact are manifested in deprived poverty of the metropolis. To challenge these problems, an enormous effort has so far been exercised by the Town Administration, even though these are not adequate. Based on the data analysis and interpretation, particularly the major findings, the conclusion drawn is that waste management system of the town was poor, there was lack of awareness of education, the level of primary education was low. Most of the households do not have their ownership right of housing and do not have their own water pipe. The expansion of town is making a positive impact on residents with job opportunity. Due to these reasons, the researcher concluded that most of the households were dissatisfied by waste management system, lack of primary education, and ownership right of housing as well as their own water pipe. Most of the respondents were satisfied by access of roads in the town. Based on the identified findings, the researcher recommends that the administration should provide basic amenities and facilities like building of new primary schools, arrangements of waste collection trucks and maintain residential areas for the societies.

Mineral Resources and Localised Development: Q-Methodology for Rapid Assessment of Socioeconomic Impacts in Rwanda

The regional impacts of large development projects often require rapid appraisal in confined geographies. Impacts have largely been studied at country level, which have often neglected a finer granularity of analysis at sub-national level, which has specific relevance in Africa, since many mineral conflicts on the continent are highly localised. This study applies Q-methodology to quantitatively analyse qualitative perspectives regarding impacts of mining-led development at a district level in Rwanda - a densely populated country with a high economic growth rate. This approach revealed three classes of shared perspectives regarding topics of greatest concern to stakeholders: a) economic diversification and sustainable socioeconomic development; b) employment, resettlement, and mining land-use; and c) income, benefit distribution, and social impacts. The use of this method to consolidate qualitative data through a deliberative process to get an output that can be used for broader geographic comparisons holds much promise for researchers and practitioners alike working in geographies of rapid development.

Socioeconomic Impact Assessment of Integrated Industrial Estate Pantnagar, India

A Socioeconomic Impact Assessment (SIA) of Integrated Industrial Estate (IIE)-SIDCUL Pantnagar was completed in March 2010 after three years of its establishment, based on primary and secondary data collection (survey data, company’s reports, websites, library and other related documents). The 276 industries established in the area have created jobs for a total of 27,812 (35% of the district industrial workers) individuals. The general public attitude (72.16% positive), impact distribution (70.56% middle class) and the general wellbeing of society around are significantly good. However, local people also voiced their apprehensions about water quality and quantity, health problems, power interruption. Population of Rudrapur town will be more than double in 20 years. While, house and land values have increased 2 to 3 times, labor force has become farming constraint. These plus the cultural prestige are forcing the local people to sell their farm lands for house building and/or daughters’ marital expenditure (dowry). The rapid urbanization, increasing land value and discharge of waste are found to be derivers of the socioeconomic changes. Based on the results some mitigation measures to reduce the pressures are suggested.

The Implementation Conditions and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Solutions in the Area of City Logistics Projects – Selected Problems

The main objective of the article is to present the concept, conditions of implementation and preferred directions of action of city logistics projects in the context of the processes of social responsibility in the management of the city. The first part of the article presents the concept and types of city logistics projects as one of the symptoms of actions aimed at implementing the objectives and functions of city logistics in the area. The second part presents the conditions and stages of implementation of the effective project solutions in city logistics. This part of the paper also includes the groups of city logistics projects, taking into account factors such as the size of investment and the necessity of legislative and administrative changes to implement them.

Socioeconomic impact assessment in ex ante evaluations: a case study on the rural development programs of the European Union.

Ex ante impact assessment has become a fundamental tool for effective program management, and thus, a compulsory task when establishing a new program in the European Union (EU). This article aims to analyze benefits from ex ante impact assessment, methodologies followed, and difficulties encountered. This is done through the case study on the rural development programs (RDPs) in the EU. Results regarding methodologies are then contrasted with the international context in order to provide solid insights to evaluators and program managing authorities facing ex ante impact assessment. All European RDPs from the period 2007 through 2013 (a total of 88) and their corresponding available ex ante evaluations (a total of 70) were analyzed focusing on the socioeconomic impact assessment. Only 46.6% of the regions provide quantified impact estimations on socioeconomic impacts in spite of it being a compulsory task demanded by the European Commission (EC). Recommended methods by the EC are mostly used, but there is a lack of mixed method approaches since qualitative methods are used in substitution of quantitative ones. Two main difficulties argued were the complexity of program impacts and the lack of needed program information. Qualitative approaches on their own have been found as not suitable for ex ante impact assessment, while quantitative approaches-such as microsimulation models-provide a good approximation to actual impacts. However, time and budgetary constraints make that quantitative and mixed methods should be mainly applied on the most relevant impacts for the program success.

Reframing the Conversation: Understanding Socio-Economic Impact Assessments within the Cycles of Boom and Bust

Reframing the Conversation: Understanding Socio-Economic Impact Assessments within the Cycles of Boom and Bust

Writing the Rules of Socio-Economic Impact Assessment: Adaptation Through Participation

New governance initiatives like co-management can be made effective through the use of agency rulemaking. Using the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Assessment Board as a case study, this paper affirms that it is possible for marginalized stakeholders to participate in new governance arrangements like co-management and to alter decision-making. The study of participation presented here illustrates: 1) that a high level of agency support for community participation in rule-making can lead to rules which reflect community values; and 2) that agency implementation of community values has led to the increased use of stakeholder collaboration through private agreement. Nonetheless, the paper also reveals that there are limitations on the ability to translate social needs into privately negotiated agreements. Where negotiations depart from highly commoditized terms and attempt to include diverse community values, stakeholder participation is bounded. Consequently, this paper questions the use of negotiated agreements to meet the goals of stakeholder participation, as conceived by deliberative democratic strands of new governance.

SEQUOIA: A methodology for the socio-economic impact assessment of Software-as-a-Service and Internet of Services research projects

A methodology for the self-assessment of the socio-economic impact of Software-as-a-Service and Internet of Services research projects is presented in the context of EU-funded research. The SEQUOIA methodology was developed by assessing thirty existing projects with their close collaboration. This process was documented to provide a basis for future research projects to apply the methodology on their own. The model and the empirical findings are discussed in detail, focussing on five projects that qualified as “best practices”. The main findings are that an “impact assessment culture” needs to be cultivated, encouraged, and strengthened by the European Commission and all the stakeholders. The five projects that scored highest were strong in three different ways: one group maximised internal return on investment (ROI), a second group maximised external ROI, and a third group was able to strike a balance between the two. To integrate better the assessment methodology within each project, its partners need to feel that they “own” it, and that it has been optimised for its specific institutional, organisational, and epistemological requirements. We therefore recommend the inclusion in project consortia of socio-economic experts who are able to translate the ICT research language into measurable (potential) socio-economic impacts. SEQUOIA’s assumption that in the development of an effective socio-economic impact assessment methodology it is important to integrate the social and economic dimensions of potential impact was verified and validated through an ex post rationalisation informed by economic anthropology, the usefulness of our quantitative model, and empirical evidence obtained through in-depth qualitativequantitative data gathering techniques.

Sustaining social licence—the application of social impact assessment across the operational lifecycle

Most Australian resource companies, including those in the oil and gas sector, recognise that effective community engagement enhances their corporate reputation and underpins their social licence to operate. Industry-leading companies also understand the importance of assessing and managing the socio-economic impacts of their projects and operations with the same rigour as environmental, health and safety impacts. Some companies, however, fail to see the value of applying outcomes of robust socio-economic impact assessments (SEIA) to long-term business planning and performance monitoring; instead they use the approach as a one-off assessment process. This paper discusses the value of applying SEIA to inform business planning in a company’s social and environmental functions. The methods and techniques that are presented may assist companies in: developing an improved understanding of socially-related impacts, their significance and appropriate management strategies;documenting socio-economic contributions locally and regionally to illustrate higher order impacts and afford improved management of operational impacts;assessing community resilience, to inform, prioritise and structure community investment planning and capacity building;designing and structuring engagement to meet business objectives and reporting requirements;understanding communities, their engagement preferences, values, needs and opportunities to afford the development of more genuine relationships and partnerships; and,developing appropriate indicators to effectively monitor social impacts. Such outputs can assist in greater efficiencies, streamlining of assessment processes and improved relationships in the long-term. Where appropriate, this paper presents case studies to illustrate the application of such techniques and their value in meeting business, government and community needs and expectations.

Assessment of the Socio Economic Impact of Tourism on Business Owners at Idanre Hills Ondo State, Nigeria

Assessment of the Socio Economic Impact of Tourism on Business Owners at Idanre Hills Ondo State, Nigeria

Automatic assessment of socioeconomic impact on cardiac rehabilitation.

Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) and Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), which capture life expectancy and quality of the remaining life-years, are applied in a new method to measure socioeconomic impacts related to health. A 7-step methodology estimating the impact of health interventions based on DALYs, QALYs and functioning changes is presented. It relates the latter (1) to the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire (2) to automatically calculate the health status before and after the intervention (3). This change of status is represented as a change in quality of life when calculating QALYs gained due to the intervention (4). In order to make an economic assessment, QALYs gained are converted to DALYs averted (5). Then, by inferring the cost/DALY from the cost associated to the disability in terms of DALYs lost (6) and taking into account the cost of the action, cost savings due to the intervention are calculated (7) as an objective measure of socioeconomic impact. The methodology is implemented in Java. Cases within the framework of cardiac rehabilitation processes are analyzed and the calculations are based on 200 patients who underwent different cardiac-rehabilitation processes. Results show that these interventions result, on average, in a gain in QALYs of 0.6 and a cost savings of 8,000 €.

From coal to wood thermoelectric energy production: a review and discussion of potential socio-economic impacts with implications for Northwestern Ontario, Canada

The province of Ontario in Canada is the first North American jurisdiction withlegislation in place to eliminate coal-fired thermoelectric production by theend of 2014. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) operates coal-fired stations inOntario, with Atikokan Generating Station being the only facility slated toswitch to 100% woody biomass. It is anticipated that this coal phase out policywill have socio-economic impacts. Because of these anticipated changes, in thispaper, we review the current state of peer-reviewed literature relating to threeburning scenarios (biomass, coal and co-firing) in order to explore theknowledge gaps with regard to socio-economic impacts and identify research needswhich should elucidate the anticipated changes on a community level. We reviewedover 150 sources, which included peer-reviewed articles and non-peer-reviewedgrey literature such as government documents, non-governmental organizationreports and news publications. We found very few peer-reviewed articles relatedto Canadian studies (even fewer for Ontario) which look at woody biomass burningfor thermoelectric production. We identify a number of socio-economic impactassessment tools readily available and present potential criteria required inselecting an appropriate tool for the Ontario context. For any tool to providemeaningful results, we propose that appropriate and robust local data must becollected and analyzed.

A socio-economic impact assessment of a project to identify and implement best management practices at the Zanyokwe Irrigation Scheme at farm level

The main aim of this study was to assess the impact of the Best Management Practices (BMP) project on social and economic wellbeing at the Zanyokwe Irrigation Scheme (ZIS) in central Eastern Cape Province. The BMP project is a knowledge-based initiative aimed at introducing management practices in order to improve production and livelihoods in the study area. The study employed a survey to collect socio-economic data amongst farming households. The 2005 (pre-BMP project) baseline study based on the same respondents allowed for the tracking of changes after the implementation of the project. A socio-economic impact assessment (SEIA) framework was used to assess the impacts. The results showed the BMP project to have impacted on social and economic wellbeing of households. Skills introduced were in the areas of water management, agronomic practices, marketing and institutional arrangements. In 2007 more than half of farmers worked on their farms daily, an improvement on 2005, when none of the farmers reported working over weekends. The average time spent on the farms per day also increased from 4 (in 2005) to 7 h (in 2007). Agriculture’s contribution to household income improved from 71% in 2005 to 81% in 2007 and reduced household poverty and food insecurity levels. The number of households earning incomes below the poverty line dropped from 61% in 2005 to 38% in 2007. A marked increase was noted in winter land use, which was almost non-existent in 2005. The on-farm trials introduced by the BMP team improved the farmers’: maize planting time, plant population density, fertiliser management, crop yield and participation in community activities. Seedling transplanting was preferred to direct maize seeding. Positive impacts on institutions were seen in the restructuring of the management system; improved marketing systems; institutional arrangements for managing water; and institutions for maintaining irrigation infrastructure.

HYDROLOGIC MODELLING OF KATSINA-ALA RIVER BASIN: AN EMERGING SCENARIO FROM LAKE NYOS THREAT

Abstract. Understanding the hydrologic system surrounding crater lakes is of great importance for prevention of flooding damages, conservation of ecological environment, and assessment of socio-economic impact of dam failure on the civilians in the downstream regions. Lake Nyos is a crater lake formed by volcanic activities at the Oku volcanic field on the Cameroon Volcanic Line. It is a freshwater lake with a maximum depth of 200 meter. In 1986, a limnic eruption at the lake emitted 1.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the bottom of saturated water into the air and suffocated up to 1,800 people and 3,500 livestock at nearby villages. The lake waters are held in place by a natural dam composed of loosely consolidated volcanic rock, which is now at the verge of collapse due to accelerated erosion. This study was carried out to determine the flood risks and vulnerability of population and infrastructure along Katsina-Ala drainage basins. The project integrated both satellite images and field datasets into a hydrologic model for Katsina-Ala River Basin and its vicinity including the Lake Nyos. ArcHydro was used to construct a hydrologic database as 'data models' and MIKE SHE was employed to conduct hydrologic simulations. Vulnerable infrastructures, population and socio-economic activities were identified to assist the Federal and State governments in disaster mitigation and management plans. The result of the project provides comprehensive knowledge of hydrologic system of Katsina-Ala drainage basin to mitigate potential future disasters from a potential dam failure and manage water resources against such disasters.

Toward a land zoning negotiation support platform: “Tips and tricks” for participatory land use planning in Laos

Managing complex landscape mosaics in areas dominated by poverty often requires addressing conflicting objectives and managing trade-offs, such as that between maintaining/enhancing ecological functions and improving livelihoods. Laos, like many other developing countries dependent on agriculture and natural resources for the subsistence of a mostly rural population, has used land use planning (LUP) as a core policy instrument to achieve sustainable development. However, previous reviews of LUP implementation showed large discrepancies between policies and practices and between the intended goals and actual outcomes. There is a need for increased participation, improved integration of scales, harmonization of superimposed plans, and enhanced coordination between implementing agencies and other stakeholders. Consequently, former normative approaches to LUP have been gradually replaced (at least on paper) by a new paradigm. Participatory land use planning (PLUP) has recently become a central element of donor-supported programs in developing countries. However, despite the good intentions of PLUP principles, implementation remains entangled with confused practical issues that compromise effective participation. As an alternative to complex, technologically sophisticated LUP models that local stakeholders cannot use or replicate, a communication platform supporting negotiations among multiple stakeholder groups was tested in a village cluster in Luang Prabang Province in northern Laos. This innovative approach, based on a combination of role-playing games, participatory 3D modeling, GIS, and socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment, allows stakeholders to collectively explore the consequences of land use decisions and choose between alternative future landscapes.

Empowering Systems Analysis for Solid Waste Management: Challenges, Trends, and Perspectives

Solid waste management is a significant issue for sustainable development that involves the technical, socioeconomic, legal, ecological, political, and even cultural components. For this reason, systems analysis has been uniquely providing interdisciplinary support for policy analysis and decision making in solid waste management for the last few decades. Considering these challenges and accomplishments retrospectively, this paper presents a thorough literature review and in-depth discussions of systems analysis models that are promising for providing forward-looking, cost-effective, risk-informed, and environmentally benign decisions for sustainable solid waste management. To simplify the discussion, the spectrum of these systems analysis models was divided into three broadly based domains associated with fourteen categories, although some of them may be intertwined with each other. The first domain comprises systems engineering models including cost-benefit analysis, forecasting analysis, simulation analysis, optimization analysis, and integrated modeling system; the second domain introduces systems analysis platforms, such as management information systems/decision support systems/expert systems; and the third domain introduces system assessment tools including scenario development, material flow analysis, life-cycle assessment, risk assessment, environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental assessment, socioeconomic assessment, and sustainable assessment. While some models or tools may be elucidated with respect to multiple managerial purposes, such as integrated modeling system and sustainable assessment, others may cover extended foci of market-based instruments and regulatory requirements, such as socioeconomic assessment and environmental impact assessment. The authors use the term systems analysis as a placeholder for the disparate strands of research and practice at this intersection between environmental systems engineering and sustainability science. Given that the sustainable management is necessary at all phases of impact from the interactions among several prescribed paradigms, current and future solid waste management strategies in relation to systems analysis were particularly discussed. Such a critical review paper may aid the prediction of the possible challenges and the preparation of the appropriate tactics in dealing with large-scale complex solid waste management systems under normal operation and special conditions. It should lead the authors to echo some of their real world observational evidence in terms of cost-benefit-risk trade-off in decision analysis for solid waste management.

P1-175 Predicting the future burden of occupational cancer

IntroductionInterventions to reduce occupationally related cancers should be evidence based. We have developed a method for forecasting the future burden of occupational cancer given past and projected exposure trends and...