Social impacts are impacts on the livelihood of people and the services the natural environment provides to people.

Examples of social impacts include:

  • Resettlement
  • Losing assets or land, including gardens
  • Impacts on health and safety
  • The unsustainable use of natural resources
  • Using resources in a manner that conflicts with existing uses
  • Affecting the ability of people to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change
  • Generating noise
  • Generating odour.

See our guidelines for some more specific examples of social impacts.