What is environmental impact?

We explain what the environmental impact is, what are the possible causes of environmental damage and the types of environmental impact.

1. What is environmental impact?

The environmental impact refers to the effects and consequences of the actions of man in the environment . The  ecology  is the science that these consequences and magnitude of the impact produced or can produce is devoted primarily to analyze; in turn, it has long sought to raise awareness among governments and countries through bills that help reduce the negative impacts that are caused to the environment.

There is a procedure known as Environmental Impact Assessment , which consists of a protocol that helps identify and analyze the consequences that can occur in the environment and in society . The diagnosis offered by this protocol is called the Environmental Impact Statement . Its specific objective is to reduce and exile all types of projects that threaten the environment.

The concept of environmental impact, on the other hand, can also be used, less frequently, to refer to the damage caused by natural phenomena . For example: «The tsunami, in Japan, of 2011 had an environmental impact of strongly negative magnitudes on the population and the economy «.

Many times the environmental impact produced by a company in surrounding areas is totally ignored socially by a particular issue: the economy. Such is the case, for example, an oil company usually causes irreversible damage to the environment with its extractive methods , which are not taken into account , due to the economic importance that it exerts on the State.

2. Types of environmental impact

Different kinds of environmental impacts can be distinguished: globally, as consequences of wars and the use of depleted uranium, socially or on the productive sector.

• Global impact : Its main characteristic is that its consequences influence the global environment and not a specific sector. Within this type are activities that are practiced worldwide. One of the best known is the transportation of oil and its exploitation .
• Environmental impacts as a result of wars and uranium use : These consequences are not taken into account as they should be. The use of pumps produces an environmental impact that annihilates flora and fauna in a matter of a relatively short period of time. Post-wars negatively influence a spontaneous and future period of time.
• Impacts on the social environment : Human action can produce lethal consequences in social fields such as the economy, social health, socio-cultural effects and technological effects.
• Impacts on the productive sector : Generally, the most notorious impact derives from the need to increase costs due to activities that help reduce pollution in a given place.