What are the most promising new EIA methods and tools for evaluating social impacts?

1 Social life cycle assessment

Social life cycle assessment (SLCA) is a method that evaluates the social and socio-economic impacts of a product or service throughout its life cycle, from extraction to disposal. SLCA can complement the environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA) and provide a more holistic picture of the sustainability of a project or policy. SLCA can help identify the stakeholders affected by a project or policy, assess their needs and expectations, measure their well-being and human rights, and evaluate the distribution of benefits and burdens. SLCA can also support decision-making by providing indicators and scenarios for social performance and improvement.

2 Social network analysis

Social network analysis (SNA) is a method that examines the structure and dynamics of social relationships among individuals, groups, or organizations. SNA can help understand the social context and impacts of a project or policy, such as the changes in social capital, trust, cooperation, conflict, influence, and power. SNA can also help identify the key actors and stakeholders involved in a project or policy, their roles and interests, their interactions and communication, and their potential for collaboration or opposition. SNA can provide visual and quantitative tools for mapping and analyzing social networks and their effects on project or policy outcomes.

4 Social media analytics

Social media analytics (SMA) are tools that collect, process, and analyze data from various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. SMA can help monitor and evaluate the public perceptions, opinions, sentiments, and behaviors related to a project or policy, as well as the trends and patterns of social media activity and engagement. SMA can also help identify and reach out to the relevant and influential social media users and groups, such as bloggers, influencers, activists, and journalists, who can shape the public discourse and influence the decision-making process.

5 Agent-based modeling

Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a method that simulates the behavior and interactions of autonomous agents, such as individuals, households, organizations, or institutions, in a complex system. ABM can help understand and predict the social impacts and outcomes of a project or policy, as well as the feedbacks and adaptations of the affected agents. ABM can also help explore and compare the effects of different scenarios, assumptions, and interventions on the social system and its components. ABM can provide a flexible and interactive tool for testing and learning from various project or policy options and strategies.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?