An expert system approach to environmental impact assessment

Abstract

The assessment and analysis of environmental impacts have become familiar procedures carefully followed by those involved in the planning and implementation of activities and projects that stand to alter the social or physical environment. In response to the requirements for project appraisal a variety of techniques have been developed to assist in the evaluation of impact, yet regardless of sophistication the assessment process remains a formalized procedure for expressing professional judgement. In this paper an approach to impact assessment that incorporates human judgement and experience is presented based on recent developments in expert systems technology. A prototype expert system, illustrating the role played by experience and judgement, is described and the utility of the rule‐based approach is discussed.