Assessing Development Impacts with Emphasis on Environmental Assessment: Lessons Learned from Principles and Concepts

Socioeconomic development is implemented through policies, programs and plans of development usually. These plans are developmental intervention from public and private institutions and a planned tool for improve the situation of societies and intend to promote humans’ material and spiritual well-being. But, we can’t be oblivious about its unwanted and undesirable effects. In this qualitative-descriptive reasearch that required information prepared from study of document, resource and literature, the issues such as impact and change, impacts of project, the levels of impact, impact assessment, and indicators and barriers of impact assessment have been investigated. Also environmental impact assessment and its history in Iran’s development programs are studied in the end. Empowement of all levels of management and plannig system of country in environmental and social impact assessment area, is important factor for achieving to sustainable development certainly.