What does weighting, used to combine multiple environmental impact factors, rely on?

Weighting, in the context of combining multiple environmental impact factors, refers to the process of assigning significance to different impacts based on their perceived importance to various stakeholders. This method acknowledges that different groups may prioritize environmental impacts differently, influenced by their values, beliefs, or cultural contexts.

For example, a community that places a high value on biodiversity conservation may weight impacts on local ecosystems more heavily than other factors, while another group might prioritize air quality. By relying on societal or cultural values, the weighting process allows for a more nuanced and relevant assessment of environmental impacts that reflects the priorities of the users involved.

In contrast, geographical location may influence the specific impacts faced by users but does not inherently justify the importance assigned to each factor. Technological advancements can aid in the assessment process but do not determine the weighting itself. Legislation contributes to the framework within which these assessments are made, but it does not directly address how relative importance is assigned based on societal contexts. Thus, the reliance on societal or cultural values is the key aspect that defines the weighting process in environmental impact assessments.