Graphical excellence in environmental impact statements: applying data visualisation principles to environmental impact assessments

摘要

Graphical Excellence in Environmental Impact Statementsudapplying data visualisation principles to environmental impact assessmentsudPlanning and development involves balancing potentially conflicting goals. Developmentudcontrol systems attempt to optimise the trade-offs between ecology, economy and society.udEnvironmental impact assessment (EIA) is one o f the tools used to improve the way inudwhich decisions to develop are made. E IA is now well established in national andudinternational legislation and declarations, and in policy and practice. As implemented inudIreland, E IA is carried out by statutory planning and licensing authorities, with theudassessment based on the information provided in Environmental Impact Statements (EIS).udThere is scope for improvement in the effectiveness o f communication o f graphic, text andudtabular information, which would benefit the assessment and decision-making process.udData visualisation theory is considered in the context o f the prediction o f environmentaludimpacts, and the following suggestions are made for best-practice in graphical presentationudin EISs:udUse horizontally-oriented histograms to illustrate impact significance.udCompile the predicted impacts in ‘small multiples’ o f histograms.udUse sequential colour schemes.udAvoid tones that cannot be differentiated by colour blind viewers.udUse double-ended colour schemes to encode the adverse-to-beneficial data range.udUse techniques such as ‘TableLens’ to aggregate and summarise the data.udIllustrate additional characteristics, such as uncertainty, using bullet graphs.