In addition to evaluating the economic, ecological, and health impacts of major public policy initiatives, impact assessments typically also need to identify and evaluate an action’s social and cultural (S/C) impacts. A wide range of S/C metrics have been suggested, and guidelines exist to help ensure their thoughtful and comprehensive development. Nevertheless, many of the S/C concerns identified as part of impact assessments remain vague, are difficult to measure or understand, and are more closely attuned to existing data than to concerns expressed by stakeholders or residents of Indigenous communities. Furthermore, S/C impacts are often deemphasized or, in some cases, outright ignored during project generation and as part of final decisions made by elected officials. Here, we examine the promise of well-designed S/C metrics and contrast it with the reality of how they are commonly deployed, with specific reference to four case studies in North America: municipal planning decisions in Oregon, wildlife decisions in Ohio, renewable energy decisions in Michigan, and pipeline decisions in the western United States and Canada. We argue the importance of moving beyond assessment to decision making, pointing out five reasons why critical S/C impacts are often neglected, and presenting recommendations for the design of clearer, more comprehensive metrics that will contribute to more socially responsive policy choices.

中文翻译：

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社会和文化指标的前景和现实

除了评估主要公共政策举措的经济、生态和健康影响之外，影响评估通常还需要识别和评估一项行动的社会和文化 (S/C) 影响。已经提出了广泛的 S/C 指标，并且存在指导方针以帮助确保它们周到而全面的发展。尽管如此，在影响评估中确定的许多 S/C 问题仍然含糊不清，难以衡量或理解，并且与利益相关者或原住民社区居民表达的担忧相比，更接近于现有数据。Furthermore, S/C impacts are often deemphasized or, in some cases, outright ignored during project generation and as part of final decisions made by elected officials. 这里，我们研究了精心设计的 S/C 指标的前景，并将其与它们普遍部署的实际情况进行对比，具体参考北美的四个案例研究：俄勒冈州的市政规划决策、俄亥俄州的野生动物决策、可再生能源决策密歇根州，以及美国西部和加拿大的管道决策。我们认为从评估转向决策的重要性，指出了关键 S/C 影响经常被忽视的五个原因，并提出了设计更清晰、更全面的指标的建议，这些指标将有助于做出更具社会响应性的政策选择。密歇根州的可再生能源决策，以及美国西部和加拿大的管道决策。我们认为从评估转向决策的重要性，指出了为什么关键 S/C 影响经常被忽视的五个原因，并提出了设计更清晰、更全面的指标的建议，这将有助于做出更具社会响应性的政策选择。密歇根州的可再生能源决策，以及美国西部和加拿大的管道决策。我们认为从评估转向决策的重要性，指出了关键 S/C 影响经常被忽视的五个原因，并提出了设计更清晰、更全面的指标的建议，这些指标将有助于做出更具社会响应性的政策选择。