Impacts (consequences, outcomes)

The effects or consequences of a factor on the attributes of the property, both in terms of the attributes’ state of conservation and their ability to convey the heritage values.(Enhancing our Heritage Toolkit)The consequences of realized risks on natural and human systems, where risks result from the interactions of climate-related hazards (including extreme weather/climate events), exposure, and vulnerability. Impacts generally refer to effects on lives, livelihoods, health and well-being, ecosystems and species, economic, social and cultural assets, services (including ecosystem services), and infrastructure. Impacts may be referred to as consequences or outcomes and can be adverse or beneficial. (IPCC-2021, AR6-WGI; IPCC-2022, AR6-WGII & WGIII)A direct impact results from a cause-and-effect relationship between a project and a specific attribute of World Heritage or other environmental components. Indirect impacts are impacts on the environment which are not a direct result of the project, often produced away from or as a result of a complex pathway and sometimes referred to as ‘second’ or ‘third-level’ impacts or ‘secondary’ impacts. A cumulative impact results from the environmental impacts of a project combined with the same environmental impacts of other past, existing or reasonably foreseeable future projects or activities, including those that may be enabled by the project. (Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context)