Journal profile · ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Environmental Impact Assessment Review
ISSN 0195-9255 · eISSN 1873-6432 · Elsevier
Environmental Impact Assessment Review: CAS Zone 1 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 12.16; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,900; review about 136 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 480 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Environmental Impact Assessment Review is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 1 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Environmental Impact and Sustainability and Mining and Resource Management, together about 38.7% of its articles. Its main subfields are Economics and Econometrics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Environmental Impact Assessment Review (EIA Review) is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal serving a global community of academics, practitioners, policymakers, and regulators engaged with impact assessment (IA) theory and practice. As defined by the International Association for Impact Assessment (iaia.org), impact assessment is a transformative process that informs and guides decisions and actions by governments, businesses, and individuals — aiming to maximize positive outcomes and minimize negative effects in support of sustainable development.Since its mandatory introduction in the United States under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on January 1, 1970, IA has become one of the world's most widely adopted environmental policy tools. In the decades since, a broad range of IA policies, tools, and procedures has emerged, spanning multiple sustainability dimensions and objectives.IA is now used across public and private sectors worldwide. What began as a forward-looking procedure for predicting impacts at the project and strategic level has grown into a broad theoretical and applied field, encompassing ex-ante, ex-post, life-cycle, and ecological evaluations of projects, policies, plans, programs, areas, ecosystems, products, materials, and services.For EIA Review, IA covers assessment of impacts on or of the environment — including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) — as well as Social Impact Assessment (SIA), Health Impact Assessment (HIA), Risk Assessment (RA), Economic Impact Assessment (EIC), climate change assessment, ecosystem assessment, natural resource assessment, etc.The journal publishes impactful studies grounded in innovative theory and practice across these areas, including but not limited to:Impact assessment theories and innovative assessment and decision-making methodologies: e.g., theory building and testing for EIA/SEA and cumulative effects assessment (CEA), novel predictive assessment models, multi‑criteria system evaluation, quantification of energy values and ecosystem services, and optimized approaches to environmental decision-making, including algorithms for cost‑benefit analysis (CBA).Impact assessment regulations, governance regimes and institutional comparisons: e.g., national environmental legislative procedures, approval and supervision mechanisms, regional and national EIA reforms, comparative analyses of different EIA systems, and empirical studies on public participation within EIA governance.Strategic environmental assessment and territorial‑spatial planning evaluation: e.g., SEA for land development, industrial parks and regional planning, quantitative measurement of ecological constraints in territorial space, and effectiveness tracking for planned EIA implementation.Life Cycle Assessment and carbon‑footprint accounting: e.g., product life‑cycle environmental impacts, industrial‑scale carbon‑footprint calculation, energy‑value analysis for energy systems, and integrated environmental‑benefit evaluation for the circular economy.Integrated cross‑impact assessments: e.g., Social Impact Assessment, Health Impact Assessment, Landscape impact evaluation, Human‑rights‑related equity considerations, integrated climate‑risk assessment (RIA), and coupled models for multi‑dimensional composite impacts.Ecological conservation and natural‑resource assessment: e.g., biodiversity impact assessment, quantitative evaluation of watershed and forest ecosystem impacts, ecological gains and losses induced by land‑use change, and supporting‑tool development for ecological compensation.Green industry, supply‑chain and environmental management: e.g., corporate environmental‑management systems, supply‑chain sustainability assessment, environmental‑risk mitigation for large‑scale infrastructure and energy projects, and supporting evaluation mechanisms for green finance.Systematic reviews and meta‑analyses related to impact assessment: e.g., evidenc
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Editor-in-chief Alberto FonsecaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 29 in mainland China (about 38%); most named Mainland China 29, Australia 9, Japan 8, United Kingdom 6, United States 3 (76 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Environmental and Social Impact AssessmentsEnvironmental Science20.1%
- Environmental Impact and SustainabilityEnvironmental Science10.2%
- Mining and Resource ManagementEngineering8.4%
- Energy, Environment, Economic GrowthEconomics, Econometrics and Finance7%
- Sustainable Building Design and AssessmentEngineering5.6%
- Land Use and Ecosystem ServicesEnvironmental Science5.6%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering3.6%
- Educational Robotics and EngineeringComputer Science3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Studies | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Studies | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Studies | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 12.16LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 12.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 19.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 19.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.96LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.26LetPub ·
- h-index
- 158OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,486OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 9.82OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 13.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 23.72%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 459LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,238 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 402 | 174 | 411 |
| 2025 | 480 | 156 | 4,153 |
| 2024 | 340 | 96 | 7,430 |
| 2023 | 334 | 76 | 12,904 |
| 2022 | 254 | 66 | 12,497 |
| 2021 | 149 | 35 | 7,880 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
136 dayssubmission to acceptance
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 48 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 136 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,900 / EUR 3,650 / GBP 3,120 / JPY 483,720 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,510 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted4, with length limits
- articleArticles are the most common form of submission and should reflect innovative theory and/or practice within the scope of the journal.Length not stated
- opinionThe journal publishes six issues per year. The journal has three distinct sections (types of publications) and authors should indicate the appropriate section a…Length not stated
- reviewThe journal publishes six issues per year. The journal has three distinct sections (types of publications) and authors should indicate the appropriate section a…main text ≤ 8,000 words
- viewpointThe journal publishes six issues per year. The journal has three distinct sections (types of publications) and authors should indicate the appropriate section a…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
1 to 7 keywords required Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 0195-9255
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-6432
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Environmental Impact Assessment Review
What CAS zone is Environmental Impact Assessment Review in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Environmental Impact Assessment Review is in Zone 1 of Sociology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Environmental Studies; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Sociology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Environmental Impact Assessment Review?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 12.16; CiteScore 19.6, h-index 158.
How long does peer review take at Environmental Impact Assessment Review?
The publisher reports about 136 days (submission to acceptance). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Environmental Impact Assessment Review?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; Reference style: Author–date; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Environmental Impact Assessment Review based?
Of the 76 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 29 (about 38%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (29), Australia (9) and Japan (8). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Environmental Impact Assessment Review?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Environmental Impact Assessment Review is indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Is Environmental Impact Assessment Review open access, and what is the APC?
Environmental Impact Assessment Review is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,900.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .