Research Article

Identify and Assess Hydropower Project’s Multidimensional Social Impacts with Rough Set and Projection Pursuit Model

Table 1

Social impact assessment indicators of hydropower projects.

Target layerFirst-level indicator layerSecondary indicator layerIndicator description and calculation methodIndicator type

Comprehensive social impacts of hydropower projectsSocial environmental impact B1Population impact b11Demographic changes caused by hydropower project constructionQuantitative
Employment effect b12Total number of people employed × (annual investment in power stations/total investment in engineering) (unit: person)Quantitative
Infrastructure b13Before large-scale hydropower projects officially start, local infrastructure needs to be transformedQualitative
Resettlement effect b14Resettlement effect = resettlement completion rate + resettlement stabilization rateQualitative
Ecological and environmental impact b15Possible reductions in biodiversity, vegetation coverage, and wetland areaQualitative
Cultural influence b16Impact on local minority culture and religious cultureQualitative
Energy-saving and emission reduction b17Energy-saving and emission reduction benefits = reduction of co2 emissions × co2 emission reduction transaction price (unit: 10,000 yuan)Quantitative
Socioeconomic impact B2Power generation benefit b21Power generation benefit = power grid electricity power × grid benchmark electricity price (unit: 10,000 yuan)Quantitative
Flood prevention benefit b22After the power station is completed, compared with the annual average before the completion of the construction, the losses caused by floods and floods are reduced, and the annual average flood prevention investment is reducedQualitative
Water supply (irrigation) benefit b23Water supply (irrigation) benefit = new or improved irrigation area in the project area/total population in the project area (unit: mu/person)Qualitative
Shipping benefits b24Shipping benefit = annual transport capacity with project waterway-transport capacity without project waterway (unit: t/year)Qualitative
Tourism benefit b25During the operation period of the power station, related tourism projects can be carried out at the same time, bringing tourism benefits to the projectQuantitative
Regional GDP contribution b26The increase of GDP in the current year’s power station investment = annual direct investment in the power station + annual direct investment in the power station × current year’s investment multiplier; the rate of increase of GDP in the project affected area = (with project GDP-no project GDP)/no project GDP × 100%Quantitative
Industrial structure b27Bring the optimization of the regional economic structure and promote the rational distribution and coordinated development of industries between regionsQualitative
Financial revenue contribution b28Bring a large amount of tax to the local finance, open up new tax sources, and increase local fiscal revenueQuantitative
Social equity impact B3Poverty alleviation effect b31Help poverty-stricken areas get rid of poverty and become rich, promote the leapfrog development of poverty-stricken areas, help change the income distribution pattern, and reduce the income gap of residentsQualitative
Income distribution effect b32Effect of state (local, enterprise, and individual) income distribution = state (local, enterprise, and individual) income distribution benefit from the project/total national income of the project × 100%Qualitative
Gini coefficient b33Measure the relationship between population and incomeQuantitative
Compensation measures for damaged people b34Take corresponding compensation measures for the people whose interests are damaged according to the degree of damageQualitative
Protection of national interests b35Considering the protection of national culture and national ecological compensationQualitative
Urban and rural residents’ income ratio b36Urban and rural residents’ income ratio = urban residents’ disposable income per capita/rural residents’ disposable incomeQuantitative
Social security impact B4Property dispute event b41Probability of hydropower project property disputesQualitative e
Engel coefficient b42Engel’s coefficient = total food expenditure/total household or personal consumption expenditure × 100%Quantitative
Residential stability b43Residents’ stability in the project areaQualitative
Natural disaster event b44Geological hazards such as landslides, mudslides, and earthquakes caused by large-scale hydropower construction and flood disasters reduced due to constructionQualitative
Immigration group incident b45Propose reasonable solutions to disputes, quickly resolve conflicts, ensure local social stability, and improve social securityQualitative