Environmental impact assessment with rapid impact assessment matrix method during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study in Tehran

Abstract Indiscriminate use of natural resources has adversely affected Iran's environment over the past few decades. Cities have developed irregularly and non-normatively, and project management has been weak, mainly in big cities, causing many problems. Even more of the engineering rules and environmental aspects for projects do not apply. For this reason, projects must undergo an environmental impact assessment (EIA) to determine their environmental impact. One way it can be used for EIA is by using the rapid impact assessment matrix (RIAM). Transparency and objectivity are introduced by minimizing subjectivity. A detailed EIA was conducted in the Tehran project using the RIAM and different options during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first study combining the method described during the disaster.