That is, is it desirable to develop the site or region for tourism and, if so, under what conditions? This change in the objectives of tourism development, and of assistance in the process, is a fundamental step toward improving outcomes. A complementary activity that typically occurs in the early stages of the project cycle is environmental impact analysis (EIA). EIAs are often required by national legislation in recipient countries, but may also be required by donor legislation. For example, NORAD requires that “all ongoing and planned development cooperation projects must be assessed with regard to environmental impacts.” EIAs can be used to identify a project’s likely impacts on the environment, as well as to influence project design and choice of project alternatives. A primary objective is to identify possible impacts at an early stage so that they can be mitigated or avoided. Though the name implies a focus on the natural environment, in some cases the environment is interpreted broadly to include economic, social, and cultural impacts as well as impacts on the natural environment. Though EIAs can be an important tool in promoting sustainability, they can also suffer from several limitations.