What two factors influence the significance of a potential negative impact?

The significance of a potential negative impact is primarily influenced by the severity and likelihood of that impact occurring.

Severity relates to the extent of harm that could be caused by the impact. This could involve assessments of how damaging an effect might be on the environment, economy, or society. A high severity often indicates a major consequence that could result in significant repercussions.

Likelihood, on the other hand, refers to the probability that the negative impact will actually occur. Understanding how likely it is for a particular impact to happen helps organizations prioritize risks and allocate resources accordingly.

Together, these two factors create a clearer picture of the potential risk landscape. When both severity and likelihood are high, the potential negative impact is deemed significant and necessitates immediate attention. Conversely, if either factor is low—either the impact is mild or it is unlikely to occur—its significance diminishes, allowing organizations to focus on more pressing issues.

The other options—such as scope, remediability, and duration—play roles in the assessment of impacts but do not directly define their significance in the same way that severity and likelihood do.