Challenges at the early stages of the environmental licensing procedure and potential contributions from geomorphology

•The current state-of-the-art understanding of screening and scoping is presented.•Screening and scoping approaches and strategies are categorized with a novel frame.•The established practices of preliminary impact assessment are critically examined.•Balancing EIA precaution and efficiency would require systematic regional analysis.•Geomorphology and the Ecosystem Approach help anticipating impact significance.