5. Cumulative Effects Assessments Flashcards
CEA
form of assessment
applied to project-based EIAs as a regulatory requirement
provides info
predictive tool
strategy/planning tool
systematic process of identifying, analyzing, evaluating CEs
CEs
total effects (load) on a system resulting from spatial and temporal crowding, events, changes
incremental impacts of an action when added to past, present, future actions
resulting from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over time
or
from the interaction of proposed project with other significant projects in same area suring set time period
change in the enviro. caused by multiple interactions among human activities and natural processes accumalting across space and time
good practice
adopt regional boundaries to get holistic view of stress placed on receiving environment
role of CEA in IAs
estimates total impact of all initiatives on health and persistence of living and non-living entities and their relationships AND the significance of adding one more project to the total
CEA characteristics
-action assessed is relational
–> proposal assessed relative to other past, present, foreseeable actions
-broader spatial scale (activity evaluated beyond its local boundaries)
-longer temporal scale
-larger number of actions considered
project EA might conclude that impacts are insignificant because of… BUT changes from..
spatial and temporal scales
repeated or multiple actions may accumulate over time and then become significant
death by a thousand cuts principle
each small disturbance = insignificant (in project region over short time frame) BUT cumulative environmental charge = significant
–> project impacts being judged as insignificant without considering the total impact of all development in wider region over all time
–> shifted responsibility into the future (missed impacts will be caught for next assessment/next project - not true)
types of effects
a. direct; X on Y
b. indirect; X influencing Y through 1+ intermediary variables (M)
–> total effect of X on Y = sum direct effect + indirect effects through Ms
c. total effect; sum of direct + indirect
–> overall impact of a specific project or action at given point in time
–> cumulative effects; combined impacts on enviro. from multiple projects or actions over time
steps determining CEs?
- understand direct impacts
- understand indirect impacts
- understand additive impacts and change
–> action + effect = other effect
foreseeable events?
may be uncertain events
possible but not probable effects might be excluded from analysis
–> probable suggest predictive capacity (statistical estimates)
questions when determining CEs
- resource vulnerable to incremental effects?
-proposed action = one of several similar ones in same geographic region?
-other activities in region with same effects on resources?
-those effects have been significant historically?
-other analyses in that area identifying CEs as concern?
5 uncertainties/challenges
- context challenge
–> existing institutional arrangements adequate? (agencies, NGOs, INDG… institutional linkages are essential for connecting information to needs and decision-making) - Clarity challenge
–>overwhelmed by data? (how data used, actually supports policy/planning/decision-making) - Policy/integration challenge
–>relationships CEA requirements + existing land-use planning/regulatory EA processes? (how CEA integrated into them, function better separately?) - Data/methodological/integration challenge
–> how can integrate social, economic qualities into CEA?
–>how climate change integrated into CEA?
- Choice challenge
–> what values want reflected in CEA?
CEA needs values. Values chosen by people, they reflect what is important to people. May not be harmonious. They need ….
indicators, easy to measure or not, accurate or not, right ones or not
key elements of effective CEAs
a. strategic direction; vision, commitment, roles, responsibilities, clear connection between policy/planning/programs objectives
b. clear objectives; so CEAs initiatives inform decisions, should reflect place-based approach considering multiple activities for one area, considering exisiting info (baseline, VECs, thresholds,,,)
c. VEC-focus; multiple stressors within speficif timeframe one 1+ VECs
d.coordination; within and across jurisdictions, with INDG, NGOS, proponents, public,,, so take account different pov/experience/expertise/knowledge, collab so comprehensive approach identifying gaps in data, better manage CEs
e. engagement/relationship-building; early, ongoing, all voices heard
f. transparency; and clarity on objectives, methods, applications. monitoring data, CEA, mgmt decisions publicly accessible for all understand
g. evaluation; feedback loop so initiatives deliver on objectives (performance evaluation to inform future mgmt decisions, report if monitoring initiatives meet objectives or if additional action required)
Provincial, territorial, federal governments = range of expertise and capacity available so…
cross-border collabs challenging and result in missed opportunities to leverage lessons learned across jurisdictions
