Arctic Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Advancing the Efficacy of Environmental Management through Regional Strategic Environmental Assessment

Planning for offshore hydrocarbon development in Canada’s Beaufort Sea currently occurs on a project-by-project basis. This is despite a collective understanding that impact assessment should go beyond the evaluation of site-specific project impacts to consider the broader policy and regional planning context in which development projects operate. The need for such a regional and strategic approach to impact assessment in Canada’s Beaufort Sea, known as regional strategic environmental assessment (R-SEA), arises from the looming large-scale offshore hydrocarbon development in the region and the lack of a mechanism to plan for future energy development, establish a long-term regional vision, or assess and effectively manage the potential cumulative environmental and social effects arising from development. At such a critical moment, little research exists to advance R-SEA from a concept to an applied planning, assessment and decision-support process. This dissertation draws on experience from the implementation of strategic environmental assessment in offshore jurisdictions internationally, along with existing initiatives for marine planning in the Beaufort Sea, to advance effective R-SEA implementation in the region. The research methodology includes a literature review, case reviews and key informant interviews. The research results are reported in three manuscripts. The first manuscript examines the influence of R-SEA on planning and development decisions in Norway, Atlantic Canada and the UK. The second manuscript examines existing planning, assessment, and science initiatives in the Beaufort Sea. The third manuscript identifies key opportunities for, and challenges to, the implementation of R-SEA in the Beaufort Sea. Significant findings demonstrate that R-SEA can offer a much-needed framework to accommodate and address stakeholder issues and concerns regarding future offshore development in the Beaufort Sea, despite acute implementation challenges, such as scepticism of scenario-based planning. Key findings reveal many expectations of what R-SEA could deliver in the Beaufort Sea, a result of the varied stakeholder priorities and goals. Understanding the root of different expectations and perceptions, ensuring follow-up programs pay attention to horizontal linkages between R-SEA strategies and current marine planning initiatives, and that supporting institutional arrangements are in place for a preferred strategy to succeed lie at the core of advancing R-SEA as a viable tool in the Arctic

Stakeholder Perceptions of Current Planning, Assessment and Science Initiatives in Canada’s Beaufort Sea

Over the past 30 years, the Beaufort Sea has been the site of many regional studies and planning efforts. Currently, three major initiatives are underway: the Integrated Regional Impact Study, which focuses on science; the Integrated Ocean Management Plan; and the Beaufort Regional Environmental Assessment. Despite the mounting pressures for offshore energy development in the region, little attention has been given to whether these initiatives facilitate a more coordinated and informed approach to planning, assessment, and decision making for such development. We examined stakeholder perceptions of the existing initiatives to ascertain whether and how they enable horizontal and vertical integration and how effectively they facilitate marine resource planning and decision making. The results show that three essentials of a more coordinated regional approach to planning for marine resources and offshore development are horizontal integration between management bodies, vertical integration from the strategic level and regional scale to the operational level and project scale, and an overarching vision for regional planning and development in the Beaufort Sea.Ces 30 dernières années, la mer de Beaufort a fait l’objet de nombreuses études régionales et de nombreux efforts de planification régionaux. En ce moment, trois grandes initiatives sont en cours : l’étude intégrée d’impact régional, qui est axée sur la science; le plan intégré de gestion de l’océan; et l’Évaluation environnementale régionale de Beaufort. Même si les pressions exercées en vue de la mise en valeur énergétique au large de cette région se font de plus en plus grandes, peu d’attention a été accordée à la possibilité de déterminer si ces initiatives facilitent une approche plus coordonnée et informée en matière de planification, d’évaluation et de prise de décisions relativement à une telle mise en valeur. Nous avons examiné les perceptions des diverses parties prenantes afin d’établir si et comment elles donnent lieu à l’intégration verticale et horizontale, et dans quelle mesure elles favorisent la planification des ressources de la mer et la prise de décisions à leur sujet. Selon les résultats, une approche régionale plus coordonnée en matière de planification des ressources de la mer et de mise en valeur au large comporte trois éléments essentiels, soit : l’intégration horizontale des organismes de gestion; l’intégration verticale, du niveau stratégique et de l’échelle régionale jusqu’au niveau opérationnel et à l’échelle du projet; et une vision déterminante en matière de planification régionale et de mise en valeur de la mer de Beaufort

A theory-based framework for understanding the establishment, persistence, and diffusion of community-based conservation

Over decades, biodiversity conservation researchers and practitioners have developed theories and conceptual frameworks to inform the planning, implementation, and evaluation of community-based conservation (CBC). While a diversity of mechanisms for understanding and supporting CBC has helped tailor approaches to local needs and conditions, the absence of a unified lens to understand CBC has limited the capacity for integrating foundational theory into practice more systemically, and for learning across different projects, stakeholders, and institutions. We introduce a theory-based framework called “the CBC framework” that draws upon three foundational theories from sociology, economics, and political science to understand the establishment, persistence, and diffusion of CBC. Experience applying aspects of the framework within different conservation organizations demonstrates how this integrative approach can provide a gateway for practitioners to engage with social science theory to understand the status and context of CBC interventions and efforts. For practitioners, scientists, evaluators, and strategists, the framework can guide the design of CBC interventions and monitoring and evaluation systems to facilitate theory-based learning and enable evidence-informed decision-making. Approaches like the CBC framework that facilitate collaborative planning, evaluation, and research can help better integrate social science theory in conservation practice while increasing the capacity for conservation scientists, practitioners, and stakeholders to learn together and adaptively manage CBC to deliver positive results for both people and nature

Biobanking and consenting to research: a qualitative thematic analysis of young people’s perspectives in the North East of England

Background: Biobanking biospecimens and consent are common practice in paediatric research. We need to explore children and young people’s (CYP) knowledge and perspectives around the use of and consent to biobanking. This will ensure meaningful informed consent can be obtained and improve current consent procedures. Methods: We designed a survey, in co-production with CYP, collecting demographic data, views on biobanking, and consent using three scenarios: 1) prospective consent, 2) deferred consent, and 3) reconsent and assent at age of capacity. The survey was disseminated via the Young Person’s Advisory Group North England (YPAGne) and participating CYP’s secondary schools. Data were analysed using a qualitative thematic approach by three independent reviewers (including CYP) to identify common themes. Data triangulation occurred independently by a fourth reviewer. Results: One hundred two CYP completed the survey. Most were between 16–18 years (63.7%, N = 65) and female (66.7%, N = 68). 72.3% had no prior knowledge of biobanking (N = 73). Acceptability of prospective consent for biobanking was high (91.2%, N = 93) with common themes: ‘altruism’, ‘potential benefits outweigh individual risk’, 'frugality', and ‘(in)convenience’. Deferred consent was also deemed acceptable in the large majority (84.3%, N = 86), with common themes: ‘altruism’, ‘body integrity’ and ‘sample frugality’. 76.5% preferred to reconsent when cognitively mature enough to give assent (N = 78), even if parental consent was previously in place. 79.2% wanted to be informed if their biobanked biospecimen is reused (N = 80). Conclusion: Prospective and deferred consent acceptability for biobanking is high among CYP in the UK. Altruism, frugality, body integrity, and privacy are the most important themes. Clear communication and justification are paramount to obtain consent. Any CYP with capacity should be part of the consenting procedure, if possible

Aboriginal participation in mineral development : environmental assessment and impact and benefit agreements

In a mineral development scenario, Aboriginal groups rely heavily on Environmental Assessment (EA) and Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) to address their interests and concerns. While EA and IBAs are separate processes – EA is legislated and informed by the Crown, and IBAs operate in the realm of private contract law – together, the two are ostensibly part of a parallel process that connect the Aboriginal group(s), Government and the mining proponent. Indisputably, IBAs support a more inclusive development based on consultation, partnership and participation. IBAs and EA have the potential to enhance Aboriginal involvement in mineral development and positively influence the design and planning of the mine. This thesis examines the Tahltan Nation’s involvement and participation in the Galore Creek Project in British Columbia, and demonstrates the challenges and opportunities that arose during the EA and IBA process. It uses key informant interviews to gain multiple perspectives – from the proponent, Tahltan, and Government, to understand how the Tahltan utilized the EA and IBA to participate in the mineral development.Applied Science, Faculty ofMining Engineering, Keevil Institute ofGraduat

Impact and benefit agreements and northern resource governance: what we know and what we still need to figure out

This chapter reviews select scholarship focused on Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) to highlight what is known about IBAs and identify knowledge gaps, especially in Northern Canada. Mineral exploration and extraction in areas like Northern Canada has long been recognized as a source of economic activity and opportunity. The growing use of IBAs by Canadian Indigenous communities over the past two decades should not be read as evidence of their unequivocal embrace or trouble-free use. For many scholars, it is noteworthy that IBAs have emerged in two jurisdictions, Canada and Australia, where regulatory processes governing mining, such as Environmental Assessment (EA), are relatively progressive. Relations between firms operating mines and their partner Indigenous communities in Canada have been tested by the passing of the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act (2014), which requires Canadian companies to disclose payments to Aboriginal governments, formed through confidential IBAs

The Business of Holidays

" Holiday celebrations in the United States are a surprisingly strong force behind the country's $3 trillion retail economy. From New Year's diets to Festivus-flavored ice cream, Presidents' Day car sales to Independence Day barbecues, Hanukkah cards to Kwanzaa candles, the social and material culture of holidays has been transformed into a finely tuned marketing extravaganza. Contemporary holiday rites showcase a particularly American obsession with celebration--and the shopping, decoration, card sending, feasting, drinking, and advertising that goes along with it. This witty and satirical look at thirty-three of our most loved (and hated) holidays explores the history and the traditions, the kitsch and the color, of the business of holidays. " -- Back cove