Addressing the environmental, community and health impacts of resource development: Challenges across scales, sectors and sites

Work that addresses the cumulative impacts of resource extraction on environment, community, and health is necessarily large in scope. This paper presents experiences from initiating research at this intersection and explores implications for the ambitious, integrative agenda of planetary health. The purpose is to outline origins, design features, and preliminary insights from our intersectoral and international project, based in Canada and titled the “Environment, Community, Health Observatory” (ECHO) Network. With a clear emphasis on rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, environments, and health, the ECHO Network is designed to answer the question: How can an Environment, Community, Health Observatory Network support the integrative tools and processes required to improve understanding and response to the cumulative health impacts of resource development? The Network is informed by four regional cases across Canada where we employ a framework and an approach grounded in observation, “taking notice for action”, and collective learning. Sharing insights from the foundational phase of this five-year project, we reflect on the hidden and obvious challenges of working across scales, sectors, and sites, and the overlap of generative and uncomfortable entanglements associated with health and resource development. Yet, although intersectoral work addressing the cumulative impacts of resource extraction presents uncertainty and unresolved tensions, ultimately we argue that it is worth staying with the trouble

Addressing the environmental, community and health impacts of resource development: Challenges across scales, sectors and sites

Work that addresses the cumulative impacts of resource extraction on environment, community, and health is necessarily large in scope. This paper presents experiences from initiating research at this intersection and explores implications for the ambitious, integrative agenda of planetary health. The purpose is to outline origins, design features, and preliminary insights from our intersectoral and international project, based in Canada and titled the “Environment, Community, Health Observatory” (ECHO) Network. With a clear emphasis on rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, environments, and health, the ECHO Network is designed to answer the question: How can an Environment, Community, Health Observatory Network support the integrative tools and processes required to improve understanding and response to the cumulative health impacts of resource development? The Network is informed by four regional cases across Canada where we employ a framework and an approach grounded in observation, “taking notice for action”, and collective learning. Sharing insights from the foundational phase of this five-year project, we reflect on the hidden and obvious challenges of working across scales, sectors, and sites, and the overlap of generative and uncomfortable entanglements associated with health and resource development. Yet, although intersectoral work addressing the cumulative impacts of resource extraction presents uncertainty and unresolved tensions, ultimately we argue that it is worth staying with the trouble

Community Economic Development – A Viable Solution for COVID Recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare many of the weaknesses in our social and economic systems, exacerbating someof these challenges and drawing attention to others as we, collectively, find a way forward that results in a sustainable,inclusive, and equitable future for all. Around the world, community economic development (CED) initiatives already fosterinclusive economic revitalization, access to capital for business development, local ownership of resources, job creation,poverty reduction, and environmental stewardship. At a larger scale, CED can provide the foundation for COVID-19 recovery. This article outlines key policy proposals for CED-based recovery in Canada and elsewhere. Through the lens ofreconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, intersectionality, and a just transition to a low-carbon future, the CanadianCommunity Economic Development Network proposes the implementation of a national social innovation and social finance strategy and other complementary proposals for a post-COVID-19 world.La pandémie de COVID-19 a mis à nu plusieurs des faiblesses de nos systèmes sociaux et économiques, exacerbantcertains de ces défis et attirant l’attention sur d’autres alors que nous trouvons collectivement une façon d’aller de l’avantqui mènera vers un avenir viable, inclusif et équitable pour tous et toutes. Partout dans le monde, les initiatives dedéveloppement économique communautaire (DÉC) favorisent déjà la revitalisation économique inclusive, l’accès auxcapitaux pour le développement d’entreprise, la propriété locale des ressources, la création d’emploi, la réduction de lapauvreté et l’intendance environnementale. À une plus grande échelle, le DÉC peut fournir la fondation pour la relancesuite à la COVID-19. Ce document présente des principales recommandations de politiques pour la relance basée surle DEC au Canada et ailleurs. En tenant compte de trois exigences—la réconciliation avec les peuples autochtones,l’intersectionnalité et une transition équitable vers un avenir à faible émission de carbone, le Réseau canadien dedéveloppement économique communautaire propose la mise en oeuvre d’une stratégie nationale d’innovation sociale etde financement social et d’autres propositions complémentaires pour un monde post-COVID-19.La pandémie de COVID-19 a mis à nu plusieurs des faiblesses de nos systèmes sociaux et économiques, exacerbant certains de ces défis et attirant l’attention sur d’autres alors que nous trouvons collectivement une façon d’aller de l’avant qui mènera vers un avenir viable, inclusif et équitable pour tous et toutes. Partout dans le monde, les initiatives de développement économique communautaire (DÉC) favorisent déjà la revitalisation économique inclusive, l’accès aux capitaux pour le développement d’entreprise, la propriété locale des ressources, la création d’emploi, la réduction de la pauvreté et l’intendance environnementale.  À une plus grande échelle, le DÉC peut fournir la fondation pour la relance suite à la COVID-19.  Ce document présente des principales recommandations de politiques pour la relance basée sur le DEC au Canada et ailleurs.  En tenant compte de trois exigences – la réconciliation avec les peuples autochtones, l'intersectionnalité et une transition équitable vers un avenir à faible émission de carbone, le Réseau canadien de développement économique communautaire propose la mise en œuvre d'une stratégie nationale d'innovation sociale et de financement social et d'autres propositions complémentaires pour un monde post-COVID-19.&nbsp