Uncertainties in Impact Assessment
View the recording HERE
Although uncertainty has always been an unavoidable aspect of impact assessment, which scholars and practitioners have found different ways to manage, uncertainty is increasingly on our radar. There are several reasons for this, but two stand out. First, the expanded scope of impact assessment mandated by the Impact Assessment Act (2019), which calls for acknowledgment of a broader scope of impacts, and the inclusion of wider forms and sources of knowledge. Second, external events, of a social and economic nature, and extreme events, and rapid changes associated with climate change, have heightened attention on uncertainty, with implications for the assessment of potential impacts of industrial development.
What are the implications, and how do we approach decision-making in this context? First, we need to acknowledge that efforts to address uncertainties have been in practice for some time. In this webinar, we seek to create space for delving into the challenges that uncertainties of various types pose for impact assessment. We have brought together a panel of leading scholars, policymakers, and practitioners, who will address key questions including:
Given the central role played by uncertainty in risk-based decision-making, how has uncertainty been characterized in IA to date?
What are the many forms of uncertainties that arise in the context of impact assessment, from lack of information to the uncertainties that emerge with differences in value sets and linguistic ambiguities?
What is the relationship between uncertainty and significance determinations?
What are the political implications of the presence of uncertainty, particularly from the perspective of affected communities?
Panelists:
Scott Findlay (Institute of Environment, Univ. of Ottawa; Researcher in Residence, Office of the Chief Science Advisor, Cana)
Bram Noble (Dept. of Geography, Univ. of Saskatchewan)
Alan Ehrlich (Manager of Environmental Assessment, Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board)
Gwen Blue (Dept. of Geography, University of Calgary)
