Session Description
Many of today’s mines, hydroelectric facilities, transportation corridors, and industrial developments were approved before modern environmental assessment (EA) processes, cumulative effects frameworks, Indigenous rights recognition, biodiversity standards, and climate change considerations became common practice. While these projects continue to deliver important economic and social benefits, they also raise challenging questions: How can we respect past decisions while addressing present-day environmental, social, and cultural priorities?
Aligned with the IAIA27 theme, Ka mua, Ka muri, this interactive Pecha Kutcha will explore how we can approach legacy projects in a constructive and forward-looking way.
Participants will rotate through facilitated discussion tables focused on three themes. Looking Back will examine lessons from projects developed without modern assessment approaches and how environmental, social, cultural, and regulatory expectations have evolved. Assessing Today will explore how legacy projects can be evaluated against current expectations related to Indigenous participation, cumulative effects, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and environmental monitoring, while considering what constitutes a fair and practical reassessment process. Looking Forward will focus on adaptive management, modernization, project renewal, and collaborative stewardship, and how lessons from legacy projects can strength future assessments.
The session will encourage participants to share perspectives and experiences across sectors and jurisdictions, building on ideas generated at each table.
Session Summary
Environmental Assessment has changed profoundly in the last 30 years, with many legacy projects permitted without a modern EA or scrutiny – following the conference theme of Ka Mua, Ka Muri, how do we re-assess these projects being respectful of both the history of the project and modern standards?
Session Chair
Greg Sharam
ERM
Canada