Session Description
Governments are increasingly using fast-track approval systems for infrastructure, housing, energy, transmission, mining, critical minerals, climate adaptation, and other major projects. These reforms are often justified by economic uncertainty, energy transition, supply-chain risk, housing shortages, and frustration with lengthy approval processes. Yet impact assessment exists because past decisions showed the risks of approving projects without adequate attention to environmental limits, Indigenous rights, cumulative effects, alternatives, public participation, and long-term social consequences.
This session compares fast-track approaches across jurisdictions such as Aotearoa New Zealand, Canada, Australia, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other relevant examples. It will examine acceleration models such as one-stop-shop approvals, national-interest designation, strategic-project lists, statutory timelines, bioregional planning, renewable energy acceleration areas, permitting dashboards, and emergency approval procedures.
Rather than asking whether fast-tracking is simply good or bad, the session asks: what cannot be skipped if accelerated approvals are to remain credible impact assessment? Speakers and participants will compare how fast-track systems address Indigenous and local knowledge, consultation, alternatives, cumulative effects, climate risk, biodiversity, water, social impacts, decision transparency, monitoring, enforcement, and legal accountability. The session will combine short comparative presentations, moderated discussion, and an audience exercise to identify minimum safeguards for legitimate fast-track systems.
Session Summary
Fast-track approval systems for projects are expanding across jurisdictions. This session compares models for accelerating major projects and asks what safeguards are essential to keep impact assessment credible, rights-aware, transparent, and environmentally effective.
Additional Information
Designed as a panel discussion with structured debate and audience interaction. The session will ideally include representatives from Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as comparative speakers from a number of countries where fast-tracking is occurring - such as Canada, Australia, Europe/UK, and the United States. The session will accept abstracts but will also have invited anchor presentations to ensure jurisdictional balance.
Session Chair
Robert Mugo
RKM Sustainability Services Ltd.
Canada
Session Co-chair
Actively Searching for a Co-Chair from NZ or Australia