Session Description
Around the world, impact assessment systems face increasing pressure to deliver better outcomes while improving efficiency, certainty, transparency, and stakeholder trust. Despite decades of legislative evolution, many jurisdictions still experience process inefficiencies that contribute to lengthy review timelines, increased costs, duplicated effort, and uncertainty for proponents, regulators, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders. Requirements such as overlapping agency reviews, inconsistent approaches to cumulative effects assessment, limited opportunities for project design adaptation, and complex approval pathways can delay decisions and investment without necessarily improving outcomes.
This interactive panel will bring together regulators, consultants, proponents, Indigenous representatives, and practitioners to share, debate, and compare real-world examples of impact assessment reforms from Canada, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and other jurisdictions. Drawing on practical experience, panelists will explore how targeted improvements to policy, legislation, and process design can enhance both the efficiency and effectiveness of impact assessment systems.
Rather than advocating for weaker regulations, the session will examine how stronger legal and procedural frameworks can support faster reviews, science-based decision-making, meaningful engagement, greater process certainty, and improved environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Attendees will gain practical insights into the principle that better process leads to better outcomes.
Session Summary
When impact assessment frameworks are designed for clarity, credibility, and efficiency, everyone benefits. Developers gain greater certainty and more predictable timelines, regulators can make informed science-based decisions, and Indigenous communities and stakeholders are more meaningfully engaged. The result is faster r
Session Chair
Mellissa Winfield
Environmental Regenerative Services Co. (REEF)
Saudi Arabia