Adaptive management in environmental assessment and environmental management : Gestion adaptive dans les processus d'evaluation énvironnementale et d'autorisation réglementaire

The Act defines a “follow-up program” to mean a program for verifying the accuracy of an environmental assessment of a project, and determining the effectiveness of measures taken to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of a project.3 Since added to the Act, the notion of adaptive management has featured in CEAA reviews and court decisions. [...] The Kearl Mines case and adaptive management Although the ENGOs won the case on the climate change issue, the Court made some provocative comments about the role of adaptive management in the environmental assessment process. [...] The Kearl Court, referring again to Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society v. Canada (Minister of Canadian Heritage)44 stated: “… adaptive management counters the potentially paralyzing effects of the precautionary principle.” In other words, the Court states, in effect, that under the CEAA what the precautionary principle giveth to environmental protection, the principle of adaptive management may [...] For example, the Panel notes: The Panel found little evidence from the EIS, information requests or the hearings to indicate that the Proponent appreciates the difference between the precautionary principle and adaptive management, how each should be implemented or how Environmental Assessment of the Whites Point Quarry and Marine Terminal Project fundamental the role of science is in the proper i [...] CEAA and the precautionary principle Subsection 4(2) of the CEAA states: Duties of the Government of Canada In the administration of this Act, the Government of Canada, the Minister, the Agency and all bodies subject to the provisions of this Act, including federal authorities and responsible authorities, shall exercise their powers in a manner that protects the environment and human health and ap