30 May 2012

Around the World in 80+ min with HIA in the Energy Sector - Session II, Presentation 1

Cumulative impacts of oil and gas projects

Role of IA?

...

 

Cumulative impacts and policy

  • Most intense where there is a policy/strategy vacuum
 

Example: water scarcity

  • River being used by local communities along it for domestic and agricultural purposes.
  • There are oil fields near the communities.
  • High levels of water washed and water Bourne diseases
  • Often no information about how communities currently use water and what amounts used.
  • There is often little knowledge about the likely levels of future usage by oil fields.
  • Raises local cumulative impacts - increases in waterborne diseases; increasing cost of water - poverty and inequality.
 

Example: Climate change

  • Global cumulative impact
  • More than 150,000 annual deaths at present globally
  • Occurring within lifetime of new projects
  • Still denial I'm some stakeholders
  • Or that that it is not urgent
 

National climate change impacts likely:

  • Increasing water scarcity
  • Temperature extremes
  • Reduced food supply
  • Sea flooding
 

Ironic that the faster the oil developed the faster key Middle East countries are likely to face sea flooding issues.

 

Corporate climate change policies on the web:

  • Almost all acknowledge the issues of climate change
  • Propose mitigation measures
  • Say they will monitor and report
  • Some have independent evaluation
Often there is a disconnect between corporate level executives and project level teams and how they recognise and deal with climate change impacts.

 

Conclusion:

Excessive secrecy

Should HIA be challenging or complicit

Cumulative impacts poorly managed and there is a policy vacuum around it.

 

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