ID: 1507
Presenting Author: Natalie Ross
Session: 604 - Everything Everywhere All at Once: Harnessing Holistic Impact Assessment
Status: pending
This presentation highlight’s the CNA’s nłeʔképmx Imapct Assessment Strategy, how it assesses impacts holistically, increases community understanding of effects, and supports informed decision-making.
The Citxw Nlaka’pamux Assembly (CNA) developed the nłeʔképmx Impact Assessment Strategy to use while assessing any project within the territory, as the framework is scalable and adaptable to assess any proposed project in the territory, regardless of the regulatory process the projects will go through.
Major projects are typically assessed through a western science perspective for potential environmental, social, economic, health and cultural effects. However, they do not fully capture the full extent of the effects that communities endure from these projects. Filling this gap for the CNA Participating Bands is the CNA nłeʔképmx Impact Assessment Strategy to appropriately assess Indigenous values, perspectives, culture, Rights, socioeconomics, connection to the land, and impacts to future generations. Assessing impacts appropriately and holistically builds trust for communities where their voices have been rarely recognized until now. It ensures that open and honest dialogues occur, approaching difficult and emotional topics and start the process for addressing issues in a meaningful way. The CNA nłeʔképmx Impact Assessment Major Project Strategy enact the principles of the United Nations Declarations on Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
This presentation will provide an overview of the CNA’s nłeʔképmx Imapct Assessment Strategy, and how it assesses impacts holistically, holds nłeʔképmx Knowledge with equal weighting to western science, increases community understanding of effects, and supports informed decision-making.
Natalie is a Sr. Environment and Regulatory Coordinator at the Citxw Nlaka’pamux Assembly. She has led an Indigenous Impact assessment for the eight Participating Bands on the HVC MLE Project.
Coauthor 1: Erica Kabotoff