(Un)reliability of self-declarations of impacts in simplified assessments
The study shows that licensed agribusiness projects in Brazil are based on inaccurate and unreliable information.
The study shows that licensed agribusiness projects in Brazil are based on inaccurate and unreliable information.
This paper reflects the role of communication at Red Sea Global in understanding, planning, and management of regenerative systems, promoting effective impact assessments for sustainable outcomes.
An analysis of challenges in Eastern Africa’s EIA systems, procedural elements, differences and similarities, and examination of leadership issues, coordination, participation, and information access.
Celesa Horvath brings a practitioner’s perspective to this panel exploring challenges and opportunities related to IA streamlining in the current political, economic, and regulatory context.
Data management for holistic impact assessment for offshore wind that uses modular design to integrate academic, government, industry and community interdisciplinary research.
This study combines site-level attributes from over 400,000 listed heritage places into a multi-determinant, data-driven framework for climate risk assessment across heritage scales.
Our research delves into China's macro environmental regulation system and analyzes its openness, data visibility, and public participation pattern, demonstrating its value in digital IA era.
A reframing of the typical Environmental Impact Statement is proposed - one that accentuates the key findings to enhance understanding, ease reviewer fatigue and reduce negative outcomes.
The presentation explores how German courts, laws, and NGOs shape Environmental Assessment enforcement through access-to-justice mechanisms and evolving EIA/SEA litigation practice.
Advisory’s thought leadership role of influencing institutional E&S sustainability roadmap from the lens of people and planet can only be achieved through constructive dialogue.
This presentation explores how accountability mechanisms and dispute resolution address miscommunication, mistrust, and power imbalances, promoting inclusive dialogue and technical clarity.
Greenhushing challenges impact assessors. Most firms aren’t retreating—they're going silent. Explore how silence reshapes accountability in an age of urgency and scrutiny.
How Hydro-Québec adapts its communication strategy to navigate diverse media narratives and public perceptions surrounding large-scale windpower development in Québec.
This paper unpacks the challenges of communication which can be encountered on government-led resettlement projects and proposes a practical framework for how they might be addressed in the future.
Human health risk assessments are vital for public health decisions but face threats from mis/disinformation. Multidisciplinary strategies are vital to safeguard assessment integrity & public trust.
Adele Tharani will be chairing the session.
Factors that hinder the adoption of cumulative impact assessment internationally are presented as challenges to be addressed to further practice internationally.
This presentation explores the challenges and opportunities in communicating a holistic summary of effects on health and well-being within impact assessments.
After the Lac-Mégantic (Qc, Canada) train accident, a bypass project intended to reroute the train outside the town has become controversial. What explains these changes in public attitudes?
This paper explores how AI can streamline IA while upholding privacy, recognizing cultural and linguistic diversity, and applying ethical frameworks.
Explores how AI and digital platforms act as boundary infrastructures that shape communication, coordination, and understanding in Environmental Assessment.
We employ AI (RAG, Knowledge Graphs) and a CSI to intelligently assess and optimize Environmental Permit Lists. This enhances cross-tier policy consistency and quantifies pollution-carbon synergy.
A hybrid framework combining AI and mathematical models predicts turbidity from dam and its ecological stress on downstream river, supporting adaptive reservoir management under climate extr
Alain R. Roy
Canada’s critical minerals surge risks biodiversity and climate goals. This talk explores regional assessment and spatial tools to align efficiency, effectiveness, and Nature Positive development.
Tahltan representatives trace their journey implementing the trail-blazing Consent Decision Making Agreements between the Tahltan Central Government and the Province of British Columbia.
Dr. Amanda Evans, Maritime Archaeology Practice Leader for Gray & Pape, Inc., provides regulatory advice and professional services in support of submerged cultural resources compliance for project per
South African EIA appeals reveal multifaceted, place-based opposition. Procedural and environmental concerns dominate; few succeed. Transparent participation can preempt issues. -em
The evolving practice of cumulative effects assessment in a context of rapid and complex environmental and social changes calls for a shared responsibility.
There remain tensions in understanding Indigenous Knowledge and it systems this provides an example of how this could be improved through Indigenous research methods.
Ana Maria is Founder of Community Insights Group. She helps businesses excel in their social performance, through advisory, training and coaching. She is past President of IAIA.
WSP Canada Inc. / Senior Technical Director - Heritage Cultural Heritage / Independent Advice / World Heritage / Due Diligence / Risk
President, Currie & Co Consulting Victoria, British Columbia Canada Over 35 years of public & private sector experience in natural resource policy, impact assessment and mine permitting.
Senior Dispute Resolution Officer at the EIB Complaints Mechanism
Anne-Sophie Campeau, is project manager with a background in biochemistry and project management, part of the team leading the major modernization of Quebec’s environmental assessment procedure.
This research quantifies the human contribution to heat, rain, and dry-spell extremes at World Heritage Sites, and translates the evidence into guidance for impact assessment and adaptation.
This presentation will explore the importance of partnerships to advance the integration of natural assets into the asset management planning process, using climate data to inform decision-making.
A step-by-step example of implementing PRS and elevate ESIA: targeted training, ISO 17024 certification, and strategic outreach to boost credibility, consistency, and stakeholder trust
This paper analyzes the potential of AI for tackling Nigeria's critical environmental, and proposes strategic pathways for integrating AI into the nation's environmental sustainability framework.
Ashley Noseworthy is the CEO of Edgewise Environmental, advancing marine mammal mitigation, underwater noise innovation, and inclusive capacity-building across the Blue Economy.
Big picture impact assessment enables setting development contexts for multiple or individual infrastructure projects by using strategic thinking
TRCA applies graph-theoretic modeling to assess urban impacts on wildlife connectivity, guiding mitigation and planning aligned with biodiversity goals like the 30×30 initiative.
This study provides policy-relevant insights by linking green infrastructure indicators with regional heat-health risks, emphasizing quality-oriented adaptation strategies for equitable and
The need for holistic approaches when assessing impacts to Indigenous land use is demonstrated through a case study exploring impacts to moose harvest by the Cadotte Lake Métis Nation.
Based on case studies and experience the paper sets out how social impact assessment and human rights due diligence can address existing gaps and weaknesses in current standards and practice
Mining development in the Ring of Fire region requires sustainable development preserving the environment and Indigenous stewardship.
Energy transition in megacities is crucial for global carbon neutrality. This study assesses the impacts of spatial constraints on the availability and affordability of urban solar electricity.
Assessing large infrastructure projects requires evaluating multiple core years, as worst-case environmental impacts vary across phases due to evolving technologies and overlapping activities.
Découvrez comment un chantier ambitieux de la Ville de Québec est devenu un modèle de dialogue citoyen, porté par une approche humaine, des outils innovants et un accompagnement personnalisé
Red Sea Global navigates ESIA uncertainty through proactive tools & strategies, enabling fast tracked ESIA's that balance rapid regenerative tourism development with environmental & social stewardship
Supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty in IA by accessing Statistics Canada Microdata to develop statistical analysis techniques for Indigenous environmental health cancer research.
Behzad Raissiyan, Independent Environmental Planning, Assessment and Governance Advisor; IFC- PS, UN Safegaurds, HSE -MS implementor, Auditor, Risk Assessment, due diligence specialist, IAIA member since 2008.
Area of expertise: Anthropology of Environmental Development
Early engagement and transparent communication turn science into a driver of trust, reducing uncertainty and disputes, and consistently delivering stronger baselines, accurate predictions, and timely
This paper evaluates how EIA, SEIA, and CIA processes shape real-world environmental governance and development outcomes in Bonny Island, Nigeria.
Without formal SEA, Japan’s wind sector cultivates informal SEA functions—mapping, co-design, participation—through which trust-building and strategic environmental governance gradually emerge.
Aligning EIA participation with Indigenous consultation builds trust, prevents social conflict, and reinforces legal certainty for sustainable and inclusive project development.
This study quantifies the critical Tidal Prism needed for water quality, linking it with policy and governance strategies to rebuild trust.
Time plays a crucial role in communication narratives: while official information is developed and subjected to business processes and dynamics, disinformation rapidly takes hold in the community
This paper examines how Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is understood and regulated across GCC countries, identifying overlaps with EIA, gaps in alignment with global SEA principles
This presentation explores how digital noise challenge social impact assessment, presenting MapChat as a tool for inclusive, place-based engagement in contested, digitally saturated environments.
Lessons learned and preliminary results of a HRIA of the wind sector in La Guajira, Colombia. Intersectionality, participation gaps, consultation flaws and community impacts
Estonia’s case shows how the green network in national planning evolves, supported by case law and ecosystem data, towards a binding and substantive BIA, while politics still adapts.
Offshore oil and gas threaten artisanal fisheries in Brazil; blue justice calls for land rights and income policies to secure their territorial permanence.
Working in an ‘age of conflict’ means new competencies for SIA: storytellers, empathisers, synthesisers, relationship-builders, negotiators, advocates for communities and strategic advisers.
Opportunities for implementation of Indigenous Gender Based Analysis Plus in centring on best practices that foreground cumulative effects and Indigenous reconciliation.
This presentation highlights how weak coordination and limited institutional capacity in Romanian transport projects have led to ineffective environmental mitigation, drawing on case studies
Lessons from IDB projects in Latin America on countering mis/disinformation in ESIAs through empathetic communication, digital tools, and participatory monitoring to rebuild trust.
Workshop on aligning Impact Assessments and Benefit Agreements to enhance collaboration, respect Indigenous decision-making, and turn impact processes into tangible community benefits.
Sharing TC’s CEMS strategies for clear, inclusive science communication that bridges Indigenous and scientific knowledge to build trust, transparency, and engagement in impact assessment.
The paper examines how integrating EIA and SEA improves environmental coherence and governance integration in sustainable European transport corridor planning.
Indigenous-led platform combines Indigenous knowledge with Western science, enabling Fort McKay Métis Nation's data sovereignty and community participation to rebuild trust and counter misinformation
Fifteen years after the UNGPs, gaps remain between identifying and addressing impacts. This paper uses mining sector HRIAs to examine how companies have bridged the impact management gap.
Mushkegowuk Council is building capacity for the Ring of Fire Regional Assessment, advancing Indigenous-led governance, and through training, data sovereignty, and land-based research.
Based on World Bank projects, this session shows how early risk screening and participatory approaches build trust, strengthen governance, and make ESIAs actionable for local governments
Anna Johnston West Coast Environmental Law
A collaborative data initiative supporting Indigenous-led regional studies in the Slave Geological Province, strengthening cumulative effects understanding, data sovereignty, and community r
Drawing on experience of communities and rights defenders, this session examines how dialogue and accountability can help achieve compliance and successful development impact.
Community-led nuclear decommissioning assessments by two Indigenous Nations explore whether participation without shared control can build trust and transparency in the energy transition
This paper highlights that early, meaningful community engagement in a project builds trust and cooperation, overcoming issues, and fostering strong support for the project’s development.
PNG is a culturally diverse society. Our LNG project engagement strategies are tailored to suit this diverse social landscape where trust is built over time with consistent face-to-face engagements.
Rincon fosters trust with Kolla and Atacama communities through inclusive engagement tools and FPIC-based dialogue, supporting sustainable development and honoring Indigenous decision-making in Argent
Organization: East Coast Environmental Law. We are a charity doing public-interest environmental law work in Atlantic Canada.
FFI addresses IA professionals’ capacity gap through systems thinking methods on Earth and Human Systems. A Capacity Development Programme pilots March 2026 in South Africa.
The ARRC Task Force is an innovative model for improving the mitigation of impacts of large-scale development projects through independent and transparent engagement with ape experts.
Explore the ethical burden, invisible competencies, and legitimacy of social practitioners in impact assessment. Join a Solution Room to co-create strategies for recognition, advocacy, and resilient,
Mike Edelstein, Sergio Moreira, Helen Ross, Ruari Carthew, Jeffrey Jacquet, Eden Klein, Harry McGrath, Catherine Fairbairn and Will Rifkin help you learn how to conduct PSIA.
While shining a light on often ignored perspectives, we discuss the cost of economic reconciliation, and examples of how misinformation leads to disinformation within the Canadian context as well as a
When is “prior” really prior? Explore strategies to balance timing, certainty, and trust so communities can shape projects through authentic engagement.
This presentation addresses overlapping impact assessments and the need for better engagement and communication to improve public participation and harmonization.
This session will review the United States’ effort to avoid impact assessment or improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal permitting processes and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) e
Gitxaała’s Risk and Impact Assessment, grounded in their law and abundance-based metrics, strengthens evidence integrity and trust, countering bias and disinformation in marine governance.
Misinformation, social license to operate and economic issues are increasing challenges in renewables.
Chief Judi represents Indigenous leadership within the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee - Trans Mountain Expansion
The exploration process, main achievements, and also problems of China's policy environmental impact assessment are summarized comprehensively.
Claudia Maffettone Senior Dispute Resolution Specialist Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) IFC, World Bank Group USA
The study critically reviews how Nepal’s climate adaptation policies balance local and donor priorities, emphasizing the overlooked role of social capital and local institutions in fostering inclusive
UNFCCC COPs have been used by some countries and non-state actors as a platform to spread disinformation about climate change or greenwash their efforts, as visible from their national statements.
Reviews three Indigenous-led cumulative effects scenario planning studies in southern BC, Canada, to identify barriers preventing implementation & opportunities for improved stewardship
This presentation will share lessons learned on building relationships with Indigenous Nations/communities during the environmental assessment and licensing for uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan.
Collaborating with Inuit communities through co-design and innovative tools streamlined Arctic land use assessments, ensuring procedural fairness and culturally grounded impact studies
This project models coastal vulnerability in Vancouver to identify erosion-prone areas, support climate adaptation planning, and engage communities through public outreaching efforts...
Collaborative, government-to-government approaches by First Nations and Transport Canada to assess regional cumulative effects of marine shipping in the Northern Shelf Bioregion, British Columbia.
Digital approaches to engaging indigenous communities on infrastructure projects enables inclusive participation. Collaborative approaches to engagement incorporating digital tools will be shared.
Misinformation undermines Indigenous engagement in IAs, distorting perspectives & trust. Transparent, Indigenous-led communication fosters respect, counters harm, & supports justice & reconciliation.
This presentation explores how Québec’s Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement fosters participatory democracy through innovative communication that builds trust and counters misinformation.
Simple, evidence-based communication secured community support for biodiversity offsets, enabling inclusive grazing planning and national replication through participatory approaches.
Canadian Arctic development must be informed by robust assessment of impacts on wildlife, requiring complex ecological modelling to be communicated simply and transparently to stakeholders.
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for Formalising Artisanal Small-Scale Mining was prepared in response to the havoc of illegal mining in Ghana. Unfortunately, it was not implemented. A story
Communicating Groundwater Science across disciplines and communities.
Participatory approaches are critical in ensuring social assessments translate into meaningful, community-driven trust. This paper highlights Red Sea Global’s (RSG) case of communication and reporting
This panel session explores consulting practitioner’s opportunities to speak truths in a contested and complex world.
This presentation explores the role of science communication in building a social licence for the new infrastructure required to meet future water demand in Sydney, Australia.
The community advisory committee for Cariboo Gold’s assessment offers practical solutions to common engagement issues and lessons for building legitimacy, trust and better impact mitigation
How megaprojects are announced shapes community trust and engagement. Survey findings from Australia's Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro case show why transparency from the start is vital.
The indigenous knowledge promotes community-driven biodiversity conservation for climate resilience. Biodiversity management rooted in ecological wisdom provides a multidimensional solution, cultural
A comparative analysis of global impact assessments identifying best practices and lessons to enhance Canada’s IA process, focusing on efficiency, engagement, and transparency in project delivery.
Summary Statement: Presentation of research on the inclusion of Indigenous value components vs. economic measures in Alberta oil and gas impact assessment reports.
This paper discusses the need for and development of competency and competency frameworks for HIA. It emphasises the overlap between public health and HIA competencies, showing how expertise in one ca
This paper offers a conceptualisation of informal participation in Environmental Assessments, given the weakening of formal participation. Infrastructure development is used as a case.
This paper will cover current situation and challenges of cumulative impacts mainly on noise with simulation as well as questionnaire survey for local residents.
Sharing our experience using Microsoft Copilot to enhance socio-economic baselines in IAs—streamlining workflows and improving communication and analysis.
Discover how gender-based misinformation undermines impact assessments and explore field-tested strategies that counter bias, foster inclusive engagement, and strengthen outcomes.
A poly-scalar approach to integrating Indigenous and western science at regional, strategic and project level assessments, with policy guidance for mandated national protocols.
UK projects like HS2, solar and lithium mining face political debate, public protest, and misinformation regarding environmental impacts. This paper examines strategies to counter misinformation.
This paper discusses how Indigenous communities in Australia are using Indigenous-led impact assessment to counter misinformation generated through proponent-led regulatory impact assessment.
The analyzes of semi-structured interviews with affected people and stakeholders indicate that top-down approaches in risk communication negatively influences the credibility of information.
This regional marine CEA blended multiple knowledge systems through a collaborative co-development process focused on technical understanding, credibility, and accessible interactive reporting.
xplored perspectives of climate academics on communication methods and shortcomings. Showed the need for communication approaches that involve tailoring strategies to diverse publics.
Speakers will share lessons learned from the ESIA preparation for the Tingirrautaq and Puvirnituq wind projects, two Inuit-led projects developed in Northern Québec (Canada).
This paper presents ACFN’s current work on how ACFN Knowledge Keepers perceive the importance of water quality and contamination utilizing cultural and spiritual indicators.
Culturally grounded communication strategies are essential for building trust, enhancing participation, and sustainable outcomes, while cultural misalignment drives misinformation in EIAs
Mixed-methods assessment identifying cumulative health and safety impacts in industrial regions, highlighting pressures on Indigenous communities and the need for integrated mitigations
With its expanding renewable energy mandate, the BCER is exploring the interplay between regulatory authorities, project proponents, and Indigenous governments for CE implementation.
Even though the concept of Cumulative Impact Assessment and Management (CIAM) is as old as that of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), it is relatively recently that it has been required by some lo
Cumulative impacts of energy/transport infrastructures and mining activities perceived by Indigenous and land-connected communities in Brazilian Amazon basins (Madeira, Tapajós and Xingu)
Explore pragmatic strategies and real-world lessons to accelerate project approvals and improve EIA efficiency in Canada’s evolving regulatory landscape.
The session will focus on the implications of data sharing of sensitive and traditional knowledge of self-governing indigenous nations through the IA process to ensure data sovereignty.
Expert in Environmental Impact Assessment practice in NSW, Australia particularly on Infrastructure, Renewable, Housing and Mining projects.
Dissecting the Land Back movement to extinguish misconceptions to find solutions that create reciprocal relations in decision-making processes for resource management.
This paper examines Indigenous heritage impacts from Pilbara groundwater extraction amidst data gaps and contested values and presents strategies for rigorous collaborative assessment.
Drawing on three Romanian case studies, the paper defines a minimum transparency threshold needed to build stakeholder trust in renewable energy impact assessment.
Negotiating reforms that disrupt livelihoods of operators is achievable using Stakeholder Engagement principles. A negotiation process led by a Resettlement expert discusses Kaduna BRT experience
This session proposes a new governance-justice approach to projects - a Fair and Equitable Project Approach (FEPA)
Utilization of digital learning to facilitate course delivery in SPESSE-CE project offers better learning outcomes, though influenced by determinants and challenges.
A profile approach for climate change risks for heritage places is developed and correlated with environmental impacts. They enable risk to be contextualised at different scales.
We present a repeatable method to develop intersectional pathway-of-effects models for impacts and mitigation measures in the context of mining effects on Canadian Indigenous communities.
This study presents the development of the ‘Urban Planning Support Platform (UPSP)’ based on the ‘Carbon Spatial Map (CSM)’ to support data-driven and carbon-neutral urban planning in South Korea.
Development of an ecologically sound and socially acceptable biodiversity compensation strategy for a powerline in Zambia
Systematic review of AI and digital tools in Environmental Assessment: effects on data quality and trust; maps uses and risks; urges transparency, strong verification, and secure data.
Landmark infrastructure project demonstrated sustainable development by connecting the community via resilient digital tools, ensuring total transparency and positive social impact.
Digital participation broadens access and availability of impact assessment information, complementing rather than replacing traditional participation methods. Haskoning, The Netherlands
Executive Director of the Nunavut Impact Review Board, an Institution of Public Government created under the Nunavut Agreement responsible for Impact Assessment.
A case study of DiscloseAI, a piloted AI platform making project data accessible via multilingual chat/voice, while its immutable audit trail for grievances ensures true proponent accountability.
The quality and dynamics of information flow can influence environmental and social outcomes during project implementation.
Learn from the multiple failures in planning, communication, public consultation, environmental and social assessments of the Maya Train megaproject, and avoid repeating these mistakes.
Reflection on how local governance and disinformation affected an Indigenous consultation process and the lessons learned to rebuild trust and improving engagement.
An evidence-based Disinformation Resilience Model that integrates transparent, multimodal communication to enhance trust, participation, and resilience in ESIA practice
This study examined changes in land cover and increasing social unrest conditioned by civil conflict in Myanmar and the sudden influx of more than a million displaced Rohingyas into Bangladesh.
Owner/Managing Director Arrowsmith Gold Inc. Community Health and Safety Specialist Board of Directors, Global Tailings Management Institute Board of Directors, Artemis Gold Inc.
The study finds technological, institutional, stakeholder, and information factors drive mining permitting delays, causing significant socioecological costs, and recommends digital tools, stronger EI
The speaker will share the case of Alberta, where abrupt changes to renewable energy project approval processes halted over 100 projects and eroded trust among investors and other stakeholders.
The collision of science, diverse agendas, and political dynamics means that building trust through regulatory EA can feel like a paradox. Maintaining professional ethics and conduct is foundational.
Through early and meaningful Indigenous cumulative effects work, Indigenous ways of being, doing and knowing are implemented support good outcomes for all of us.
Brazil’s community-led protocols and territorial plans operationalize early FPIC, enabling Indigenous participation, protecting rights, and fostering inclusive and sustainable infrastructure
Delineation of village boundaries at the relevant scale, mapping of impacted and non-impacted lands and participatory mapping. Vital analysis before any future Resettlement Action Plan (RAP)
Effective Ealy Warning System for alerting downstream communities of dam- induced flooding.
This paper assesses the accuracy of economic impact estimates in environmental assessments by examining projects with pre-construction forecasts and post-construction socio-economic monitoring data.
How the ecosystem services framework can be applied to identify and manage socio-environmental impacts and conflicts in project development.
This presentation showcases findings of a project designed to illustrate how IA aligns with GBA+ principles and practices, focusing on access for queer, LGBTQ2S+, and disabled peoples.
ICMBio assesses environmental impacts on federal Conservation Units in Brazil, using EIA to authorize environmental licensing while mitigating and monitoring the pressures on biodiversity.
This presentation shows how the KyaukPhyu Deep Sea Port EIA supports local authorities in Myanmar to interpret complex data and apply practical mitigation amid political instability.
Explores how participatory ESIAs and environmental flow methods can improve ecosystem services protection and water management in Latin America.
The proposed road infrastructure master plan integrate climate risk assessments and project-level ESMS to build resilience, ensure accountability, and foster access to sustainable financing.
Engaging on risks associated with tailings storage facilities to support emergency planning and communication protocols
Targeted mis/disinformation campaigns at the community level is increasingly impacting the pace and economics of project development, requiring a collective response from the industry and partners.
Emily Charry Tissier is a biologist and entrepreneur dedicated to bridging technology and conservation. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Whale Seeker, a Canadian B Corporation harnessing artificial in
This study aims to identify the key habitats of endangered species and provide fundamental data to safeguard biodiversity from development pressure in EIA process.
Interactive session with experts from the European Investment Bank, Inclusive Development International, State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and the World Bank.
Energy efficiency in Québec has shifted from a nice to have choice to strategic necessity, a key tool to meet rising demand, support electrification, and secure Québec’s energy future.
This presentation shares lessons from Brazil on inclusive evaluation in infrastructure, highlighting legal gaps, participatory tools, and alignment with the World Bank’s ESS10.
Mis/disinformation can distort health and social impact assessments, making ongoing community engagement vital in supporting informed decisions and community wellbeing during major projects.
The IAAC's Quebec Office will propose useful avenues for reflection for anyone working in a country where several environmental assessment regimes coexist.
Explores opportunities to improve regulatory effectiveness and efficiency through improved IA / permitting linkages, and the associated use of digital technologies.
Based on case studies, this paper examines how transparent, two-way community engagement & ESDD-informed communication can improve credibility of IA & counter misinformation in Nbs projects.
Shows how IA tools enhance NbCS credibility by integrating biodiversity, biophysical systems, FPIC, and social safeguards for more inclusive, adaptive, and verifiable carbon projects.
This session will review existing tools to review public input in the NEPA impact assessment process and how effective implementation of those tools can enhance trust in agency decision-making.
The presentation outlines the benefits of using digital platforms to organize, visualize, and provide access of data to stakeholders during impact assessments, to enhance stakeholder engagement.
This paper explores how interactive maps can build trust in urban development by supporting inclusive, participatory approaches to public engagement.
Indigenous communities participate in IA to assess potential impacts to rights. IA lacks institutional mechanisms to follow up on predictions, manage cumulative effects, and protect rights.
Deficit in environmental content; addressed through cross-cutting training and practical pathways that unify standards and enable integration into EIA teams, improving governance.
Enhancing the capacity of mining host communities to engage in the assessment of social impacts especially within the context of fast-tracking projects under Canada's Bill C-5.
Explores how the Escazú Agreement’s promise is strengthened by embedding environmental access rights within enhanced due diligence by companies operating in conflict-affected and shrinking civic space
The paper focuses on how SADC countries have developed an environmental legislative framework to ensure alignment within the region on ESIA and SEA.
Guided by Yukwanulha Yukwanikuhliyo, this ILCBPR project uses GRCBA+ to establish a cultural framework for informed decision-making about surface and groundwater health in Oneida Nation of the Thames.
Arrowsmith Gold leads qualitative approaches for HIAs with project-affected communities. Ethical considerations are critical to prevent practice from harming those we aim to safeguard.
Exploring practitioner competencies, ethics and good practice for appropriate data identification and interpretation to combat misinformation and disinformation in Health Impact Assessment.
EU Omnibus 2025 eases sustainability reporting but risks transparency, comparability, and trust; careful calibration is needed to prevent greenwashing.
This framework evaluates the procedural effectiveness of EIA systems using comprehensive criteria based on good practices, scholarly literature, and adaptive governance principles.
Assessment of resettlement and livelihood restoration along Nigeria’s Lagos–Ogun line highlights communication, trust, and participation gaps, proposing inclusive monitoring and coordination strategie
The study examines disinformation’s impact on intervention projects in Nigeria, revealing its harm to data integrity and stakeholder trust, and proposing frameworks for sustainable, information-secure
An extended tiering typology through dimensions of 'delegation', 'direction' and 'strength' furthers frameworks for tiering and contributes to more procedurally effective, transparent and holistic IA.
Challenges and solutions of applying the deliberative approach in the livelihood restoration process of fishermen facing potential economic impacts from an offshore wind farm project
This paper discusses evolving practices to engage stakeholders during IA follow-up. Country case study examples are mapped on the spectrum of best practice public participation in IA follow-up.
This article examines the methane evaluation framework in China's coal mine environmental assessments, enhanced management mechanisms to support carbon peak and neutrality goals.
Practitioners must balance their time and resources to uncover ‘truths’ when conducting impact assessments that include biophysical, socio-economic, and Indigenous rights and interests.
The paper explores various tools and approaches that can reduce the power imbalances between developers and communities affected by hydropower projects.
Using a Gender-based Analysis Plus approach is a way to integrate voices from community organisations working with overlooked population groups. Cases of mining projects’ IA are presented.
Explores how climate misinformation shapes risk perception and resilience in Koh Kret, Thailand, proposing trust-based and participatory frameworks for credible climate risk assessment.
This presentation will consider how the cumulative impacts of major projects on Indigenous communities have been disregarded and underestimated in British Columbia’s IA processes.
Canada’s co-operation agreements with provinces operationalize “one project, one review,” accelerating assessments while upholding environmental standards and respecting jurisdictional roles.
Without clear and holistic approach to the impacts of the green transition, women will be left behind. We present a framework to support feminist cumulative impact assessments.
This presentation discusses the role financial institutions in LAC have in in promoting a just transition.
The paper highlights how excessive stakeholder consultations can create misinformation, unrealistic expectations, and fatigue, and argues for a proportionate, risk-based approach to ensure credible
This paper presents the vision of the Health Impact Assessment Service, part of Indigenous Services Canada, to support First Nations led contributions and initiatives in the area of HIA
An interactive story map visualises Guadalcanal’s (Solomon Islands) river data, boosting transparency, engagement, and informed freshwater governance.
20-year follow-up of Innu land use for Romaine hydro project: community involvement, impact tracking, and adaptive mitigation using a rigorous social science approach.
This session explores food security as a critical yet overlooked aspect of impact assessment, featuring diverse perspectives and an Indigenous-led case study on impacts, barriers, and solutions.
Fort McKay Métis Nation’s community-led odour monitoring program addresses an information gap and provides the data necessary for conducting meaningful odour IAs and managing odour issues.
ILO 169 and UNDRIP determine that affected communities must be consulted. Implementation in each country is not always straightforward. Let's look at what happens in Brazil.
The novel “FPIC-like approach” to validating project plans with Indigenous Peoples: ensuring broad consent in a post-impact context.
This study proposes an assessment framework to enhance the co-benefits of biodiversity and carbon neutrality, utilizing a machine learning algorithm and the estimation of carbon sequestration capacity
Using Impact Assessment as a trust-building tool, this presentation shows how transparent engagement turns community resistance into acceptance and shared ownership of development projects.
This paper examines how social assessment outcomes can be transformed into measurable social impact within a major tourism destination. It highlights strategies for integrating assessment findings int
KDRP shows how impact assessment safeguards add lasting value through improved dam safety, environmental protection, & stakeholder engagement while exposing challenges in sustaining outcomes
We present a case study for stakeholder engagement for a BAP at a mine in the Amazon forest biome, balancing technical needs with continuous stakeholder, regulatory, and community alignment
Communities can meaningfully influence projects, ensuring real participation. The company’s approach empowers stakeholders to shape outcomes, moving beyond consultation to genuine, impactful involveme
This presentation explores how the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission leverages multiple monitoring programs to translate complex data into meaningful public understanding.
This session examines rebuilding trust through digital justice, balancing transparency and privacy, and tackling polarization, ethics, and equity in social impact practice.
This case study will demonstrate how good science and clear, credible, and accessible communication is essential for maintaining public confidence and enabling sound environmental decision-making.
What happens when IA commitments meet on-the-ground realities? This talk shares five field-tested lessons on what can unravel, and how to turn good intentions into real-world results.
Discover how the COMBO+ program aligns development with biodiversity conservation through policy reform, data, capacity building, and pilot projects - laying the foundation for a Nature Positive futur
Weak compliance and poor communication erode public trust in Africa’s impact assessments. Stronger enforcement, clear information, and inclusive engagement are key to restoring credibility.
This paper examines how integrating stakeholder participation into biodiversity assessment within EIA enhances ecological outcomes, social legitimacy, and governance through culturally adapt
Consultation is losing legitimacy amid mistrust and misinformation. This talk explores shifting from procedural compliance to trust-based, culturally grounded, collaborative engagement.
IAAC’s new 2-year model improves major project assessments through early engagement, key issue resolution, Indigenous collaboration, and streamlined processes.
IAAC’s new 2-year model improves major project assessments through early engagement, key issue resolution, Indigenous collaboration, and streamlined processes
Exploring how global biodiversity data can guide corporate nature action, highlighting its power for portfolio risk scoping and its pitfalls for more accurate site-level biodiversity accounting.
Gitxaała’s Risk and Impact Assessment, grounded in law, culture, and abundance metrics, strengthens communication and counters bias and disinformation in marine governance.
A new geospatial platform that unifies site data and global biodiversity datasets, streamlining nature impact assessment and improving risk management for a portfolio of sites.
Parks Canada's tiered assessment process links conservation goals to decisions, facilitating cumulative effects management and better project outcomes through strategic alignment.
High-resolution projections of global surface O₃ (2010–2100) reveal emission- and meteorology-driven disparities, emphasizing the need for urgent mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Based on research in Atlantic Canada, this paper considers how Gender-Based Analysis Plus can be applied across the stages of planning impact assessments to support just energy transitions
This presentation examines how gender analysis is applied in environmental assessments across Canadian jurisdictions, revealing key differences shaped by institutional and regional contexts.
Understanding what is getting in the way of intersectional Gender Based Analysis Plus in project Impact Assessments in Canada - and how to do better - through institutional ethnography.
The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada identifies key issues early using clear criteria—federal relevance, project link, and significant concerns—to guide focused assessments.
Geospatial risk assessment paired with eDNA data is key to nature finance. The ability to translate complex data into visual risk maps, prioritises action and unlocks strategic investment for nature.
The Gitanyow climate test is a means for this Indigenous people in Canada to assert sovereignty over their traditional territory and attempt to address the climate crisis.
A practical exploration of effective approaches to comms and engagement in the context of UK subsea cable development.
Wake up to Good Morning, Impact Assessment! a high-energy, talk-show-style panel where AI meets permitting, storytelling, and ethics. Co-hosted by Emily and Ashley, this session serves up bold ideas,
The effectiveness of EIA as a tool in environmental management depends largely on the effectiveness and adequacy of the enabling governance structures.
Flexibility and grid connection with emission caps are compared to identify optimal strategies to lower green ammonia costs and emissions.
The presentation highlights the need to supervise AI-based follow-up analyses to avoid bias or errors, discussing implications for practitioners and decision-making processes.
Hanh Nguyen, panellist
Ibama’s EIA methodology establishes cause–effect linkages among project activities, environmental aspects, and impacts, enhancing consistency and analytical rigor in federal licensing.
How Health Canada's HIA program uses an SGBA Plus lens to identify and address gender-based harms from resource development, improving HIA robustness.
Different national approaches to HIA reveal its multiple roles in promoting participation, prevention, accountability, and legal empowerment in decision making.
This session explores how Health Impact Assessment (HIA) can help private sector companies manage their health impacts on communities, with the overarching aim of enhancing wellbeing and adv
Reflections on what the Editors of the HIA Handbook have learnt throughout the production of it and the directions the field should take over the next thirty years to further develop the HIA family
Since 2013, an initiative in Québec City has integrated HIA into land-use projects, stimulating intersectoral collaboration by linking the Sustainable Development Goals with public health
The presentation will discuss Chemical, biological and Radiation mis/disinformation following Russia large scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Here we compare and contrast the process of Health Impact Assessment and One Health and provide a roadmap of how to draw from each both when conducting holistic health assessments for propos
We conducted an HIA scoping study of the integrated essential services – energy, water and food supplies, health services, and wastewater management – in Kharkivska Oblast, Ukraine.
Tahltan representatives present methods to support Tahltan’s Consent Decisions for two major mines—designed to balance the need for assessment rigour with the holistic Indigenous perspective
Hong Kong's EIAO framework shows how structured transparency and genuine responsiveness can counter public disengagement, offering meaningful consultation beyond traditional models.
Showcasing how focus group discussions in Saudi Arabia is conducted by Red Sea Global informed a community-driven development plan, aligning local priorities with national strategies and global guides
Explore how GBIF’s global data infrastructure enables digital EIAs that link field biodiversity data to nature-related reporting and sustainable investment.
The presentation builds on a study on the development of a P2X operation. The aim is to show how a CE policy in a rural setting can guide subsequent EA processes.
A new method utilizing the Ecological and Environmental Zoning Database has been developed to conduct rapid and efficient SEA for large-scale spatial plans.
Infrastructure projects create conflicting expectations. Withholding information fosters mistrust. Transparent stakeholder engagement is vital for success, as lessons from Africa demonstrate.
This presentation explores how integrating Human Rights Due Diligence with environmental licensing, as advanced in Axia’s ESG Roadmap, strengthens inclusive engagement, transparency and sustainability
Exploring how retaliation undermines information integrity in impact assessments, this session discusses protective mechanisms, case studies, and emphasizes collaboration to ensure credible assessment
Humanovability® introduces a human-centered, regenerative paradigm for measuring and managing sustainability impacts through the integrated framework of the Impact Platform and Consorzio SFERA.
Sharing experiences on the evolution of environmental assessments of linear transport infrastructure in France and presentation of best practical applications.
This study explored the current scope of IA education offered through undergraduate and graduate programs at Canadian universities and the linkages between IA teaching and IA research.
Ian Campbell, international consultant and advisor to the World Bank and UN agencies in Environmental & Social Impact Assessment with a specialisation in Cultural Heritage.
Contribution to a workshop session on Cultural Heritage in Impact Assessment - Current Trends and Best Practice
One of three Indigenous Peoples in Canada, The Red River Métis have developed a land use and occupancy database that blends traditional knowledge and academically and legally defendable methodology.
Parks Canada’s Continuous Improvement Program fosters learning in impact assessment through annual evaluations and key investigations, enhancing transparency, accountability, and communication. It hel
The paper examines communication challenges in EIAs across Southern, Western, and Eastern Africa, offering a comparative analysis and strategies to improve stakeholder engagement and transparency
From an analysis of Indigenous FPIC protocols worldwide, we distill five pillars to centre Peoples as decision-makers and turn consultation into a rights-based, community-led process
Landscape-scale biodiversity offset in Turkiye, used deliberative planning with shepherds and NGOs to co-design grazing and restoration, resulted in strong community ownership.
Anticipatory stakeholder engagement in Latin America’s offshore wind expansion can strengthen legitimacy, inclusion, and social trust, aligning the energy transition with equitable and sustainable mar
Covers Red Sea Global Amaala’s actions to implement least intrusive approach to constructing a boardwalk in mangroves through design iterations, surveys, permitting and continual monitoring.
My angle highlights the unseen skills in Indigenous fieldwork: reading cultural dynamics, navigating power, reducing bias, and using trauma-informed practice to produce rigorous and ethical qualitativ
The purpose of this study is to present a methodological analysis of the protocols elaborated by Indigenous peoples in Brazil guided by central questions such as who should be consulted.
Why use Indigenous language and Indigenous science in social and environmental impact assessments?
This presentation provides insights for assessing and managing cumulative effects drawn from Tsawwassen First Nation’s Impact Assessment process in British Columbia, Canada
This paper shares findings from a Fort McKay Métis Nation rights impact assessment on members’ current ability to exercise water-related rights.
eDNA and machine learning identify species-level indicators of river disturbance across spatial scales, supporting scalable biomonitoring and conservation in Pacific island ecosystems.
Intentional and periodic Information disclosure is a veritable tool in building professional capacity and robust stakeholder confidence profoundly enhancing SPESSE project buy-in, appraisal
Infusing the values underpinning the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in GBA+ analysis can strengthen IA by considering the impacts on specific groups, resulting in better decisions.
The Inle Lake region, severely impacted by the 2024 floods and 2025 earthquake, faces ecological degradation, infrastructure loss, and livelihood disruption. This report outlines key impacts
Based on Insuco and ICSI’s experience in Latin America, this talk shows how territorial observatories use data and disclosure to build trust and foster transformational engagement.
Assessing how Québec’s BAPE asbestos inquiry countered misinformation, strengthened public trust, and shaped public policy.
How do global input datasets change the conclusions of ecoregion structural intactness of the period 2000-2020?
Natural Resources Canada’s analysis of technical reviews highlight the need for standardized reporting and tracking practices to improve the effectiveness of science communication in IA
An analyses of two insurgent movements in Brazil that exposed the limits of formal EIA participation and demanded more inclusive decision-making, in a context of inequality and asymmetry
This session presents a methodology for assessing ICH impacts by identifying key places and resources, integrating traditional ownership & customary use into internationally aligned cultural heritage.
This presentation introduces an integrated platform for climate change impact assessment linking multiple sectors, evaluating cascading risks, and supporting evidence-based adaptation policy
AI-based 3D spatial data cube integrates digital twins and machine learning to support climate-responsive environmental assessment and urban planning decision-making.
This paper argues that mining resettlement in South Africa must integrate climate adaptation to ensure sustainable, resilient livelihoods beyond housing provision.
IFC integrates climate change into E&S risk management to help projects assess, manage, and adapt to physical climate risks, strengthening resilience and sustainability.
EO4CE-2 advances Earth Observation in Canada’s impact assessments with standardized datasets, improved access, and practical applications for transparent, data-driven, and sustainable decisi
This paper seeks to stimulate discussion on achieving multiple benefits for human well-being, environmental conservation, and economic growth by balancing development and sustainability
This study integrates indigenous knowledge systems into Niger Delta oil exploration EIAs, significantly improving impact assessment processes and establishing resilient, community-driven frameworks
This study develops a climate-sensitive framework integrating machine learning–based air pollution retrieval and β-based health assessment to improve climate-health risk evaluation.
Showcasing Canada’s Interactive Assessment Map that allows the public to view assessment data for transparency, to create efficiency, streamline analysis, and support engagement.
This workshop aims to engage participants in a discussion of what is needed to make CEA deliver results on the ground, beyond the assessment.
Risk assessment, inclusive engagement and adaptive management implemented in a multisectoral tourism program in Peru (33 projects within six sectors) enhanced project sustainable outcomes
Credible knowledge and robust partnerships are required to drive adaptation action from climate and health assessments.
Jan Nuesink
Jean Hébert Managing Director Association québécoise pour l'évaluation environnementale (AQÉI) Co-chair IAIA26
Joseph Zayed
Josh Fothergill: a leading IA capacity building expert, from training & guidance, through facilitation & intelligent client roles. UK based with 20+yrs experience, he has 2 kids + 3 cats
Karen is the Executive Director of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines.
Kyra has been an Indigenous Caucus Member of the IAMC Line 3 since its inception. She also serves as a member of the Socio-Economic Sub-Committee for the IAMC TMX.
Une innovation procédurale pour renforcer la crédibilité des approches participatives dans les évaluations d’impacts.
Drawing on Canadian municipal cases, this session argues for upstream deliberative land planning to address increasing conflicts that downstream deliberation is unable to contain.
The study suggests that land use restrictions from power lines, though recurrently raised in public hearings, remain inconsistently addressed and weakly integrated into Brazil’s EIA
Shows how Indigenous dialogue from the Amazon can transform deliberative impact assessment into a pathway toward relational and social justice.
The Wendat Nation will share its experience in IA and FPIC, highlighting structural challenges and advocating for shared decision-making on its ancestral territory.
Seismic elements of impact assessment reviews are of great importance and interest. This presentation highlights lessons learned and key elements that are critical to Impact Assessments in Canada.
This session explores how AI-powered monitoring helps organizations anticipate risks, detect opportunities, and enhance communication in rapidly evolving sustainability and impact assessment contexts.
Develops a framework to assess the 'Do No Significant Harm' (DNSH) principle throughout public programme stages and examines how DNSH connects with circular economy assessment.
The presentation focuses on lithium for electric vehicle batteries, amid growing E-mobility adoption, to discuss human rights engagement and justice in the upstream E-mobility value chain.
Projects face uncertainty on how far supply chain responsibilities extend. A simple typology of workers and other rights holders typically involved in supply chains clarifies accountability.
The Macro Plan innovates Brazil’s environmental management by integrating data, monitoring, and assessment to address cumulative socio-environmental impacts in the oil and gas supply chain
Impact accounting reframes how we value the energy transition, quantifying harms avoided and benefits delivered to reveal renewables’ true contributions to resilience, livelihoods, and health.
Innu and university partners discuss how community-grounded CEA can make a real difference for Indigenous governance through the Shipeku-Uinipeku project
Development of Territorial Impact Assessment approach in participative manner is presented. The assessment checks the compliance of the draft policies on various governance level with the ex
Malaysia’s flagship peatland restoration project uses continuous adaptive process instead of conclusive assessment for “net positive impact”, ensuring long-term ecological & social outcomes.
Misinformation and limited information in workforce transitions across extractive industries increases socioeconomic risks and exacerbates vulnerabilities. We outline practical mitigations.
This paper analyses how disinformation reshapes corporate communication, identifies emerging organisational threats, and proposes proactive and reactive strategies to strengthen crisis response and re
Public perceptions of new projects often include unrealistic expectations of job and wealth creation. Anticipating and managing these as part of an ESIA may help temper potential conflict.
This presentation explores how the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge and Motorway Project in Türkiye planned for, and mitigated severance impacts, its challenges and lessons.
When detailed project design occurs parallel to the IA process, the results can streamline construction timelines but introduce challenges for IA decision-making
Mélissa is Associate Deputy Director General at Québec’s Ministry of Environment, leading EIA modernization, strategic planning, and sustainability-focused environmental governance initiatives. Substituted by Marie-Emmanuelle Rail.
N/A
KSEIA for sustainable future is to extend fact-based scientific methods and to develop public communication. The future of impact assessment is the future of KSEIA.
The changing role of the assessors in community engagement during Impact Assessments in Canada in recent years has implications for IA outcomes and community trust in proponents and assessors (consult
Integrates water quality, limnology, and trophic data to model carbonate dynamics and define biodiversity thresholds for predictive, governance-oriented mining BIA
President, Ecovision Inc, Ottawa Canada
Australian and Canadian examples of Indigenous-led IA frameworks go beyond consent to offer relational transformation for proponents, practitioners, and communities.
In order to ensure a better integration of biodiversity in impact assessment practice, the plural values of biodiversity need to be included, which can happen through citizen science.
Senior Legal and Policy Director and Co-Founder Inclusive Development International
CEO of Pisces, helping ocean projects succeed through impactful storytelling. Ocean communications expert, creative strategist, award-winning brand designer, and UN Ocean Decade comms expert
Lead Chair: Jean Hébert Session Format: Panel discussion | Accepts Submissions: Invitation Only Conference Topic: T1. Communication and reporting to improve transparency We will present and discuss th
This presentation will emphasize the importance of Nation-directed management approaches, such as ACFNs Water Policy, to strengthen trust and public engagement in state CEAM processes.
Canada’s new infrastructure laws aim to speed up approvals but risk transparency and Indigenous rights. AI tools may help balance efficiency with environmental oversight, though challenges remain.
Data to assess Indigenous interests is imperfect, misleading assessors and decreasing community confidence. Understand the reasons to create solutions like data collection protocols and ILAs
Data to assess Indigenous interests are often imperfect, misleading assessors and decreasing community confidence. Understand the reasons to generate solutions like data collection protocols and ILAs.
A case study on how prolonged project delays and misinformation eroded community trust in a mining project, and how inclusive communication can rebuild confidence in the IA process.
Renewable energy projects in the Asia/Pacific region face challenges from community mistrust and misinformation, impacting engagement and delivery. This paper explores trust-building strategies and le
This session discusses the World Bank Group’s accountability mechanisms compliance functions to ensure transparent communication with relevant stakeholders during compliance reviews.
Participatory governance and inclusive public engagement through education, dialogue, and community empowerment in Brazil’s oil-producing territories
A participatory approach helps companies, communities and authorities co-design biodiversity conservation agreements, enhancing transparency and inclusion toward achieving Nature Positive outcomes.
Paper shows how cumulative impacts of global greenhouse gas emissions can be integrated with regional sustainability transition strategies and climate resilient development at project scale
A network-based, implementable framework integrates industrial interactions into pollutant allocation, supporting fair, efficient, and impact-oriented environmental management in industrial
Presentation on the modernization of impact study practices initiated by Hydro-Québec in the context of legislative, regulatory, and societal changes
Understanding new technologies and identifying associated impact-producing factors presents a challenge. Results of a recent case study highlight the novel approach taken to fully address this issue.
This paper will explore the implications of the ICJ Climate Advisory Opinion for federalism contestations in Canada over IA of planned activities that risk harm to the marine environment.
Alternatives analysis in IA of hydropower often presents misleading or incomplete analysis. This paper will assess case studies on the use of alternatives analysis to inform, and misinform.
Open data platforms are an effective and deliberative mechanism for enhancing the transparency and credibility of IA.
Open science, regional databases, and cumulative effects assessment visualizations are discussed as ways to support and enhance IA streamlining efforts.
Strategies to minimize misinformation/disinformation associated with high consequence events will be addressed through communication, technical approaches, and in the context of other relevant topics.
This study aimed to consider to functions of an ordinance on renewable energy tax for regional coexistence through document research and stakeholder interviews in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
Disinformation can spread quickly as people tend to believe negative information more than positive. This "Negativity bias" can affect resettlement planning and implementation. However, it can be seen
Ayako will facilitate a group session regarding complaints on road projects received by the WB Inspection Panel and the ADB Compliance Review Panel, focusing on induced impacts on Indigenous Peoples.
Vaideesh will co-chair and lead a discussion on complaints on road projects received by the WB Inspection Panel and the ADB Compliance Review Panel, focusing on the impacts of subsidiary projects.
Ibrahim will chair a session that examines 4 overlooked challenges associated with road projects, based on complaints received by the WB Inspection Panel and the ADB Compliance Review Panel.
Camila will facilitate a discussion focusing on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, based on road project complaints received by the WB Inspection Panel and the ADB Compliance Review Panel.
Early, inclusive participation under the World Bank’s ESF in Ecuador’s transport project shows how preventive environmental and social management builds resilience, sustainability, and community trust
John Sinclair Natural Resources Institute University of Manitoba
This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of China’s carbon trading in driving climate action, and explores the role of EIA in mitigation and its integration with other policies.
This analysis identifies the green development bottlenecks in China's energy-chemical bases and proposes leveraging SEA to overcome them.
Gitxaała Nation’s Marine Cumulative Effects Assessment holistically examines the status of ecosystems and Indigenous Use in relation to marine shipping impacts, informing leadership’s decision making.
Challenges to Achieving Effective Citizen Participation in Mining Projects in Perú
Participatory approach linking communities, public management, and oil infrastructure for sustainable development in Brazilian coastal territories.
Policy recommendations were developed to support the integration of environmental sustainability, as well as a territorial approach in infrastructure planning in Peru, with a focus on the Amazon.
The US State Department and USAID united public and private stakeholders around toxic ocean plastics while restoring trust, improving economic systems, revitalizing science communication, and more.
PMAIS strengthens environmental governance by assessing cumulative socio-environmental impacts of Brazil’s maritime oil and gas sector through integrated data analysis.
A 2023 follow-up of a private irrigation project assessed progress on ESAP commitments, offering insights into post-ESIA implementation challenges and the value of long-term monitoring in safeguard sy
Examines how misinformation and selective communication around Romanian hydropower projects affect public perception, trust, and the credibility of impact assessment.
Explore a case study of partnerships between researchers, a conservation authority, private landowners and local government facilitating engagement with nature-based solutions.
This document summarizes the implementation of 97 productive projects in Bolivia’s protected areas to improve their management, enhance rural livelihoods, and support climate adaptation through produc
This presentation examines protracted timelines in Japan’s dam development and explores ways to improve temporal management and coordination in infrastructure governance.
DORD examined the environmental impacts of turbid flow generated by the movement of collector vehicles in preparation for future test mining in exploration Contract Areas.
As HIA evolves, integration of PSIA is an essential tool for aligning assessments with the experiences of those affected by proposed or emergent change.
This workshop session will provide participants with tools to better understand and more rigorously measure place-related concepts to provide a more systematic assessment of psycho-social impacts
This presentation aims to examine the relationship between public participation in environmental assessment and government decision-making, based on the experience of Quebec's Bureau d'audiences publi
This case study aims to share a reliable and structured collaborative approach to early-stage engagement that can help reassure stakeholder’s concerns about technical or complex issues, strengthen pro
The speaker will share the case of Alberta, where different stakeholder groups have shown diverse reactions to the same policy changes in the project approval process.
The study examines the way in which technical information is presented in EIAs and their influence on the comprehensibility and reliability of the information for the public.
Sharing biodiversity data and innovative methods is key for assessments, conservation planning, and achieving global biodiversity goals.
The implementation of the Escazú Agreement must be a collective, multistakeholder effort. Examples of good practice, focusing on environmental information, participation, justice and protect
Assessing Social and Environmental Risks related to PV Plants water use: Lessons from Mexico cases, management Strategies and Community Engagement for Sustainable Development.
This chapter examines quantitative health impact assessment in urban and transport planning, highlighting methods, case studies, health equity, and policy relevance.
Québec’s Strategic Environmental Assessment Framework: Advancing Regional Planning, Cumulative Impact Evaluation, and Inclusive Governance for Sustainable Development
Mixed-methods impact/risk assessment revealing critical emergency response gaps and high community exposure to rail risks in Indigenous territories, demonstrating how industrial development enhances d
Learn about transformative communication & responses to dis-information that shaped long term management of the Great Barrier Reef, and legacy 10 years post the UNESCO WHC endorsed 2015 LTSP.
The paper retheorizes the transparency framework by synthesizing four transparency frameworks, complements them with expert interviews, and identifies AI/NLP intervention points to reframe how transpa
Compares Nigeria and Canada to show how transparency, participation, and information integrity shape public trust in environmental assessment.
The presentation will focus on introducing an innovative, advanced GIS based digital engine for linear routing technology as an antidote to eroding public and indigenous trust in the process
The precedential May 29, 2025 U.S. Supreme Court case, Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County will be examined, including recent case law, followed by implications to EIA practice.
The Red River Métis are one of three constitutionally recognized Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Learn how our Nation has been combating identity theft in impact assessment.
We highlight the key social issues that emerge when artisanal and small-scale gold mining projects are planned and executed in a Sub-Saharan Africa context and further make recommendations.
Assessing the progress in developing SEAs and SDPs for 2050
Presents the findings of a recent study that has gathered the views of Canadian IA practitioners on the key goals and potential outcomes of regional assessments.
An overview of the challenges and lessons learned in developing a co-led regional assessment of the St. Lawrence River with the Mohawk Council of Kahanwà:ke and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.
Regulatory system design and interaction inform the causes, and potential solutions, for diminishing CIA value and the uptake of fast-tracked projects. Entrenching the value of CIA requires a system
Over the last two decades, a systematic emphasis on practicality and multilateralism resulted in improvements in nature-positive USAID humanitarian assistance that offers lessons for the future.
ILIAs extend concepts of usable knowledge beyond the confines of mainstream IA approaches and beyond the values of hierarchical and market-driven modes of governance.
Head of Compliance, IPAM EBRD
Understanding key social factors and the role of key stakeholders in the push for renewable energy developments in Central Queensland, Australia, and how these shape community engagement.
How can SEA remain an effective instrument for decision making in the Netherlands. Is it living up to its potential? How to prevent the instrument from becoming obsolete given the enormous challenges
RAPs often overlook emotional and social ties. Using Orogun RAP in Ibadan, this study shows place attachment shapes outcomes and recommends participatory, grounded measures to improve legitimacy and l
This paper analyzes disputes between project proponents and indigenous communities, highlighting differing views on resettlement, rights, consent, and the need for equitable engagement.
Darul Hana shows how open, empathetic communication and fair compensation can dispel rumours, build trust and ensure community acceptance in urban redevelopment projects.
Exploring how retaliation against stakeholders undermines information integrity in impact assessments, this session discusses protective mechanisms, and shares case studies
Exploring how retaliation against stakeholders undermines information integrity in impact assessments, this session discusses protective mechanisms, and shares case studies
RETEX transformed two decades of offshore wind monitoring data into actionable knowledge, revealing biodiversity trends and guiding future impact assessment and sustainable planning.
This presentation calls for rethinking Canada’s assessment systems through meaningful Indigenous engagement, risk-based assessment, accountability, and AI innovation.
The presentation will focus on how to produce culturally appropriate tools to effectively communicate the research findings of a CEA to indigenous communities.
This presentation reviews 33 Canadian and international regional assessment case studies, deriving broad lessons learned as well as best practices / guiding principles for implementation.
This case study in Hong Kong highlights best practices for leveraging technical outreach and narrative-driven communication to drive biodiversity investments and conservation actions.
A community-led RIA model integrates global norms with Indigenous knowledge, promoting self-determination, transparency, and trust while addressing misinformation & advancing rights-based IA globally
The Athabasca Chipewyan FN addresses disinformation by centering IK, challenging biased assessments, and developing tools to integrate Indigenous perspectives into environmental regulatory processes.
Additional conservation actions can play a role beyond the mitigation hierarchy to achieve nature positive outcomes. We offer a useful framework to communicate biodiversity management.
Continuous technical monitoring and open data communication at Ituango HP have strengthened transparency, countered misinformation, and enhanced trust in hydropower project management.
Senior Hydrologist - Lorax Environmental Services (Vancouver, BC)
This presentation analyzes how SEIA addresses public access to environmental information, considering Escazú, mining certifications, and the potential role of artificial intelligence.
Environmental and Social Solution Division Chief at the Inter-American Development Bank.
Sérgio Moreira Psychologist, Learning Manager at Community Insights Group, research member at CICPSI Faculdade de Psicologia da Universidade de Lisboa, based in Lisbon, Portugal.
The presenters share how pre-engagement can build trust, and support inclusive, transparent and community-led participation in the strategy development process.
We present our approach for creating custom digital twins of Canadian landscapes for decision support tools and assessments of cumulative effects and development scenario modeling.
Social Operating Experience (OPEX) adapts the nuclear methodology for organizational learning to transform engagement insights, advance GBA+ and impact assessment and de-risk projects.
Social impacts to fisheries proved to be very limited due to the location of the project and limited international fishery activity and ecosystem services due to location.
Participatory social mapping in Paraguay’s road project empowered communities and improved ESIA outcomes through inclusive and culturally adapted consultation.
Analysis of how our personal biases influence the processes of collecting socio-economic information and how to manage them.
A sound planning of a meaningful community outreach is key Iin the development of infrastructure projects. Details to be observed before, during and after each outreach event might determine how proj
Steve Buckley is a Certified Professional Geologist with forty years experience, specializing in mining geology and hydrology especially related to Indigenous people. Steve was selected to participate
This study explores transparency and trust challenges in the multi-level strategic governance of cumulative impacts in the context of Finland’s energy transition.
Using global biodiversity and mining datasets, we project future habitat loss under nickel sourcing scenarios, demonstrating how strategic spatial decisions can minimise impacts on threatened species.
Engaging in open discussion with local community members and listening attentively both builds trust and provides access to critical local environmental information.
This paper explores the opportunities for and risks of streamlining IAs of offshore wind projects in Atlantic Canada, drawing on international examples to assess what is emerging and on the horizon.
Drawing on IPAM’s case experience, this session examines how transparency, communication, and accountability across stages of development finance projects foster trust and drive better outcomes.
A reflection of the value and challenges of communication in the IA process, due diligence and project implementation, including in conflict situations, from my experience and lessons learnt at the EB
Success story of one of the first learning centers in South Asia, at CERM of BUET, to build the capacity of environmental and social professionals in Bangladesh.
This paper presents SPESSE as a scalable model for Africa, enhancing ESIA integrity through professional certification, capacity building and transparent communication.
This discussion explores how a rights-based approach, emphasizing participation, accountability, inclusion, and empowerment, can enhance the quality and reliability of qualitative field research.
The presentation considers the gap between a Canadian federal assessment streamlining initiative and imperatives to reverse unsustainable trajectories and respect complexity.
Understanding the complex interactions among Sustainable Development Goals
Fellow/ Registered Planner-Planning Institute of Australia; 30+ yrs experience in the UK, EU, Asia-Pacific; focus includes research and analysis, community engagement, capacity building
Mapping and survey on how EIA is taught in Chile reveals a lack of communication training and practice-oriented skills, offering input to strengthen academic programs and their alignment.
In high-risk extractive settings conflict-sensitive benefit sharing matters. We map impact pathways and show how inclusive engagement can improve social cohesion and lower conflict risk
This paper introduced various “Green” Assessments in China's energy industry, and discussed the similarities and differences between these assessments and traditional EIA.
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.
Common sense says it’s a shared responsibility, but a passive, leave-it-to-the-proponent practice prevails in northern Canada.
Review of sustainability assessment practice in Canada for new nuclear projects, focusing on on-going impact assessments across Canada.
This study assesses the impact of disasters and conflicts on North Central Nigeria, focusing on the need for disaster risk reduction and conflict in social impact assessments, promoting deve
The presentation will consider the initial and long term impacts of the Humanitarian Reset and chart out ways in which environmental considerations can continue to be part of, and improve, humanitari
This study examines the gendered impacts of industrial mining in Ghana and Sierra Leone, focusing on women’s agency and socioeconomic outcomes through a difference-in-differences approach.
Building from the cost impact on a single storm sewer system, this presentation looks at the importance of experts clearly communicating the cost of climate change.
An examination of the status of the mitigation hierarchy in policy and practice in various entities with Canada’s federal government. We have found a fragmented policy landscape and inconsistent reli
It is the nature of a forest to heal. Each Healing Forest is developed through an intentional and meaning relationship between indigenous and non indigenous peoples. All Healing Forests are unique.
This paper will summary the history of attempts to expedite NEPA ESIA approvals in the U.S., and provide suggestions for future process changes that would be most beneficial to ESIA practice.
Paralysed by fear a Saudi project is walling itself off in secrecy. This lack of transparency risks generating rumours and distrust, with the opacity itself becoming the enemy of compliance.
Reflections based on professional experience on the role of EIA leadership in achieving the best environmental, social and sustainability outcomes
Explores how EqIA findings and stakeholder engagement inform each other to improve inclusion, design, and mitigation in major infrastructure projects.
Time, knowledge and agency - the trifecta needed to support communities to transition beyond mine closure. This paper considers what leading practice might look like to foster and support all three.
A study based on a Bayesian network that allows the interpretation of SDG correlations with primary community data on socio-environmental concerns, enabling government actions based on a cau
This presentation addresses future-focused issues facing IA practitioners. Participants will be asked to comment on the direction of the Fit for Future Initiative.
ADB’s experience shows that “prior” in FPIC is a continuum of trust-building, adaptive engagement, and shared governance, where timing and quality of participation shape meaningful consent outcomes.
The relationship between the complexity of a regulatory system, public trust in decisions and cumulative effects management will be examined, highlighting opportunities for change.
Practical tools and guidance for responding, tracking and supporting the consensus seeking process in IA
Chief Executive Officer, Canada Energy Regulator
A focus on building long-term relationships with Australian Indigenous Traditional Owners has led to improved impact assessments and risk mitigations for offshore oil and gas activities.
Discover how Hong Kong's new integrated waste management facilities used smart tools, AI and digital storytelling to enhance post-EIA transparency, readability and credibility.
When information is not clear, timely, understandable, and complete, communities often try to fill these gaps with their own interpretations, rumors, or narratives
Demonstrate how the Open Science and Data Platform helps communicate impact assessment information clearly to build trust, transparency, and engagement in key regions of interest.
This session explores the role of humility, transparency, and acknowledging uncertainty in practice, with emphasis on listening, conflict resolution, and learning in the face of criticism.,
This paper shows how environmental data and baseline modelling guided the construction methodology for a desalination plant, and accelerated decisions while safeguarding ecological integrity.
Advisor ESIA/SEA at the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA). Holds a PhD focused on Heritage Impact Assessment in a World Heritage context.
President Trump has initiated unprecedented change in the ways that the US government considers environmental effects of infrastructure..
This presentation shows how public affairs build trust, integrate diverse expertise, and fight misinformation—turning bold plans into shared commitments for Hydro-Québec’s 2035 Action Plan.
Examines how trust, stakeholder responsibilities, monitoring, and grievance systems interact to shape credible, inclusive SIAs and lasting outcomes for building credibility.
Building trust in impact assessment requires more than performative consultation. It requires giving communities meaningful access to and ownership of results. As part of the impact assessment for a m
Enhancing transparency and public engagement in NS and NB renewable energy EA will strengthen trust and support more accountable decision-making in Canada’s clean-energy future.
Overview of opportunities and strategies within Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to counter misinformation, communicate complex technical concepts clearly, and build community trust and unders
The Kambarata-1 ESIA highlights how inclusive communication, transparent data, and early engagement can build trust, and support transboundary cooperation
An Indigenous-led approach grounded in Haudenosaunee governance shows how Twanatahle:nas as method builds trust, counters misinformation, and advances Indigenous health research.
Efforts to expedite decision making will be successful if supported by evidence-based understanding of what measures effectively avoid, mitigate or compensate adverse impacts of mining
Use of user-friendly CPIA interface, powered by CGE model, empowers policymakers, creates analytical ownership, strengthen public trust, and enable evidence-based climate communication.
Building upon earlier IAIA symposia (2015 & 2024) and workshops at the annual IAIA conferences, this paper aims at taking stock of the state-of-the-art of IA and transport infrastructure development.
Evidence-based planning support using carbon spatial maps and ecological indicators reveals indirect urban form impacts, seasonal trade-offs, and regionally differentiated pathways to carbon neutralit
Significant risks to life, health & environment are intrinsic to vital development programs—including USAID’s retained portfolio. Lessons from USAID’s ESIA-based safeguards experience are available.
Elisa Perry
How we use California’s EIA law to force warehouses and data centers to fully mitigate their greenhouse-gas emissions.
The aim of this study is to use HIA to assess the overall risks and benefits of greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies for health and well-being in the city of Geneva.
The use of Estimated Development Cost in impact assessment could be a useful tool to use for discussing EIA with financiers, lenders et al
Well curated data can enable effective decision making, nature-risk disclosure and demonstrated transition planning
Watershed intelligence integrates science and local knowledge early in planning to guide growth, protect ecosystem, and manage cumulative effects. TRCA’s watershed plans provide examples of this.
Web‑NAT v3.0 streamlines HK’s Traffic Noise Impact Assessments through a GIS‑based, standardised, and interoperable web platform, enhancing data consistency, submission efficiency, and review time.
This presentation explores how uncertainty about plastic degradation, chemical leaching, and ecological impact influence public perception, offshore decommissioning, and decision making.
Predictive audits can assess prediction accuracy in IA by comparing actuals against predictions. An example is given of predictive audits of BC and YT mine IA economic forecasts.
Gitxaała Nation’s custom-built impact assessment process provides a model of informed and Indigenous-led decision-making that can advance efficient and transparent impact assessments.
IAMC-TMX 'What’s Next and Beyond' Gathering: Indigenous-led, decolonized convening advancing the shift from oversight to Indigenous decision-making.
A regional impact analysis to evaluate tourism’s effects on heritage towns in Mexico, identifying uneven development outcomes based on community-based cultural and social impact assessment
Misinformation is often inherited pain, not ignorance. When practitioners approach conflict with trauma awareness, empathy, and narrative humility, they rebuild trust, transforming resistance into rel
This paper explores how misinformation and mistrust shape resettlement communication and argues that Social Impact Assessment can help rebuild trust through dialogue and ethical engagement.
Brazil recognized a Wave as a legal subject. How Rights of Nature, community governance, and narrative change advance territorial security and ocean-river stewardship after a mining disaster.
Opportunities for better collaboration and role clarity between governments and proponents in cumulative effects assessment and management are discussed.
Citizen-led SEA harnessing youth engagement, open data and AI-driven analysis to co-create Kenya’s sustainable development pathways and shared national vision toward 2050
This paper presents current progress on a ground-breaking SEA which aims to identify how the citizens of Sierra Leone want to see the future of their country in twenty-five years’ time (by 2050)
Candid insights on the realities of impact assessment from a consulting perspective —its challenges, responsibilities, and the deep professional ethics that guide our work towards meaningful impact
The WSR HIA was centered around the community’s worldview of health and wellbeing. This helped to prevent misinformation and promoted community participation in the process.
Effective stakeholder engagement requires prioritising clear communication, responsiveness and listening over lengthy reports.