Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management

There has emerged in recent years an increased industry and regulatory demand for the streamlining of environmental assessment (EA), and at the same time, persistent expectations by Aboriginal communities for more effective and meaningful engagement in development decisions. This paper examines the extent to which scholarly research has contributed to solutions for meaningful Aboriginal participation amidst demands for more efficient and shorter timelines for participation and decision-making. Three research priorities are identified from our assessment of peer-reviewed EA scholarly research: the need for empirical-based research assessing the impacts of streamlining on participation and the impacts of meaningful Aboriginal participation on EA efficiencies; the need for better defined scope of issues that should be addressed inside the EA process versus those that are best addressed external to EA; and the need to develop and test alternative mechanisms for Aboriginal participation at the regional and strategic levels, and their contributions to regulatory-based EA decisions.

The first step of any health impact assessment (HIA) is screening to determine whether an HIA is an appropriate assessment option. Although screening tools exist, there is no universally-applied, transparent method that includes consideration of costs (investment) and benefits (value) of the HIA process. An HIA screening tool was developed to help address this need through the use of a targeted scoring system to assess the value of conducting an HIA against the required investment. The tool was subject to both internal and external testing. Individuals from eight different countries agreed to participate in testing of the HIA tool. Overall, there was a high level of agreement amongst participants regarding the investment versus value scoring as well as the screening outcome. Ultimately, the iterative development process, along with internal and external testing of the HIA screening tool, proved successful and demonstrates its applicability to a variety of scenarios.

During this rapid development of wind energy aiming to combat climate change worldwide, there is greater need to avoid, reduce, and compensate for impacts on wildlife: Through the effective use of mitigation, wind energy can continue to expand while reducing impacts. This is a first broad step into discussing and understanding mitigation strategies collectively, identifying the current state of knowledge and be a beneficial resource for practitioners and conservationists. We review the current state of published knowledge, both land-based and offshore, with a focus on wind energy–wildlife mitigation measures. We state measures and highlight their objective and discuss at which project stage it is most effective (e.g. planning, construction, and operation). Thereafter, we discuss key findings within current wind energy mitigation research, needing improved understanding into the efficacy of wildlife mitigation as well as research into the cost aspects of mitigation implementation. This paper is divided into two articles; Part 1 focuses on mitigation measures during planning, siting, and construction, while Part 2 focuses on measures during operation and decommissioning.

During this rapid development of wind energy aiming to combat climate change worldwide, there is greater need to avoid, reduce, and compensate for impacts on wildlife: Through the effective use of mitigation, wind energy can continue to expand while reducing impacts. This is a first broad step into discussing and understanding mitigation strategies collectively, identifying the current state of knowledge and be a beneficial resource for practitioners and conservationists.

We review the current state of published knowledge, both land-based and offshore, with a focus on wind energy–wildlife mitigation measures. We state measures and highlight their objective and discuss at which project stage it is most effective (e.g. planning, construction, operation). Thereafter, we discuss key findings within current wind energy mitigation research, needing improved understanding into the efficacy of wildlife mitigation as well as research into the cost aspects of mitigation implementation. This review is divided into two articles; Part 1 focuses on mitigation measures during planning, siting, and construction, while Part 2 focuses on measures during operation and decommissioning.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) are the focus of this research that investigated the evolving response in plans to the biologically undesirable accumulation of copper and zinc in a New Zealand estuary. Sources of metals are influenced by policies and plan provisions for land use, transport, stormwater management and boat moorings. During four decades of local government reform, plans responded to the scientific evidence of accumulation with increasingly sophisticated stormwater management. Despite the less explicit inclusion of SEA in New Zealand legislation, this research demonstrates for international audiences the concurrence of jurisdictional amalgamation; growing awareness and knowledge sharing across scientific, engineering and planning practitioners; and a steady improvement in plans to enable a marked slowing in cumulative effects (CEs) of urbanisation. A proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) attempts to address some cumulative effects within watersheds now no longer divided by jurisdictional boundaries.