Our Interconnected World: Impact Assessment, Health, and the Environment
Our Interconnected World: Impact Assessment, Health, and the Environment (5–8 October 2020, with extended discussion through 22 October) brought together international experts to explore how development projects affect human health and the environment. With a focus on climate change, health, resilience, and key issues, the symposium highlighted the interconnectedness of these challenges and provided IA professionals with tools, case studies, and best practices to guide impact assessment in a COVID-shaped world.
The symposium combined live keynotes, pre-recorded presentations, and interactive virtual discussions with Q&A, creating an engaging format for participants to learn, share, and connect globally.
Below you will find the four sessions under the Climate Change Track:
- Climate Change Track Keynote: An interconnected planet – taking (very) large-scale, long-term, tightly linked impacts into account
- Climate Change Track Session 2: Fires, floods and heat waves: The social side of preparing for climate change
- Climate Change Track Session 3: Legal issues stemming from extreme heat events
- Climate Change Track Session 4: Environmental governance in Canada
Find the other tracks in the IAIA Resource Library: Health Track, Resilience Track, and Key Issues Track.
Climate Change Track Keynote: An interconnected planet – taking (very) large-scale, long-term, tightly linked impacts into account
Today’s actions entail irreversible losses of Earth’s living beings, greater climate forcing than in 3 million years of Earth history, and disruptive social-ecological dynamics that span the world. Worldwide, people’s health and wellbeing increasingly depend on planetary health. We now need to discuss and explore much better ways of working with the connectedness. Keynote Dr. Sarah Cornell shares her insights.
Climate Change Track Session 2: Fires, floods and heat waves: The social side of preparing for climate change
We appear to be experiencing an increasing number of extreme weather events resulting from climate change. Across North America, regional and municipal governments are charged with preparing for these events, and responding in times of crisis. Presenter Marla Orenstein shares her insights.
Climate Change Track Session 3: Legal issues stemming from extreme heat events
Extreme heat events are (so far) the most lethal impacts of climate change. Professor Gerrard’s presentation on how impact assessment should consider these impacts and ways to mitigate them. Presenter Michael B. Gerrard, an environmental law expert and founder of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, shares his insights.
Climate Change Track Session 4: Environmental governance in Canada
Relaxing environmental governance in northern Alberta poses a serious cumulative health risk to First Nations. Presenter Peter Croal (starting at 00:10) discusses how residential school legacy, climate change, oil sand operations, COVID-19, and relaxed environmental governance seriously jeopardize the health of northern Alberta’s First Nations. Presenter Dan Stuckless (starting at 29:39) shares how the duty to consult in Canada is not a one-way street and due to unilateral decisions, political interference or dismissal of asserted section 35 rights, will continue the mistrust of the crown and regulators.
