environmental cumulative effects management

January 2012 1

Environmental Cumulative Effects Environmental Cumulative Effects ManagementManagement

Getting Serious about the Environmental

Challenges of our TimeCEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 2

Presentation Overview

• Nature of the Challenge

• Nature of the Response

• Alberta’s experience to date

• Trans-boundary potential

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 3CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 5

Pressures on Landscapes

• Resource use

• Economy

• Population

• Footprint

• Expectations of participation

• Conflicts among stakeholders• Impacts on air, land, water and biodiversity

…environmental cumulative effects: the results of all activity on ambient environmental quality

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 6

The Subdivision Phenomenon

Structures/Twp1940 - 2002

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 7

Water Supply

0

2500

5000

7500

10000

12500

15000

1893

1903

1913

1923

1933

1943

1953

1963

1973

1983

1993

Tot

al R

iver

Vol

ume

- (A

cre

Fee

t x

1000

)

All

ocat

ion

Vol

um

e (A

cre

feet

x 1

000)

Nat Flow (ac. ft.) Allocation Volume

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 8

Environmental Pressures on Alberta’s Landscapes

• rapid economic growth with accompanying population increases

• pressure for expansion in every resource-based industry

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 9

Consuming the Environment(Unregulated)

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 10

Sector Based

Physical environmental condition of air, land and water

Environmental Standards

Agriculture

Agriculture

Forestry

Forestry

Transportation

Transportation

Energy

Energy

Municipalities

Municipalities

IndustryIndustry

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 11






CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 12

Current Approach versus What’s Needed

Current Approach What’s Needed

Assumption

Environmental media

Spatial context

Scope

Approach

Results

System organization

Responsibility / participation

Performance measurement

Abundance Scarcity

Single Air,land, water, biodiversity

Project / local Multiple spatial scales

Regulated activities All activities

Reactive Proactive

Mitigate impacts Defined outcomes

Fragmented Connected by outcomes

Single agency / regulator Collective action

Ad hoc Integral to system

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 13

Providing Albertans Environmental Quality Assurance

AirAir

LandLand

WaterWater

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Environmental Management System

Environmental Management System

Mu

nicip

alitiesM

un

icipalities

Ag

ricultu

reA

gricu

lture

Fo

restryF

orestry

Tran

spo

rtation

Tran

spo

rtation

Ind

ustry

Ind

ustry

En

ergy

En

ergy

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 14

CEMS Fundamentals

• Outcomes based: clearly defined environmental end states

• Place based: geographically specific areas at different scales in the province

• Performance management based: adaptive and generative environmental management system

• Collaborative: built on a culture of shared stewardship, using a shared knowledge base.

• Comprehensive implementation: uses both regulatory and non-regulatory approaches

CEMS for GN LCC

DELIVERY

•Tools: Authorizations, Compliance Assurance, Non-Regulatory •Monitoring, Data Management,•Emergency Services

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

• Legislation• GoA and Ministry Business Plans• Provincial Level Strategic Policies

DEVELOP & REFINEOUTCOMES & STRATEGIES

• Regional Strategic Assessment• Place-Based Planning• Indicator Selection• Operational Policy/Strategy• Management Frameworks

EVALUATE & REPORT PERFORMANCE

• Environmental indicators and their implications • Effectiveness of strategies and their delivery

Management Actions

The CEM System

January 2012 16

Reporting indicators

Temperature threshold

Average August temperature

Tem

pera

ture

(ºC

)

Time

Defining indicators

Watertemperature

Defining outcomesWater suitable

for aquaticlife

Management actions

Monitoringindicators

Managing Environmental PerformanceKnowledge & Performance Management is Knowledge & Performance Management is the foundation of a functional Cumulative the foundation of a functional Cumulative

Effects Management System.Effects Management System.

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 17

Implications: Understanding Condition and Making Choices

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXTSOCIAL

CONTEXT

Pristine

What’s possible?

What you’ve got

Currentstate

‘Line in the Sand’

Threshold

What you may get

Projectedstate

What you want (Target/

Outcome)

DesiredStateDesired

StateDesiredState

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 18

CEMS Transformation: Key Messages

• is not about ‘Environment Dominating.’• internalizes environment in societal decisions and

management.• enables intensity of use to be managed (a ‘plan to

manage growth’).• can streamline regulatory complexity.• provides a common policy framework.• establishes for all parties, a social license to discharge

mandates.• can reduce conflict.• is a collective exercise - everyone’s horsepower.

An Environmental Cumulative Effects Management System:

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 19






CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 20

AEW Business Priorities

Outcome Based

EnvironmentalCumulative

Effects Management

System

Climate Change Strategy

Water for Life Strategy

Clean Air Strategy

Oil Sands Environmental Management

Too Good To Waste Strategy

Foundational WorkPeople; Regulatory System Delivery; Policy Capacity; Education and Outreach; Communications; Information and Knowledge; Financial, Legal and Business Support

Alberta’s EnvironmentSustains a

High Quality Of Life.

CEMS for GN LCC

Environmental Management: Continuous Improvement FROM (pre-2003) TO (Water for Life) TO (Land-use Framework)

Paradigm of abundance of natural resources

Managing within the capacity of individual watersheds

Managing within environmental limits

Government policies and direction not fully integrated

Clear, government-wide policy, outcomes and directions

Integrated outcomes defined in the place

Traditional command and control regulatory system

Much broader, innovative tools for watershed mgmt

Much broader, innovative tools + an aligned and enhanced regulatory system

Desire by Albertans to be involved in their community

Local, regional, and provincial partnerships established for planning and stewardship

Place-based partnerships broadened and extended to integrate across media

Pockets of alliances with stakeholders that achieve results

Broad-based alliances to share responsibilities for outcomes

Broad-based alliances share responsibilities for integrated outcomes

Meeting environmental standards

Sustainability drives continuous improvement approaches

Cumulative effects management drives continuous improvement

Focus on minimizing and mitigating adverse effects

Focus on quality of aquatic ecosystems and sustainability

Focus on addressing cumulative effects

GOA Strategic Architecture

Cle

an

Air

Str

ate

gy a

nd

A

ctio

n P

lan

*

Bio

div

ers

ity a

ctio

n p

lan

*

En

erg

y S

trate

gy

Oil

san

ds

pla

n

Too G

ood

to W

ast

e

Str

ate

gy

Cumulative Effects Management System

Place-based

Application Place-based plans

Land-use Framework

Clim

ate

Ch

an

ge S

trate

gy

Wate

r fo

r Li

fe s

trate

gy

an

d a

ctio

n p

lan

Park

s p

lan

Strategic direction

and action

Strategic outcomes


1. Seven land-use regions

2. Land Use Secretariat and Regional Advisory Councils

3. Cumulative effects management at the regional level

4. Strategy for conservation and stewardship on private and public lands

5. Efficient use of land

6. An information, monitoring and knowledge system

7. Inclusion of Aboriginal peoples in land-use planning


Land Use Framework: Strategies

Lower Athabasca

South Saskatchewan

North Saskatchewan

Upper Athabasca

Red Deer

Upper Peace

Lower Peace


Regional Plans

January 2012 25

Regional Assessment and PlanningRegional Strategic Assessment

Terms of Reference

Profile of Region

Vision & Outcomes

Assessment

Regional Plan Drafting and Implementation

Regional Plan

Performance Management & Reporting

Establishment of information and knowledge base;

Consideration of “possible futures” and determination of desired outcomes;

Assessment of options and the anticipated cumulative effects, with models, trend analysis and other analytical tools;

Feeds directly into development of regional plan;

Similar approach can be taken at other scales.

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 26

Alberta Land StewardshipAct

Provincial Policies

Deliver Environmental

Programs

Alberta Environment& Water

Regional Plans

EnvironmentalOutcomes

SocialOutcomes

EconomicOutcomes

EnvironmentalStrategies

Regional Plans AEW Contribution

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 27

• Collaborative approach to development with leadership by government to establish desired outcomes and objectives

• Progressive action based on the conditions found in the environment; trigger points

• Identified integrated management actions at trigger points

• Full range of information, incentive, and regulatory tools for implementation

• Intensity of management actions increases to respond to the state of conditions and levels of risk

Deliberate adaptive management!

Management Frameworks

CEMS for GN LCC

Provides regional context for decisions about management of existing and future activities

Indicators, Triggers

and Limits

Monitoring and

Modelling

Management Response

and Reporting

• Indicators are chosen• Triggers & limits are set

• Ongoing monitoring and

assessment of conditions

relative to triggers & limits• Management actions taken as needed at

triggers & limits• Results reported

Management Frameworks


January 2012 29

Delivery System Tool Box

CEMS for GN LCC

Compliance assurance through education, prevention, incentives and enforcement

Regulatory Excellence

• Outcomes-based

authorizations

• Continuous improvement;

• Limits trigger action;

Non Regulatory Excellence

• Easements

• Offsets

• Market incentives

• BMP’s;

Delivery System Enhancement

• Enhance the range of regulatory and non-regulatory mechanisms

• Manage a cluster of activities involving multiple parties, requiring clarity of rules, roles, and accountabilities

Supporting Monitoring System

Adapt(Mgmt Action)

Evaluate & Report

Measurement

Decisions(Reg &

Non-Reg)

Develop/Refine

Outcomes

CE Assessment

Strategic Direction

Integrated Monitoring

System

PLAN

Su

b- R

eg

ion

al

Pro

vin

cial

Tra

ns-

Boun

dary

Reg

ion

al

DOCHECK

ADAPT PLAN

January 2012 32






CEMS for GN LCC

• Large, intact ecosystem

• High profile setting

• Unique attributes

• Peace Park at core

• Highly valued

Crown of the Continent

Ecosystem


Interdependency: Water


Interdependency: Grizzlies


• Climate Change

• Invasive weeds

• Fire Management

• Urban and rural residential

development

• Tourism and recreational use

• Resource use and extraction

• Environmental Quality

• Water Quality, quantity, fisheries,

aquatics

• Wildlife habitat – fragmentation and

loss

• Degradation of ecosystem goods and

services

Crown Pressures


Environmental Quality:

• As good as it gets

Land Use Challenges:

• Chronic and continuing hot spot

Jurisdictional Challenges:

• Complex and trans-boundary

Response:

Assure environmental quality

Manage growth pressures

Common outcomes align

A Better Way Forward?


• The environment doesn’t recognize jurisdictional boundaries;

• There is a need for cooperation and stewardship in a world of shared resources; and

• Canadians and Americans have an enduring interest in peace, goodwill and a willingness to

work together cooperatively.

In this Thing Together…


National

GN LCC

US FederalStakeholders

Planning and Policy Alignment

Community basedStakeholders

Conceptual Relationships

AGO CMP CRT

Meso

Region

Region Sub region


January 2012 42

The Destination

Energy Policy

Agriculture Policy

Regulatory Streamlining

Competitiveness

Community Spirit

Civil Society

Policy Alignment

Social license

Sustainability

InnovationAlberta leadership

Cooperation

s o c i a l

social

economic

economic

Nat/Prov

Reg

Sub Reg

Site

Set Meet Implications

EQ

a

l

w

b

es

K/PM

Management FrameworksRegional Strategic Assessment

GovernanceRegulatory Tools

Non-regulatory toolsPolicy frameworks

AEW

Other Ministries

“US”

NGOs

Interest Groups

Boards

Feds

Urban Municipalities Rural

Municipalities

Regulated industry

Landholders

Other Jurisdictions

Unregulated industry

Community Groups

Partnerships

LUS

CEMS for GN LCC

January 2012 43

The FutureThe future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination.

John Schaar

CEMS for GN LCC

Thank-you.Thank-you.

Ian W. DysonIan W. DysonStrategy Division,Strategy Division,

Alberta Environment and WaterAlberta Environment and Water

More information:More information:

http://environment.alberta.ca/0890.html

https://www.landuse.alberta.ca/Pages/default.aspx

http://environment.alberta.ca/0890.html



environmental cumulative effects management

Documents

gn lccjanuary

gn lcccems

gn lccdeliverytools

environmental pressures

environmental challenges

data management

provinceperformance

cems transformation