Guide to Considering Climate Change in Environmental Assessments in Nova Scotia

AIMED AT: Project proponents PURPOSE: The intent of this Guide is to assist project proponents in determining if the consideration of climate change would be beneficial to their project and how and where to incorporate climate change in a project’s EA. GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Nova Scotia, Canada TECHNICAL AREA: Climate change in environmental assessment BASIC STRUCTURE: For each environmental assessment component, this Guide provides succinct advice on how to address climate change considerations. The Project Description will include information relevant to assessing the environmental impact of a project. Climate change considerations can be readily incorporated into these elements. The Existing Environment section of the EA will already include information on the local climate and meteorology in the vicinity of the project site. But, it can also include a summary of climate change projections for the project location where available. Specific consideration of climate change should be added to Issue Scoping. The scoping process should specifically consider whether or not climate change could impact the environmental concerns. Valued Environmental Components list will not be substantially affected by incorporating climate change. Climate change does not significantly alter the way in which proponent will conduct the impact assessment. The determination of the Significant Impacts and how these are defined does not change. However, if through the preceding steps of the EA, the project impacts in combination with climate change impacts on a VEC are evident then the proponent/practitioner should assess and discuss whether the significance of the combined impact increases or decreases the significance. Effects of the Environment on the Project is the most appropriate section for the assessment of climate change impacts on the project and to identify those components of the project that are vulnerable to climate change. Mitigation in EA refers to both measures to be taken to reduce GHG emissions; and measures to be taken to make the project less vulnerable to climate change. In addition, the mitigation section of the EA should describe what measures the proponent will take to reduce the significance of the identified combined project climate change impacts on climate sensitive VECs.

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