Around the World in 80+ min with HIA in the Energy Sector - Session II, Presentation 1

Cumulative impacts of oil and gas projects

Role of IA?

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Cumulative impacts and policy

• Most intense where there is a policy/strategy vacuum
  

 

Example: water scarcity

• River being used by local communities along it for domestic and agricultural purposes.
  
• There are oil fields near the communities.
  
• High levels of water washed and water Bourne diseases
  
• Often no information about how communities currently use water and what amounts used.
  
• There is often little knowledge about the likely levels of future usage by oil fields.
  
• Raises local cumulative impacts - increases in waterborne diseases; increasing cost of water - poverty and inequality.

 

Example: Climate change

• Global cumulative impact
• More than 150,000 annual deaths at present globally
• Occurring within lifetime of new projects
• Still denial I'm some stakeholders
• Or that that it is not urgent

 

National climate change impacts likely:

• Increasing water scarcity
• Temperature extremes
• Reduced food supply
• Sea flooding

 

Ironic that the faster the oil developed the faster key Middle East countries are likely to face sea flooding issues.

 

Corporate climate change policies on the web:

• Almost all acknowledge the issues of climate change
• Propose mitigation measures
• Say they will monitor and report
• Some have independent evaluation

Often there is a disconnect between corporate level executives and project level teams and how they recognise and deal with climate change impacts.

 

Conclusion:

Excessive secrecy

Should HIA be challenging or complicit

Cumulative impacts poorly managed and there is a policy vacuum around it.