By: David V. Wright and the EIA Law Class

Matter Considered: Nova Scotia Environmental Assessment (EA) Modernization initiative and other existing and future initiatives to reform provincial assessment regimes

PDF Version: EIA Law Class Recommendations for Reforming Provincial Environmental Assessment

Last week, my Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Law class generated recommendations to submit to the Nova Scotia Environmental Assessment (EA) Modernization initiative. To do so, we employed a “policy lab” approach, which entails an open and collaborative space where students can be innovative and apply the expertise and knowledge they’ve gained through the course to date. The idea is essentially collaborative problem-solving that resembles what students will hopefully encounter in their future careers in law and policy reform, be it in private, public, not-for-profit, or other settings. In class, students worked in small groups focused on particular issues and areas (e.g. climate change, public participation) and then generated preliminary draft recommendations, workshopped those drafts with peers and professor, and then fine-tuned to finalize. The final version was submitted to the Nova Scotia engagement process. Nova Scotia was a natural focus because that jurisdiction is currently engaged in reform. Notably, this EA “modernization” is actually required by law, as it is an explicit commitment set out in s 12 of Nova Scotia’s Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, SNS 2021, c 20 (EGCCRA) (for context about using a legislated approach to strengthen environmental governance, see this excellent article by Meinhard Doelle and William Lahey). Continue reading →