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Environmental Assessment
Environmental assessment (EA) is a powerful tool for sustainable development by assisting decision-makers to integrate environmental considerations and public input into decision-making.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade(DFAIT) engages in two main types of EA - project environmental assessment and strategic environmental assessment. Project environmental assessment is a requirement under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) and pertains mainly to initiatives with physical attributes, from demilitarization involving submarine dismantlement and decommissioning of nuclear facilities to construction of training facilities and missions.
Strategic environmental assessment, on the other hand, is a non-statutory requirement under the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals that provides a systematic approach for identifying the environmental impacts of proposals for policies, plans, and programs early in the planning process. The Government of Canada also conducts strategic environmental assessments for all trade and investment negotiations using a process (2001 Framework for the Environmental Assessment of Trade Negotiations) developed in response to the Cabinet Directive.
While there are similarities between project environmental assessments and strategic environmental assessments, the two should not be confused. Similarities include terminology, the timing of assessments, links to integrated decision-making, use of a scoping phase before detailed analysis, and identification of mitigation and enhancement options. However, assessing the environmental implications of policies, plan and program proposals is generally more complex than project assessments due to the increased uncertainly of outcomes and the influencing variables involved. This uncertainty is compounded by limitations in scientific data and constraints on the predictability of policy outcomes.
- Project Environmental Assessment
- Strategic Environmental Assessment
- Environmental Assessment of Trade Negotiations
- Strategic Environmental Assessment of Grants and Contributions
- Handbook for Conducting Environmental Assessments of Trade Negotiations
(PDF Version 515 KB) * - Framework for Conducting Environmental Assessments of Trade Negotiations
(PDF Version 520 KB) *
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