Anne Merrild Hansen

A value-rational view of impact assessment of mega industry in a Greenland planning and policy context

The article reflects on the challenges to Greenlands impact assessment (IA) system in a planning and policy context, and discusses if and how IA at a strategic decision level could contribute to securing good environmental management and support sustainable development. This is done by focusing on two value-rational questions: (1) Where are we going with industrial development, IA regulation and IA practice in Greenland? and (2) What should be done? The two questions are answered through a gap analysis of legislation and IA practice and through the values for a future IA system in Greenland expressed by key actors. The research points to a need for strategic considerations in relation to planning new industries, which could be met by upstreamed IAs. A broad concept of environment in IAs, increased participation in the process and accessibility to the IA statement for all stakeholders are needed.

Social Impact Assessment in Europe: A Study of Social Impacts in Three Danish Cases

Social impact assessment (SIA) is applied worldwide to assess social impacts of plans and projects. In Europe, directives on environmental assessment (EA) require attention to social impacts, however, there is a need to investigate the implementation in practise. To this end, we study three Danish cases, which are characterised by debates and conflicts on social issues. Analysis of the EA statements shows inclusion of a broad range of social impacts. However, the EAs do not fully match the concerns of the public, and social impacts are not always analysed in depth, mitigation measures are not suggested or are postponed and the geographical distribution of impacts assessed is biased towards including negative local impacts. We discuss the scope and handling of social impacts, and possible implications. Based on this, we conclude with the view that EA might do the job of handling social impacts in Europe, if practise is improved.

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) as a means to include environmental knowledge in decision making in the case of an aluminium reduction plant in Greenland

The purpose and means of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) can vary depending on the case investigated and interests of actors involved. Based on the objective for the SEA of a proposed aluminium reduction plant (ARP) in Greenland, this paper evaluates the SEAs effectiveness in securing environmental knowledge in a decision-making process. It is concluded that the SEA secured inclusion of environmental knowledge in three out of four key decision arenas, which determined the direction and outcome of the process. The results from the SEA did not oppose the recommendations based on the economic assessments. As there was no conflict between economic and environmental recommendations, and hence no visible proof of SEAs influence on the outcome of the decision, it is discussed whether environmental knowledge, in this decision making process, equals influence. The investigation was carried out as a part of a PhD project and is meant as a contribution to the debate about how to investigate SEA effectiveness and to broaden the understanding of the use of SEA in Greenland.

Use of scenarios and strategic planning to explore an uncertain future in Greenland

Greenland is facing unpredictable changes due to ongoing exploration in the extractive sector. More exploration applications than ever are being submitted to the Greenlandic authorities and development trends are therefore hard to determine. Based on the challenge of securing strategic planning in the Greenlandic context, this article examines scenario building as a planning tool. An empirical study that uses local stakeholder input identifies nine primary driving forces to frame and setup four scenarios for potential Greenland futures. The study also demonstrates that there are significant barriers for strategic planning. These are related to creating an inclusive process, reaching agreement on values and content of the scenarios and securing coordination, ownership and commitment among the stakeholders.

Identifying Challenges and Opportunities for Residents in Upernavik as Oil Companies are Making a First Entrance into Baffin Bay

The oil industry is making its first entrance offshore in Baffin Bay in a time where Inuit residents on the northwest coast of Greenland are struggling to uphold a traditional way of living. The operating oil companies are encouraged by the Government of Greenland to promote a high degree of local content in projects to secure benefits to residents in affected areas. However, a prerequisite to a high degree of local content is local interest to engage in these activities. This article presents findings from recent interviews on these topics with residents (Upernavimiut) in the Upernavik district. It is found that securing a high degree of local content in oil projects in the area requires both strategic investments and legislative adjustment and that a general vision for the area from the central administration could serve as a useful point of departure for social impact assessments by the operating companies.

Corporate collaboration: drivers behind a joint industry social baseline study related to hydrocarbon exploration in Greenland

Greenlandic regulations require oil companies to conduct a Social Impact Assessment before undertaking exploration drilling. A key part of this assessment is a Social Baseline Study (SBS), which provides descriptions of existing social conditions and development trends and goals in communities that could potentially be affected by exploration drilling in the area. Four oil and gas companies operating in Baffin Bay, offshore of Northwest Greenland, Cairn Energy plc, ConocoPhillips, Maersk Oil Kalaallit Nunaat A/S and Shell Greenland A/S, will potentially all be active in the same sphere of operations in the coming years and therefore agreed to undertake a collaborative SBS in 2013. The overall objective of the SBS was to build a strong base for preventing, mitigating and managing potential negative impact and enhancing the potential positive impact of the activities to be undertaken in the area. The main aim of the collaborative approach to the SBS was to achieve coherent and coordinated community engagement and to limit the risk of stakeholder fatigue. An inter-company collaboration, such as the one described, is the first of its type in Greenland. This article presents the process of conducting the SBS and reflects on the drivers behind the new collaborative approach from a ‘social license to operate’ perspective. It concludes that three triggers can be used to explain the motivation behind the collaborative company approach. It further concludes that collaborative approaches to local engagement can be the key to success in remote and sparsely populated areas, such as in the case presented.

Why cumulative impacts assessments of hydrocarbon activities in the Arctic fail to meet their purpose

The Arctic Region is characterised by vulnerable ecosystems and residing indigenous people, dependent on nature for subsistence fishing and hunting. The Arctic also contains a wealth of non-living natural resources such as minerals and hydrocarbons. Synergies between increased access and growing global demand for the Arctic resources influence the level and nature of human activity and its influence on the environment. It is therefore essential to assess and mitigate the cumulative impacts from these activities. Environmental Assessment (EA) is a common tool applied by the Arctic nations to secure that environmental considerations are included in decision-making when new plans and projects are implemented. However, recent research has indicated that assessment of cumulative impacts in EAs is inconsistent and the practises ambiguous. This article explores this phenomenon further by reviewing and analysing current practices of assessing cumulative impacts in EAs in relation to offshore oil and gas activities in the Arctic. It is found that cumulative impacts assessments are generally lacking. The practitioners involved explain this with reference to the challenge of addressing and assessing cumulative impacts due to their complex nature. They further point at lacking methodological guidelines as well as lack of resources during the impact assessment process.

How three key factors are driving and challenging implementation of renewable energy systems in remote Arctic communities

ABSTRACT Challenges related to access and supply of fossil fuel generated energy in Arctic communities, together with a global agenda to fight the climate change, including through promoting renewable energy systems as alternatives to fossil fuels, are motivating implementation of renewables in the Arctic Region, as in the rest of the world. Various benefits are anticipated in relation to implementation of renewables in Arctic communities, a fact that is driving interest in an appraisal of the state of energy production in the Arctic toward a transition from fossil fuel generated electricity and heating, to an Arctic energy system based on renewable energy sources. To understand and promote the potential for increased implementation of renewable energy solutions, it is important to investigate the role of key factors such as the economy, infrastructure and technology for the transition process. This article is based on an explorative study and analysis of how these three key factors are driving and challenging implementation of renewables. It aims at contributing to the debate on how to promote renewables in the four Arctic areas: Alaska, Canadian Arctic, Greenland and Russian Arctic. Key findings are discussed and recommendations to tackle some of the identified challenges are provided.