Cumulative Effects Management:
Why We All Need to be Involved
Heather Sinton
Regional Science and Planning Manager
Alberta Environment and Sustainable
Resource Development
Overview
• This presentation will cover:
– Why we need a Cumulative Effects
Management System (CEMS)
– CEMS and the South Saskatchewan
Regional Plan
– Water and air management frameworks to
support a CEMS approach
– What you can do to help
The Cumulative Effects Management System considers the sum of all
human activities and natural environmental quality
Natural Environment = Land + Air + Water + Biodiversity
Cumulative Effects is about
place and how we interact
with this place – Southern
Alberta – where we live.
We recognize that we cannot
continue to manage the
landscape in the same way we
did in the past.
We all care about the sustainability of these
places and want plentiful clean water, clean
air, and productive lands. We want to
protect the plants and animals that are
integral to the function of these landscapes.
We want to have clean water and clean air for
generations to come, and a CEMS approach
will help us achieve that.
CEMS and the Land-use Framework
• Seven Strategies under the LUF
– Develop seven regional landuse plans
– Create a Land-use Secretariat
and Regional Advisory Council
for each region
– Cumulative effects
management to manage
impact of development on
land, water and air
– Develop a strategy for
conservation and stewardship on
private and public lands
– Promote efficient use of land
– Establish an information,
monitoring & knowledge system
– Inclusion of aboriginal peoples in
land-use planning
Why CEMS and Why Now?
Managing Growth
We need a plan to manage growth pressures
Cumulative Effects System Fundamentals
 Outcomes based: clearly defined end states
 Place based: at different scales
 Performance management based: adaptive
 Collaborative: shared stewardship
 Comprehensive implementation: regulatory
and non-regulatory
AIR
GHG
SOX - NOX
emissions
Air Quality
Acid deposition
Clima
CEMS te
Chan
• Complex
ge
• Multi media
• Interactive
LAND
Social
Indicators
Surface water
quality
Cost/benefit
Socio-Economic
WATER
Land Use Change
Surface water
quantity
Terrestrial
&
Biodiversity
indicators
Biodiversity
Aquatic habitat
indicators
Groundwater
(quantity and quality)
Integrating Management Across
Sectors
Environmental Management System
Industry
Energy
Transportation
Forestry
Agriculture
Municipalities
Cumulative Effects Management System
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
• Legislation
• GoA and Ministry business plans
• Integrated Provincial Level Strategic
Policies (e.g. Water For Life, Climate
Change Strategy, Provincial Energy
Strategy, Oil Sands Strategic Plan, etc.)
DEVELOP & REFINE
OUTCOMES & STRATEGIES
EVALUATE & REPORT
PERFORMANCE
• Environmental indicators
and their implications
• Effectiveness of strategies
and their delivery
Performance
Management
DELIVER OUTCOMES
• Authorizations, Compliance Assurance,
Monitoring, Data Management, Emergency
Services, Programs, Decisions, Partnerships
• Regional Planning, including
Regional Strategic Assessment
• Operational Policy
• Management Frameworks
Our Collective Goal: A Sustainable Future
Levels of Planning
Provincial Policy & Legislation
Provincial
Regional Strategies
Regional
Municipal
Plans
Sub-Regional &
Operational
Sub-regional
Plans
Major Project
Reviews
Operational Decisions
Role of Partnerships
• AESRD works with partners in
the region to develop and
achieve outcomes for air, land
and water
• These partners are assisted by
GOA to develop management
plans and are involved in
creating management
frameworks
• Partners can help to educate the
public about environmental
stewardship
Management Frameworks
These include:
• Outcomes and objectives
• Performance
Management System
– Limits and trigger
levels
– Monitoring, Evaluation
and Reporting
• Management Strategies
and Actions
Environmental
Management
Frameworks:
Air
e.g.,
Pm/Ozone
Are we there yet?
• “We’ve only just begun”
• Cumulative effects
management will need to
consider the effects of
development on all
media in a place
• We all need to work
together to build and
implement the system
What can YOU do?
• Get involved in a partnership like CRAZ that
is developing air quality management plans in
response to air quality concerns
• Take personal responsibility for being a good
steward of the environment
• Educate and influence the people around you