Abstract

The purpose of the guide is to provide EIA practitioners in Nova Scotia with:

• an understanding of the implications of climate change in relation to the preparation of an EIA;
• direction on determining on a project-specific basis whether climate change needs to be considered;
• sources of information for use in assessing climate change implications, and
• guidance in incorporating climate change considerations into the EIA process.

The guide assumes the user has a basic knowledge of the elements of the EIA process. As a result, the individual guidelines provided do not provide detail on how to conduct an EIA, but elaborate on those EIA elements related to, or affected by, climate change considerations.

The guide is intended to be generic, recognizing the jurisdictional differences in EIA processes in both Canada and elsewhere. The EIA practitioner should adapt the guidelines presented here to reflect local circumstances and requirements.