Skip to main content

Environmental Evaluation of Development Proposals. Case Study: The Adani Project ~ A Need for Review?

Some form of objective review of the environmental evaluation and approval processes for the ‘Adani Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project’ is warranted to address the reasons the final approval was granted  in June 2019. 
In a series of articles that follow, the scientific and public interest concerns that ignited the conflict, litigation and delay will be reviewed in a conflict resolution framework. Must history repeat?
1.  Acceptance of Scientific Findings:
Best Available Science ~v~ Relevant and Reliable Science
TAGS: Adani; coal mine; conflict; best available science; relevant and reliable science; Daubert v Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc             
The focus of this article is on a source of information conflict that created scientific uncertainty for Adani: Different interpretations of the scientific information base as to what is “the best available science”.
READ MORE …
The next article in this series will review
scientific uncertainty and the politicization of science.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Resolving Cultural Heritage Protection and Development Conflicts on Indigenous Lands

“ P rotecting cultural heritage and development are not mutually exclusive; we can have both, but projects have to be well-designed.” Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek (2024).   The recent decision by the Federal Environment Minister to shut down a tailings dam for a gold mine development, to protect Indigenous cultural heritage, has ignited controversy and conflict.   The controversy is not only over the decision’s impact on the viability of the Regis Resources’ Gold Mine Project at Orange, Central-Western NSW.  It has also highlighted the complexity of the problem when cultural heritage protection (with its focus on Traditional knowledge) and  development (with its focus on Western science) collide over future land use. There is now  community concern that history may repeat in Australia for development projects proposed on Indigenous owned and controlled lands. However, there would be little dispute that the above statement by ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Planning for a COVID-19 Future - Part 2: Transitioning to Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic ~ Risk Appraisal, Concern Assessment and Vaccine Hesitancy

  TAGS : COVID-19; resilience; transition; recovery; public health; vaccine hesitancy; acceptable risk; trans-science; International Risk Governance Council; risk assessment; concern assessment; health literacy .       Whether society considers a COVID-19 health risk to be acceptable is, in part influenced by perceptions of its impacts. This question also raises a trans-science issue: "How safe is safe enough"?   Risk perception involves people’s feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and judgements. It is at the core of understanding vaccine hesitancy .     Risk appraisal based on both risk assessment and concern assessment would lead to better-informed decision-making by the public on COVID-19 vaccination.    It would also enhance public trust and confidence in vaccination and COVID‑19 vaccines as well as promoting health literacy .   READ MORE …
Post a Comment
Read more

A Problem-Solving Pathway to Resolve the Controversy Over Fuel Load, Hazard Reduction Burns, Risk Analysis and Bushfires: A Royal Commission or a Scientific Round-Table?

TAGS: Bushfires; Australia; climate change;   hazard reduction; fuel load; window of opportunity; ecology; habitat;  threatened species;  resilience; scientific round-table; royal commission; conflict resolution 1.0   The 2019-2020 bush fire season in Australia has been one of the worst fire seasons on record. The total area of land burned during the current bushfire season now exceeds 10.7 million hectares (26.4 million acres). 2.0    All Australian mainland States have been impacted. Thousands of homes have been destroyed; 27 people have been killed . There have been significant impacts on  native fauna and their habitat. The following issues are reviewed: - (a)   Preparedness: Drought Management and Bushfire Hazard Reduction (b)  Issues That Contribute to Fuel Load And Hazard Reduction (c)   The Wider Application for Resilience in the Australian Environment (d)   Climate Change, Fuel Build-...
Post a Comment
Read more