Néanmoins, en ce qui concerne les analyses scientifiques menées avant ces études d'impact réglementaires, les connaissances écologiques traditionnelles semblent être considérées comme une source d'information fiable, même si elles sont peu utilisées. L'analyse de l'utilisation des connaissances traditionnelles dans la classification des espèces en voie de disparition démontre que, bien que des individus et des organisations autochtones soient systématiquement consultés, les connaissances traditionnelles sont rarement prises en compte dans les études d'impact. Cette étude évalue dans quelle mesure ce type d'informations est utilisé par les administrateurs lors de la rédaction des règlements. Lorsqu'il s'agit de légiférer sur la gestion de la faune au niveau fédéral, les connaissances écologiques traditionnelles sont officiellement reconnues comme une source légitime d'information. However, for scientific examinations conducted before these regulatory impact assessments, traditional ecological knowledge does appear to be considered a reliable source of information, even if it is not widely used. Analyzing the use of traditional knowledge in classifying endangered species shows that although Indigenous individuals and organizations are systematically consulted, traditional knowledge is rarely a factor in impact assessments. This study assesses the extent to which this kind of information is mobilized by administrators when writing regulations. Traditional Ecological Knowledge is officially recognized as a legitimate source of information when legislating on wildlife management at the federal level. Although regional in scope, the results of the study hold importance for EIA systems worldwide particularly in countries with similar economic systems who are facing a trade-off between economic growth and environmental sustainability. Other challenges included lack of professionalism of some consultants and delayed and non-transparent decision making.

The key challenge highlighted by proponents was the discrimination on part of the EPA between private and government projects. Moreover, some proponents attempt to influence the review and decision making and do not ensure compliance to approval conditions except for few multinationals.

Proponents sometimes do not share complete project information with consultants, which compromises the report quality and timely decision making. Stakeholder involvement in EIA is limited. Oftentimes, projects start prior to obtaining an environmental approval. To identify the challenges of proponents in each step of the EIA, 40 semi-structured interviews were conducted with private and government proponents in Punjab. The comments of consultants, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) regarding the role played by proponents were extracted from literature and used for evaluation. Expected roles of proponents in EIA were taken from regulations, legislation and guidelines. This study identified the role of and challenges faced by Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) proponents in Punjab, Pakistan.

Examples of stakeholder, Indigenous community, and proponent collaboration during early planning for the regulatory approval process, including legislated impact assessment, of a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project with an extended timeline are provided. A considerable benefit of the approach we outline is the establishment of good relationships between stakeholders, rights-holders, and the proponent, which facilitate dialogue regarding the goals of each party and how implementing the project can help to achieve them. Drawing from a case study of the Adaptive Phased Management Project proposed by Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization, we show ways in which impact assessment can be leveraged to achieve beneficial outcomes for interested parties through early planning that includes a commitment to transparency and participatory engagement. This article demonstrates to proponents that adopting good practices early in the impact assessment process can help to achieve positive project outcomes.

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