Glossary

Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry: The registry was created for the purpose of facilitating public access to records relating to environmental assessments in accordance with the CEAA.

Cumulative effects: The CEAA requires the assessment of an initiative's cumulative effects. These are the effects that are likely to result from the initiative in combination with other structures, initiatives, or activities that have been or will be carried out. Examples are the cumulative effects of various water extraction activities that contribute to an inequitable access to potable water, or the cumulative effects caused by increased transport demand and vehicular traffic. To accurately predict the effects of the proposed initiative, other initiatives in the area that may have an effect on the same environmental components must be taken into account.

Environment: The CEAA defines the environment as the "components of the Earth, and includes: (a) land, water, and air, including all layers of the atmosphere; (b) all organic and inorganic matter and living organisms; and (c) the interacting natural systems that include components referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b)".

Environmental assessment: CIDA views an environmental assessment as a tool and a process for assessing the environmental effects (biophysical, cultural, and socio-economic; negative and positive) of initiatives, as well as the effect of the environment on such initiatives. It addresses a Canadian legal requirement (the CEAA) and CIDA's Policy for Environmental Sustainability.

Environmental components: They are the features of the natural and human environments in the area affected by an initiative. Examples are specific ecosystems, soil, water, air, vegetation, wildlife, a human population and its specific socio-cultural and economic characteristics, use of lands and resources, places of worship, historic sites, meeting places, and so on.

Environmental effects: They include effects on both the natural environment and the human environment. Environmental effects are defined in the CEAA as "(a) any change that the project may cause in the environment, including any effect of any such change on health and socio-economic conditions, on physical and cultural heritage, on the current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by aboriginal persons, or on any structure, site or thing that is of historical, archaeological, paleontological, or architectural significance; and (b) any change to the project that may be caused by the environment". This includes effects of malfunctions or accidents that may occur in connection with the initiative and the cumulative effects that are likely to result from the initiative in combination with other structures, initiatives, or activities that have been or will be carried out.

Environmental indicators: An indicator is a measurement, number, fact, standard, opinion, or perception that helps measure progress toward achieving results. There are both quantitative and qualitative indicators. Each indicator should be directly related to the result being measured, as well as based on readily available data. It is also important to ensure that indicators consider social elements such as gender, social group, and ethnicity. Once indicators are identified, the next step is to determine the sources of information for these indicators and how the information will be collected (including frequency, location, and responsibilities).

Environmental management system: An environmental management system is a systematic management tool that provides a framework for practices, procedures, and processes to implement an organization's environmental policy and manage its environmental action plan, as well as document, communicate, and evaluate its environ-mental performance. CIDA strongly encourages organizations that receive program funding from the Canadian Partnership Branch and whose programming has substantial environmental linkages to develop a basic environmental management system (that is, which presents the organization's environmental policy or objectives, implementation strategy / environmental action plan and associated tools) as a means of demonstrating their capacity to meet special environmental requirements. This tool can also be used in dealing with other CIDA branches to demonstrate environmental institutional capacity.

Mitigation measures: They are measures that effectively control, eliminate, or significantly reduce an initiative's adverse environmental effects, or enhance its environmental benefits. These measures may include changing the location of an initiative to a more appropriate site; modifying the design, plan, implementation period, and construction techniques; or using environmentally friendly production procedures and techniques or replacement technologies that conserve energy, prevent the emission of pollutants, reduce waste, promote recycling, and so on. Mitigation measures may also include actions to rehabilitate the environment, notably by replacement or restoration (e.g. reforestation). In some cases, financial or material compensation for damages caused may also be considered (e.g. the replacement a house). However, these measures should be used judiciously, when, for example, it is impossible to mitigate an effect but the initiative's benefits are such that these options merit consideration.

Polluting substance: A polluting substance is defined by the CEAA as "a substance that, if added to a water body, is likely to degrade or alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the physical, chemical, or biological conditions of the water body to an extent that is detrimental to its use by human beings, animals, fish, or plants". Please note that this CEAA definition is linked with specifics of the Exclusion List Regulations; when dealing with environmental matters as a whole, all types of pollution must be taken into account.

Rapid environmental assessment: The principal intent of this type of assessment is to address the priority environmental issues associated with a given situation and to avoid negative and irreversible effects. It is inspired by environmental assessments and can be used in "emergency situations". This tool typically involves an emergency context statement (a summary of the emergency situation and highlights of salient environmental factors), a rapid identification of current demands on the environment, a rapid evaluation of factors with an immediate impact on the environment, and the identification of potential negative consequences of possible relief operations (adapted from Kelly, December 2001).

Residual effects: They are effects that are expected to result from an initiative, in spite of the mitigation measures that will be implemented. The significance of each of these effects must be determined. The significance of the residual effects is the basis for determining if CIDA funds can be applied to the activity. It is important that these residual effects be monitored.

Strategic environmental assessment: This is a tool proposed in line with CIDA's Policy for Environmental Sustainability. Its purpose is to outline the environmental implications of a proposed policy, plan, or program (or initiative that has a number of sub-components) and to demonstrate how environmental considerations are integrated. It also serves to identify opportunities to achieve environmental benefits and positive environmental outcomes. This tool is in line with what was referred to as a "program environmental analysis" in the previous edition of this handbook.

Water body: A water body is defined by the CEAA as "including a canal, reservoir, an ocean, and a wetland, up to the high-water mark, but does not include a sewage or waste treatment lagoon or a mine tailings pond". Please note that this CEAA definition is linked with specifics of the Exclusion List Regulations; when dealing with environmental matters as a whole, all types of surface and underground waters must be taken into account.

Other useful definitions may be found in CIDA's CEAA on-line and off-line Work Tool (CIDA, June 2003).