Project EA scoping in an SEA context: a case study of offshore oil and gas exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Despite long-held views that Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) can provide information and focus to subsequent environmental assessments (EAs), there has been limited evidence or investigation of this in practice. This includes little analysis of whether and how the scope of project-level EAs are being influenced and streamlined in this manner, or of key enablers or impediments to these potential SEA outcomes. This paper uses a case study to further explore this issue, and to identify some factors that appear to be contributing to a lack of SEA scoping effects in this context. In doing so, it highlights various issues that may be investigated through future study.