Synopsis

Reclamation work presents both environmental and social impacts, which can be categorized into onshore and offshore effects. Offshore impacts involve damage to sensitive marine ecosystems, including the seabed, coral reefs, seagrasses, benthic communities, and marine megafauna such as turtles, whales, and dolphins. Onshore impacts, on the other hand, include air and noise pollution, waste generation, and disturbances to terrestrial wildlife. Additionally, greenhouse gas emissions and the need for habitat restoration, particularly in Critical Habitats, are important considerations.

Social impacts often involve the economic and physical displacement of communities located within the project's footprint, as well as other issues that directly affect individuals, such as property damage. Negative community perceptions of a project can also arise, especially when expectations are not adequately met. These perceptions, if not managed, can increase the risks to project completion.

Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) provide established mitigation mechanisms that help reduce, avoid, or manage these impacts. These tools offer a framework for developing guidelines that ensure dredging and reclamation projects are conducted responsibly and in alignment with best practices for environmental and social sustainability. The webinar will give more details on this subject.

About the Speaker

Sylvia Ernest is a seasoned professional with over nine years of experience in the public and private sectors, spanning Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. She has honed her expertise in capacity building, management system implementation, social impact management, and stakeholder engagement through her work on large-scale infrastructure projects, including dredging and land reclamation.  Sylvia holds a Post Graduate Degree in Technology, Port Operations, and Sustainable Management, as well as a Post Graduate Degree in International Economy and Globalization. 

Throughout her career, Sylvia has been instrumental in aligning major development projects with international standards, including OECD guidelines and IFC Performance Standards (PS1, PS2, PS4, and PS5). Her commitment to sustainable practices and social responsibility has been a hallmark of her leadership, particularly in designing livelihood restoration frameworks and grievance redress mechanisms for communities affected by infrastructure projects. Whether managing stakeholder relations, ensuring environmental safeguards, or implementing social impact measures, Sylvia’s global experience and academic credentials make her a leader in fostering positive change in the sectors she has involved.

Fee :

Free of charge

Registration :

Please register by 11 September 2024 . Successful applicants will receive webinar details after registration. CPD certificate will be sent to the attendees, who attended more than 80% of the webinar time, within 2 weeks after the webinar.

Book Prize :

Professionals under 35 years of age are encouraged to submit a Book Prize Report (max. 500 words) on webinars and site visits arranged by AGS (HK).

Contributors to successful Book Prize Reports will be awarded a Book Prize that comprises of a book "Geology of Site Investigation Boreholes in Hong Kong" written by Chris Fletcher, and a coupon of HK$500 for Eslite Spectrum (誠品生活) or equivalent. The successful Book Prize Report will also be published on the AGS (HK) website to showcase your accomplishment.

Prior to report submission, please refer to the “The AGS Book Prize Reports – Assessment Framework”* on the AGS (HK) website. You may submit your Book Prize Report to our assessors by uploading the report file through the AGS (HK) website at https://www.ags-hk.org/book-prize. Should you have any questions, please contact us at agshk@meinhardt.com.hk.

*Link to the AGS Book Prize Reports – Assessment Framework:

https://www.ags-hk.org/_files/ugd/521a4c_b94496034732484687441cf4ed4d0bf9.pdf

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