Social and political perceptions of environmental resources extraction projects in the Sahtu Settlement Area
Principal Investigator: Perombelon, Brice B.P (2)
Licence Number: 15289
Organization: London School of Economics and Political Science
Licensed Year(s): 2013
Issued: Jul 12, 2013

Objective(s): To contribute to better involvement of the community in decisions regarding resources extraction/exploration projects; to understand the link between community welfare, the environment and resources extraction activities; and, to participate in the academic study of the social welfare side of environmental aspects of resources extractions activities.

Project Description: The principal researcher wishes to study the environmental impacts of resources extraction projects (present and future) on the community members. The hope is to do this through a survey of their perceptions of environmental problems caused by resources extraction projects (gas & oil) and see whether they think that these projects will create more problems of environmental degradation (for example, pollution or health issues) or on the contrary that they will bring environmental improvement (more protection or employment). The objectives are to: -contribute to better involvement of your community in decisions regarding resources extraction/exploration projects; -understand the link between community welfare, the environment and resources extraction activities; and, -participate in the academic study of the social welfare side of environmental aspects of resources extractions activities. The research the principal investigator intends to conduct will be qualitative. The hope is to ask residents to answer 21 questions to obtain the data that is needed. All the information obtained will be confidentially analyzed and no names will be used at any point during the research. Each respondent will be given a clear project description note containing the name of the principal researcher (and contact address), the name of the university, the context of this research and research purposes. The hope is to conduct the survey through face to face and if not possible either through the Internet or by phone, with the approval of the community members. A second step in the methodology would be to conduct qualitative interviews with a few (10 to 15) consenting participants. The principal researcher hopes to ask them the same questions but would leave them more freedom to express their opinions and explain about their perceptions in more detail. The principal researcher will communicate the results by sending a comprehensive report to the community leaders and to all participants who would have consented on being sent these information by email. The principal researcher will also strive to come back to present those results during a public presentation/meeting but this second commitment depend on the necessary funding’s to do so. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from July 12, 2013 to August 10, 2013.