Mohamad's research focus is on how Canadian laws and policies can be improved to ensure an ecologically sustainable future for offshore wind energy.
“Retaining resilience and health of ecosystems is arugably the only choice for human beings to build a resilient economy.”
@alikhani_moha
Does passing Bill C-49 (#4) in the Parliament mean a green pass? Absolutely not! A fundamental legal commitment to ecological integrity (#1, #3, and #5) is required. The law refers to ecological integrity (e.g. the Oceans Act #5) in some cases. However, these references have limited applications. In these references, maintaining or restoring ecological integrity […]
Does the Canadian Energy Regulator Act (CERA), which aims to regulate certain energy matters, have adequate regulations for environmental protection in the context of Offshore Wind Energy (OWE)? CERA has multiple objectives and definitions that are relevant to the OWE projects. Safety, security, the protection of the environment in the construction, operation, and abandonment of renewable […]
Different phases of offshore wind energy (OWE) might create risks for birds. The construction phase involves the deposit of wastes, pile driving, and the traffic of ships for the provision of services. These activities might cause harm and habitat loss or may disturb or displace birds. The operation phase may create collision risk or barrier […]
Various regulatory measures must be taken to protect species at risk and their habitats under the Species at Risk Act, 2002 (SARA) when there is likely harm from Offshore Wind Energy (OWE) activities. For instance, SARA states that the proponent is not permitted to carry out an activity (e.g. construction of OWE) if such activity […]
Fish and fish habitats should be protected from the potential harmful effects of offshore wind energy (OWE) activities. The Fisheries Act applies to the effects of OWE projects at least from two aspects: the impact on fish and the impact on fish habitats. Fish and fish habitats are defined under the Fisheries Act. The Act […]
How should Offshore Wind Energy (OWE) projects be formulated within marine integrated planning? The response to this question needs to be considered in the context of the Oceans Act of 1996 and its associated policies and plans. A critical step to formulating such integration is crafting policies and plans for marine integrated planning. The Oceans […]
How are offshore petroleum resources managed? Two Acts, the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act (the Accord Acts), created a federal-provincial cooperative regime for the management of offshore petroleum resources. Under the Accord Acts, the Canada–Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board and the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore […]
The Constitution Act,1867, falls short of ecological sustainability. It is not surprising that at the time when there were no serious environmental issues, this Act did not provide for any power and responsibility over the protection of the environment. This inadequacy may undermine any potential holistic jurisdiction needed for enacting environmental laws over impacts of […]
Creating a dialogue between law and science helps us recognize the problems of Offshore Wind Energy (OWE). This dialogue about the impacts of OWE can guide us to frame regulatory measures based on ecological sustainability. The dialogue supports identification of the laws applicable to the problems and facilitates how law can respond. This interaction is […]
How should laws and policies with respect to offshore wind energy be reformed to preserve the resilience of ecosystems? Defining our relationship with the environment, where the man-made structures of offshore wind energy are constructed, is the starting point to answer this question. Maintaining the current anthropocentric regulatory system keeps human beings in the centre […]
