Research
Dr. Byer’s research and professional activities (see below) and publications and presentations focus on improving the way we make decisions that affect the environment. This has included research on methodologies to address specific types of environmental problems such as climate change, the redevelopment of brownfields, and municipal waste management.
Below are descriptions of several recent projects:
Climate Change and Environmental Assessments, 2001 - 2004 and 2009 - 2011
Two related projects, both funded by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, focus on improving ways to incorporate climate change in environmental assessments of projects.
The first project, which was completed in 2004, investigated methods for addressing and communicating climate change uncertainties within EAs of individual projects. The research was carried out with assistance by two master’s degree students, Scott Yeomans and Melanie Lalani.
The study consisted of:
- a review of recent project EAs to assess whether and how climate change and its uncertainties are currently considered;
- a review of climate change, including causes, impacts, and uncertainties;
- a study of methods for addressing uncertainties: scenario analysis, sensitivity analysis, and probabilistic analysis;
- an illustrative example of the use of these methods, based on a proposal for a hydroelectric project in Northern Ontario;
- a study of methods for communicating uncertainties in EAs; and
- the implications of this work for the development of guidelines.
A final research report “Addressing Climate Change Uncertainties in Project Environmental Assessments,” March 2004, is available at this link. Much of the work is summarized in two papers: "Methods for addressing climate change uncertainties in project environmental impact assessments," in Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal (IAPA), Vol. 25, No. 3, June 2007, which won the Prize for Best Paper in IAPA in 2007, and "Addressing and communicating climate change and its uncertainties in project environmental impact assessments," in Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, Vol. 11, No. 1, March 2009.
The second project, which was completed in 2011, looks at criteria and methodologies that can be used to help decide on the type and degree of adaptation that should be used given that we do not yet know the degree of future climate change. The research included: a review of recent EAs and other literature to identify the types of adaptation that can be used to respond to climate change for a variety of types of projects; a review of available decision-making criteria and approaches for making decisions where there are uncertainties; and an analysis of when and how these criteria and approaches can be used in EAs to help decide how and to what degree projects should be planned and designed to adapt to climate change. The final research report "Decision Making Under Uncertainties for Adapting to Climate Change in Project Environmental Assessments," February 2011, is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment research and development website.
Classifying Brownfields to Aid Decision Making, 2005-2008
Significant economic, legal and environmental concerns present obstacles to the redevelopment of thousands of brownfields in Canada, which have the potential to stimulate economic growth, community revitalization, and urban renewal. However, there are inadequate tools to assist site owners and developers, municipalities, and the local community understand the multiple and complex issues that must be addressed in order to make sound decisions on site redevelopment in any particular situation. In this joint project with the Prof. Edwin Tam at the University of Windsor, we developed a methodology for classifying brownfields on the basis of a broad set of factors including site characteristics, alternative remedial actions, existing and proposed site uses, potential liability, and community settings, in order to prioritize sites for redevelopment, identify obstacles to their redevelopment and serve as a communications tool among stakeholders. The project was primarily funded by the Ontario Centres of Excellence with assistance from the Niagara Economic Development Corporation, AMEC Earth and Environmental consultants, and the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
Waste Management in SE Asia, 2000-2005
Dr. Byer was actively involved in the University’s Waste-Econ Program on integrated solid waste management in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Through this project, which was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Dr. Byer gave a variety of workshops in these countries to government officials, educators and professionals, who could then pass this knowledge on to others.
Dr. Byer also supervised eight master's degree students who did research projects involving field work in Vietnam and Laos. In addition to the student theses on these projects, which are available at the Waste-Econ web site, a paper was published in Waste Management and Research in 2006 (see citation on Publications page) summarizing three waste audits.
Professional Activities
In addition to his research, Dr. Byer has been an advisor on environmental issues to governments and the private sector, such as:
• Member of the 3-person Joint Review Panel for Environmental Assessment of the proposed Marathon Platinum Group Metals and Copper Mine Project near Marathon, Ontario. Appointed by the Federal Environment Minister, in consultation with the Ontario Minister of the Environment, in August 2011. The panel is carrying out a public review of the proposal under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.
• Chair of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Advisory Committee from 1986-1995. Appointed by the Minister of Environment, the committee carried out public consultations and advised the Minister on environmental assessments of controversial public and private sector projects, and on policy and legislative matters.
• One of four expert members of the City of Toronto’s New and Emerging Technologies, Policies and Practices Advisory Group, which advised the City in 2003-2004 on ways to increase diversion and processing of the City’s municipal waste.
• Member of the Environment Committee for Toronto’s bid for the 2008 Olympics in 1999-2001.
• Technical advisor on risk assessment to the Federal Environmental Assessment Panel for the Northumberland Strait Crossing Project (Confederation Bridge) in 1989-1990.
• Member of the Environment Council of the Transportation Assoc. of Canada in 1991-1994, during which he helped draft TAC's Environmental Policy and Code of Ethics.
Dr. Byer has also been actively involved with the development and implementation of the Responsible Care Program of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (formerly Canadian Chemical Producers' Association) since 1989. He was a member of the CCPA’s National Advisory Panel for 14 years, and was a member of the committee that developed the protocol for verifications. Since 1993, he has been on teams that have verified various companies on their commitments to Responsible Care.
Dr. Byer has also served as a consultant on the environmental impacts of various projects including a private venture to transfer water from James Bay (2001), Toronto’s Deep Lake Water Cooling Project (1996), and a contaminated lands remediation project in Smithville, Ontario (1996).