Mr. Khalsa is an environmental consultant with Acorn International who focuses on international environmental, social and health impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and partnering.
Atma recently rejoined Acorn International after earning his Master’s Degree in 2007 through an innovative program in International Environmental Assessment, jointly managed by McGill University and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP). In completing his degree, Atma worked directly with experts and representatives from national and multilateral organizations such as UNEP, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA), European Bank for Development and Reconstruction (EBRD), Secretariat for the Conservation of Biodiversity (CBD), and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). His studies focused on:
- Environmental assessment including: strategic, sectoral, and regional environmental assessment
- Environmental management systems
- Sustainable development
- Environmental policy and regulations / governance
- Stakeholder engagement
- Environmental and social standards of financial institutions
- Corporate social responsibility
The training delivered in the Program has provided a strong, up to date awareness of current trends, issues, and best practices in international impact assessment.
Professional Experience
Environmental and Socioeconomic Impact Assessment
- Participated in environmental and social impact assessment of an offshore seismic survey in Kenya
- Participated in Environmental Impact Assessment of an offshore oil drilling program in Cote d'Ivoire
- Participated in environmental and social impact assessment of a 2D seismic survey onshore Colombia for BHP Billiton
- Led health, safety, environment and community impact assessment screenings for exploration and production activities in sensitive marine environments offshore:
- Vietnam
- Philippines and Malaysia
- India
- Led health, safety, environment and community impact assessment screenings for onshore exploration and production activities adjacent to indigenous reserves in:
- Participated in two environmental impact assessments of offshore oil and gas developments near a marine protected area in Colombia
- Participated in an environmental and social impact assessment of an offshore oil and gas development for BP Colombia
- Participated in the environmental, social and health impact assessment screening and scoping for two oil industry production projects offshore Angola and Republic of Congo
- Participated in an environmental, social and health impact assessment for an onshore oil and gas development in Kazakhstan
- Collaborated on the development of a risk identification tool to help identify and characterize environmental, health, safety and social risks early in the project lifecycle
- Established a baseline for the independent environmental and sociocultural review of an EIA being performed for the expansion of the Panama Canal
EHSS Management System / Sustainable Development
- Co-author of a community investment strategy and community investment procedure for an onshore oil and gas development near indigenous communities in the Amazon basin
- Participated in the development of a community relations plan and led the grivance mechanism implementation for an onshore oil and gas development near indigenous communities in the Amazon basin
- Participated in the environmental and social due dilligence of a chlor-alkali plant development in Trinidad and Tobago for an Equator Principle signatory bank, Inter-American Development Bank and Oversees Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
- Participated in the development of a community relations plan and grivance mechanism implementation for an onshore oil and gas development near indigenous communities in the Amazon basin
- Participated in the review of environmental and social management covenants of project finance lenders for a major capital project in the Caspian Sea
- Assisted Chevron in consolidating, processing and analyzing the outputs of risk assessments under their Operational Excellence Risk Management Process
- Participated in a benchmarking of oil and gas industry environmental management systems to support the organizational restructuring of a major national energy company’s corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety program
- Supported a United States Department of Justice case involving environmental management system best practices
Capacity Building and Partnering
- Conducted research and interviews with consulting firms abroad to expand Acorn International partnerships in 5 new countries
- Enhanced existing Acorn International partnerships with local environmental and social experts in more than 40 developing countries and coordinated capacity building actions
- Planned and Facilitated a web-based forum with Acorn International partners around the world to share information and identify emerging trends and market opportunities
Prior Professional Experience
Acorn International – Environmental, Health, Safety and Social Impact Assessment work on international oil industry projects, Boxborough, MA 2007
The Rainforest Preserve- Lead Researcher, Dominical, Costa Rica, 2003-2006
Atma independently researched, designed, and implemented a baseline wildlife study of a 200 acre nature reserve in Costa Rica. He led a small team of local experts to document mammals using pressure activated cameras and line transects. All fieldwork was performed in Spanish.
Education
McGill University - Masters of Science- Environmental Assessment, 2007, (3.96/4.0 GPA)
Course work included impact assessment methodologies, theory, and process. The program also focused on the integration of impact assessment into international development and strategic planning. Program managed jointly by UNEP and McGill.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst - Bachelor of Science- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, 2004 (Cum Laude)
Course work included sciences, policy, field techniques and resource management.
Awards and Recognition
Outstanding Senior in Wildlife Conservation Award - University of Massachusetts 2004
Louis Stokes Award - National Science Foundation grant for independent field studies
National Forestry Honor Society - University of Massachusetts Chapter
Conference Presentations / Publications
Khalsa, A. 2010. Beyond the Social License to Operate: Value Creation through Public-Private Partnerships.Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), International Health, Safety and Environment Conference. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, April 10-13, 2010.
Khalsa, A., Boyd, B. and D. Slocum. 2009. Process Check: What Is Driving Alternatives Analysis in Environmental-Impact Assessment for Major Capital Projects? Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Americas E&P Environmental and Safety Conference. San Antonio, TX, March 23-25, 2009.
Khalsa, A. 2008. Management of Cumulative Impacts and Associated Business Risks: An Example from the Oil and Gas Industry. International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA), Assessing and Managing Cumulative Environmental Effects. Calgary, AB, Canada. November 6-9, 2008.
Khalsa, A., Slocum, D. and H. Boyd. 2008. "Top Ten" Lessons Learned about Health Impact Assessment. AcornNotes, Issue 7, May 2008. Available online: http://acornintl.net/notes7.html.
Khalsa, A. and D. Slocum. 2008. Next Generation Stakeholder Engagement: Balancing International Best Practices and Local Leadership. Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), International Health, Safety and Environment Conference. Nice, France, April 27-29, 2008.
Khalsa, A., and D. Slocum (presented by H. Boyd). 2007. Next Generation Stakeholder Engagement: Balancing International Best Practices and Local Leadership. International Petroleum Environmental Conference (IPEC), Houston, TX, November 6-9, 2007
Professional Training
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – Global Development Alliance Program Implementer Training (October 24, 2008: Washington D.C.)
Professional Memberships
International Association for Impact Assessment
Society for International Development – Washington Chapter
Languages
Intermediate Spanish
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