The consideration of health in strategic environmental assessment (SEA)

Journal Article · Thu Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Environmental Impact Assessment Review

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2009.10.005· OSTI ID:21364716

Matuzzi, Marco; Nowacki, Julia ^[1]

---

1. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Via Francesco Crispi 10, 00187 Rome (Italy)

Following the requirements of the European Directive 2001/42/EC on strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (Kiev, 2003) to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo, 1991), health is one of the aspects to be considered in SEA. In this paper, results of an evaluation of eight SEAs from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (England and Wales) regarding the consideration of health are presented. This includes SEAs for five spatial plans, as well as one SEA for each, a transport, a waste management and an economic development plan. It is found that while all SEAs cover important physical and natural aspects that are related to health, social and behavioural aspects are considered to a much smaller extent. Based on the results, facilitating factors and barriers for health inclusive SEA are identified. Overall, good baseline data can be seen as an important starting point for effective health inclusive SEA, while an effective monitoring system is crucial for effective implementation of the measures and recommendations brought forward in health inclusive SEA. Crucially, health authorities/health experts need to engage more with SEA, as this provides a key platform for cross sectoral dialogue on a range of issues. SEA presents the health sector with an opportunity to influence the policy and decision-making process to improve people's health and well-being.

• OSTI ID: 21364716
• Journal Information: Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Journal Name: Environmental Impact Assessment Review Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 30; ISSN 0195-9255; ISSN EIARDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AGREEMENTS
AUSTRIA
CZECH REPUBLIC
DECISION MAKING
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DOCUMENT TYPES
EASTERN EUROPE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
EUROPE
EVALUATION
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
HUMAN POPULATIONS
IMPLEMENTATION
MANAGEMENT
NETHERLANDS
POPULATIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNITED KINGDOM
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WESTERN EUROPE