Strategic environmental assessment: Key issues emerging from recent practice

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Environmental Impact Assessment Review

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0195-9255(95)00106-9· OSTI ID:234112

Partidario, M R ^[1]

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1. New Univ. of Lisbon, Monte de Caparica (Portugal)

Many governments and environmental assessment (EA) administrators are currently showing great concern regarding the potential environmental consequences of decisions made at policy, planning, and programmatic levels. Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is evolving as a mechanism that attempts to assess systemically the environmental impacts of decisions made at, what is conventionally called, levels of strategic decisions. Evidence is emerging in different countries on specific SEA approaches including institutional frameworks, assessment and review mechanisms, and results achieved in specific case applications. Experience is as yet too limited to conclude how effective such systems are but is nevertheless instructive on particular issues implicated in the development and implementation of SEA. A comprehensive review of existing SEA practical approaches was undertaken with the purpose of understanding the existing status of SEA and identifying key practical issues raised by practitioners in the countries reviewed. Such practical issues reflect the strengths and weaknesses experienced with the adoption of particular approaches. This article highlights and reflects on some of the most fundamental policy, institutional, and procedural issues that were found in this research.

• OSTI ID: 234112
• Journal Information: Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Journal Name: Environmental Impact Assessment Review Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 16; ISSN 0195-9255; ISSN EIARDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EVALUATION
IMPLEMENTATION