Strategic Environmental

Assessment (SEA)
((Brief Overview))

Prepared By

Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ali Al-Anbari

March - 2007
 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

Contents
1- What is Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA ? Page(2 )
2- What are Policies, Plans and Programs? Page(4)
3-Different Ctegories of SEA . Page(4)
4- Distinction between SEA and Project-Level EIA. Page(5 )
5- Different Types of Impacts. Page(6 )
6- Advantages of SEA. Page(7 )
7- Tiering. Page(7 )
8- Potential Uses of SEA. Page(8 )
9- Application of SEA. Page(8 )
10- Areas of SEA Application. Page(8 )
11- SEA as a Tool For Environmental Planning. Page(9 )
12- Barriers to Implementing SEA. Page(10 )
13- Requirements for Effective SEA Systems. Page(11 )
14- SEA Status Around the World. Page(11 )
15- Proposed Methodology to Undertake SEA. Page(11 )
16- SEA Techniques. Page(12 )
17- General Stages. Page(12 )
17.1- Baseline Study. Page(12 )
17.2- Screening/Scoping. Page(12 )
17.3- Establish Environmental Indicators. Page(13 )
17.4- Identify Options. Page(14 )
17.5- Impact Analysis. Page(14 )
17.6- Monitoring and Follow-Up. Page(17 )
17.7- Consultation, Revision and Post-Adoption Activities. Page(17 )

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

1- What is SEA/: Strategic Environmental Assessment ?

The ultimate aim of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is to help to protect
the environment and promote sustainability. SEA aims to contribute to this by
helping to integrate environmental (or sustainability) issues in decision-making:

 "SEA is a systematic process for evaluating the environmental

consequences of proposed policy, plan or programme initiatives in
order to ensure they are fully included and appropriately addressed at
the earliest appropriate stage of decision making on par with
economic and social considerations" (Sadler and Verheem, 1996).
 SEA is a formalized, systematic, and comprehensive process for
evaluating the environmental effects of a policy, plan or programme
(PPP) and its alternatives.”

 “SEA is a systematic, on-going process for evaluating, at

the earliest appropriate stage of publicly accountable
decision-making, the environmental quality, and
consequences, of alternative visions and development
intentions incorporated in policy, planning or
programme initiatives, ensuring full integration of
relevant biophysical, economic, social and political
considerations” (Partid‫ل‬rio, 1998).

 As defined in the Directive, SEA is a set of procedures

relating to the provision of information, consultation,
preparation of an environmental report and taking
findings into account in planning.

 SEA is a process to ensure that significant

environmental effects arising from policies, plans and
programmes are identified, assessed, mitigated, communicated to
decision-makers, monitored and that opportunities for public
involvement are provided.
The strategic component of a SEA refers to the set of objectives, principles and
policies that give shape to the vision and development intentions incorporated in a
policy, plan or program (PPP) SEAs deal with concepts and goals, not with
particular activities. SEAs aims to prevent unacceptable environmental damage.

SEA has become an important instrument to help to achieve sustainable

development in public planning and policy making. The importance of SEA is
widely recognised. Particular benefits of SEA include:

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

 To support sustainable development;

 To improve the evidence base for strategic decisions;
 To facilitate and respond to consultation with stakeholders;
 To streamline other processes such as Environmental Impact Assessments
of individual development projects.

Conducting an SEA is an iterative process which should be carried out alongside

the development of the plan or programme.

 SEA is a tool for improving the strategic action, not a post-hoc

"snapshot". This means that the SEA should be started early, be
integrated in the decision-making process, and focus on identifying
possible alternatives and modifications to the strategic action. The
decision-maker should be involved in the SEA process in some
active capacity, to ensure that the SEA findings are fully taken into
account in decision-making.
 To fit into the timescale and resources of the decision-making
process, SEA should focus on key environmental/sustainability
constraints, thresholds and limits. It should not aim to have the level
of detail of project environmental impact assessment (EIA), nor be a
giant collection of baseline data which does not focus on key issues.
This suggests that a scoping stage is needed to sort out what the key
issues are.
 SEA should help to identify the best option for the strategic action. It
should thus help to identify and assess different plan options, for
instance the most sustainable option, the Best Practicable
Environmental Option which meets demands but minimises damage,
and demand management - modifying forecast demand rather than
accommodating it.
 SEA involves making judgements on limits beyond which
irreversible damage from impacts may occur. This requires
prediction and evaluation of the effects of the strategic action. This
generally means comparing the likely future situation without the
plan - the "baseline" - against the situation with the strategic action:
this is the prediction aspect. It also involves an element of judgement
about whether the effect is significant or not: the evaluation aspect.
 SEA should apply the precautionary principle: if the value of
development and its impacts are uncertain there should be a
presumption in favour of protecting what exists.
 SEA should aim to minimize negative impacts, optimise positive
ones, and compensate for the loss of valuable features and benefits.
Impact mitigation in SEA often takes other forms than end-of-pipe
technology: it could include changing aspects of the strategic action

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

to avoid the negative impact, influencing other organisations to act in

certain ways, or setting constraints on subsequent project
implementation.
 SEA should be transparent and promote public participation in
decision-making.

It should document what has been done, why decisions have been made, and
assumptions and uncertainties.

2- What are Policies, Plans and Programs?

In general, all countries having experience with SEA distinguish between policies,
plans,programs and projects:
 – “A general course of action or proposed overall direction
that a government is, or will be, pursuing and which guides
ongoing decision-making.”1
 – “A purposeful, forward looking strategy or design, often
with coordinated priorities, options and measures, that elaborates
and implements policy.”

 – “A coherent, organized agenda or schedule of

commitments, proposals instruments and/or activities that
elaborates and implements policy.”

A hierarchy exists between policies, plans and programs with policies are at the
top level of conceptualization and generality; plans are one level down from
policies, and programs.
Programs make plans more specific by including a time schedule for specific
activities. Implementation of a program involves carrying out specific projects,
which can be subjected to traditional EIA.

3- Different Categories of SEA :

Different categories of SEA are distinguished:
(i) “Policy impact assessment” or “policy EIA” – the assessment of policies being
planned, proposed or already in place.
(ii) “Sectoral environmental assessment” – “the process of examining potential
environmental and social implications of all or most of the potential projects
proposed for the same sector.”
(iii) “Area-wide or regional assessment” – assessments for policies, plans, and
programs related to particular jurisdictions (e.g., land use plans for cities) or
natural areas (e.g., river basin development plans).

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

(iv) “Programmatic” environmental impact statements – a term used primarily in

the United States to refer to assessments prepared for federal and state plans and
programs, such as land use plans and herbicide spraying programs.

4- Distinction between SEA and Project-Level EIA:

SEA is distinguished from EIA and there are different categories of SEA. Using
the definitions above, Its purpose is to ensure that environmental considerations
and alternatives are addressed as early as possible and on a par with economic and
social factors in policy, plan or program development.”2 The term “strategic
environmental assessment” is used exclusively for assessments of policies, plans
and programs; the term “environmental assessment” is used for assessments of
specific projects .
SEA shares much in common with project-level Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) in that they both aim to minimise the significant environmental
impact of a proposed action. EIA is applied to development projects (e.g. wind
farms, waste-water treatment plants, housing developments) (under statutory
instruments) and is hereafter referred to as project EIA in this report whilst SEA
can apply at a higher, or earlier stage in planning such developments (e.g. waste
management plans, county development plans).Similarly, whereas the project EIA
usually addresses specific, direct cause–effect relationships between the
proposed development and an environmental receptor, an SEA is able to stand
back and look at the broader picture.
SEA is better able to address cumulative, indirect and multiplier effects; it can
also look at alternative means of meeting the same need. Overall, SEA is able to
be more flexible and pro-active in nature whereas project EIA is more constrained
by the scope of the proposed development that is under scrutiny and is less able to
look “above the parapet”.
 SEA is broader in scope and used for strategic planning
 Project-level EIA addresses specific issues and impacts at specific
locations
 SEAs do not replace project-level EIAs
 Project-level EIAs are necessary to provide detailed analysis
 SEA occurs prior to project-level decision making
 SEAs are more variable in form and scope than project EIA wide
range of strategic decisions to which SEA is applied from broad
policies to specific plans
 SEA incorporates a greater scale of analysis (e.g., geographic area,
environmental components considered, range of alternatives
considered)
 Technical content and specificity are of lesser detail in a SEA

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

 Impact prediction uncertainties are greater for a SEA

 SEA may relate to geographical regions, industrial sectors or
social issues
 Time scale is more variable in SEA (i.e., ranging from the
immediate to the very long term)

Comparative Features of Project-Level EIA and SEA

EIA SEA

 Is reactive to a development  Is proactive and informs

proposal development proposals
 Assesses the effect of a  Assesses the effect of the
proposed development on the environment on development
environment needs and opportunities
 Addresses a specific project  Addresses area, regions or
sectors of development
 Has a well-defined beginning  Is a continuous process
and end
 Assesses direct impacts and  Assesses cumulative impacts
benefits and identifies implications
for sustainable development
 Focuses on the mitigation of  Focuses on maintaining a
impacts chosen level of
environmental quality
 Narrow perspective and a  Wide perspective and low
high level of detail level of detail

 Focus on project-specific  Creates a vision and overall

impacts framework against which
impacts and benefits can be
measured

5- Different Types of Impacts:

The scope of SEA cannot be restricted to consideration of environmental effects
alone. The implementation measures associated with policies and programs cause
direct economic and social effects. , These economic and social effects often cause
indirect environmental effects. In addition to direct and indirect effects, SEAs should
also consider “cumulative impacts;” i.e., impacts on the environment that result
when the effects of implementing the proposal are added to analogous effects of
other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future actions. Cumulative impacts

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

are important because impacts of individual projects may be minor when considered
in isolation, but significant when the projects are viewed collectively
6- Advantages of SEA;
SEA responds to the following often-mentioned criticism:
project-level EIA occurs after questions related to whether, where and what type
of development should take place have either been decided or largely pre-empted
based on prior analyses that did not account for environmental concerns.
SEA introduces environmental considerations into decision making early, before
project location and scale decisions have been made. Also, SEA allows decision
makers to focus on the environmental effects of strategic choices, before specific
projects are considered. Thus, compared to a project-level EIA, an SEA can
consider a broader range of alternative proposals and mitigation measures.
SEA allows for the systematic consideration of cumulative and broad scale (i.e.,
regional and global) environmental effects. There is often a lack of
correspondence between the temporal and spatial scale of cumulative effects and
the narrow scope of project-level EIA.
SEA provides a mechanism for incorporating into decision-making considerations
related to sustainable development; i.e., development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.
SEA can draw attention to potential environmental problems early so that decision
makers can filter out environmentally damaging projects that might otherwise be
the source of costly and protracted delays and controversy.

7- Tiering:
SEA can enhance the efficiency of project-level EIAs when the proposal covered
by an SEA is intended to lead to specific projects. Efficiencies can result because
of the hierarchy that includes policies, plans, programs and projects. “Tiering”
allows for “different 3 Goodland, R. and R. Tillman, 1996, “Strategic
Environmental Assessment: Strengthening the EA Process,” in Goodland, R., J. R.
Mercier and S. Muntemba (eds.), Environmental Assessment (EA) in South Africa
– A World Bank Commitment, Proceedings of the Durban World Bank Workshop,
June 25, 1995, The World Bank, Washington, D.C. levels of detail or specificity
of environmental assessment as a proposal moves from a broad or early stage to a
narrower or subsequent stage”4 Tiering can promote efficiency because projects
(which are at a lower tier) can make reference to analyses within the SEA at the
next higher tier. In this way, those who prepare EIAs for specific projects can
avoid redoing analyses for issues covered adequately in an SEA conducted for the
plan or program at the next higher tier. In addition to promoting efficiency, tiering
can help sharpen the focus of project-level EIAs. This can occur when an SEA for
an policy, plan or program includes recommendations about issues to be addressed

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

in conducting project-level EIAs (or, more generally, in conducting environmental

assessments for proposals at a lower tier in the hierarchy).

8- Potential Uses of SEA:

 Identify proactive strategies for pursuing sustainable
development - identify options and opportunities
 Assist in evaluating the need and feasibility of government
initiatives and proposals
 Evaluate environmental issues and impacts associated with
policies, plans and programs
 Establishing an appropriate context for project EIA, including
the early identification of issues and impacts that warrant
detailed examination

9- Application of SEA:
 SEA occurs at all different scales from
local regional global
 Different scales address different types of impacts (e.g.,
international-level SEAs focus on global issues while local
SEAs address local issues)
 All SEAs address cumulative impacts
 Most common application of SEA has been the assessment of
environmental impacts of land use plans at the municipal and
regional level .

10- Areas of SEA Application:

The SEA Directive applies to plans and programmes in the sectors listed below.
At the moment there is minimal SEA practice in most of these sectors except town
and country planning (which is discussed elsewhere in this website).

Agriculture
Energy
Fisheries
Forestry
Industry
Telecommunications
Transport

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

Tourism
Town and country planning
Waste management
Water management

In practice, the following plans and programmes normally require SEA:

 Local Development Documents and all other subsequent revisions

(including mineral and waste LDFs): Development Plan Documents
(incorporating the Core Strategy, site specific allocations of land, Area
Action Plans)
 Supplementary Planning Documents
 Regional Planning Guidance/Regional Spatial Strategies
 Spatial Development Strategy for London
 Local Transport Plans
 Local Implementation Plans (London)
 Regional Transport Strategies
 Structure Plans
 Regional Housing Strategies
 Regional Economic Strategies
 Regional Waste Strategies
 Catchment Flood Management Plans
 Flood Defence Strategies
 Navigation Strategies
 Water Resources Plans
 Plans that require appropriate assessment
 Some Community Strategies
 National Park Management Plans
 Offshore oil and gas licensing

11- SEA as a Tool For Environmental Planning:

 Define goals and criteria
 Examine land-use trends for problems and „hot-spots‟
 Develop future scenarios
 Predict likely effects
 Evaluate impacts and value of alternatives
 Modify alternative goals with new constraints

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

Linkage Between Environmental Planning and SEA

Environmental Planning SEA

 Objectives & Targets  Identification of Priority

Issues
 Actions
(Strategies, Plans, Policies,  Evaluation of Options and
Program) Alternatives

 Monitoring & Evaluation  Assessment of Cumulative

Effects

12- Barriers to Implementing SEA:

 Lack of clear definition, established methodology and mechanisms
for implementation .
 Political resistance
 Difficulty defining when and how SEA should be applied (i.e.,
policies, plans and programs are generally nebulous, non-linear,
complex and iterative making it difficult to know exactly what and
when a policy should be assessed)
 Inherent complexity in analyzing policy impacts (e.g., high
uncertainty, lack of knowledge, many and unclear cause and effect
relationships)
 Tendency to apply assessment after policy has been developed
 Institutional difficulties in pursuing integrated policy and planning
practices (e.g., difficulty in adopting holistic and broad scale thinking,
inter-agency coordination, development of mutual policy)
 Uncertainty and technical limitations since SEAs generally cover
large areas, collecting and analyzing data is very complex subject to
greater levels of uncertainty limited information available, specially
when collecting data from different countries (e.g., determining
ecological and socio-economic carrying capacities)
 Accepting short-term pain for long-term gain
 Lack of resources (e.g., information, expertise, financial)
 Lack of strategies for effectively involving the public

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

13- Requirements for Effective SEA Systems:

 Political commitment and organizational support
 Clear provisions and requirements
 Use of appropriate methods
 Mechanisms for overview and monitoring, compliance and
performance
 Follow-up and feedback capability

14- SEA Status Around the World:

At present, SEA is a “statutory”2 requirement in several countries including
Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, and the United States (ICON,
2001). SEA is also a mandatory requirement for plans and programmes developed
or funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the
European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank.
In addition, certain countries are undertaking non-statutory SEA of plans and
programmes, including Austria, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, the Federal and
State Governments of Australia and Poland, either under government
administrative procedures or through advisory goodpractice guidance.
A larger number of countries are currently either piloting SEA applications or are
in the early stages of undertaking their first SEA, including Ireland.It should be
noted that the status of SEA is constantly changing in countries around the world
and that the literature review represents a snapshot of international good practice
based upon the documents that were consulted early in the research project .

15-Proposed Methodology to Undertake Strategic

Environmental Assessment:
The proposed methodology is generic in nature and is designed to be flexible and
applicable to all of the plans and programmes that may require SEA. When
applying the proposed methodology, it will be important to adapt the individual
tasks to the nature of the P/P, and the level of detail of the P/P being assessed.
This will increase the effectiveness of the application of the tasks and the quality
of the outputs.
 Methodologies are not as well-developed as for project-level EIA
comparative studies are needed on the use of various techniques
 No one standardized method (i.e., depends on specific use of SEA
- upper level policy development local land use planning)

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

16- SEA Techniques:

Includes:
 Techniques used for project-level EIA
 Techniques typically used for policy analysis/plan evaluation (e.g.,
scenario building and analysis)
 No one single technique can be used to fulfill all the steps in a
SEA

17- General Stages:

SEA processes, currently in use, have a number of features in common.
The proposed methodology is composed of seven procedural “Stages”:
1. Baseline Study
2. Screening/Scoping
3. Establish Environmental Indicators
4. Identify Options
5. Impact Analysis
6. Monitoring and Follow-Up
7. Consultation, Revision and Post-Adoption
Activities.

17.1- Baseline Study:

Identify the current state of the environment:
 Identify issues and concerns
 Establish a benchmark to evaluate impacts (i.e., the difference in
the status of the environment with and without the project or
activity)

17.2- Screening and Scoping:

A screening exercise is undertaken to answer the following threshold question:
Should an SEA be conducted for the subject proposal (i.e., a particular policy,
plan or program)?
Stage 1 establishes whether the relevant P/P must undergo an SEA. It uses a series
of procedural tasks, firstly to consider the overall characteristics of the P/P to see
if it falls within the requirements of the SEA Directive. The second task requires
the potential environmental significance of implementing the proposed P/P to be
gauged according to a series of significance criteria.
 Simple procedure to initiate SEA or exempt proposals from
further consideration
 Techniques: category lists, case-by-case evaluation, combination
A scoping exercise is conducted to ensure that all high priority issues relevant to
the decision being made are addressed in the SEA. There is wide agreement that

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

both direct and indirect (or “secondary”) effects of a proposal should be examined
and that cumulative impacts should be included in an SEA.
After deciding in Stage 1 that an SEA is required, Stage 2 is the beginning of the
SEA process in earnest. The purpose of Stage 2 is to develop an understanding of
the environmental media that may be affected and the key measures proposed in
the P/P to set a framework for identifying and evaluating the impact of the
measures on these environmental media. Scoping will ensure that the authority
remains focussed upon the important issues and
does not waste resources on unnecessary tasks.
 Probably the most crucial step in ensuring that the SEA is feasible
and useful
 Identify key environmental issues that will influence decision making
and how they will be appraised
 Considerably more complex than for project-level EIA:
o because policy, plan or programs (PPP) involve multiple
activities, they are likely to have greater and more
diverse impacts over a larger area
o be subject to more legislation and policies
o open to wider range of alternatives
All “stakeholders” – i.e., parties potentially affected by (or otherwise interested in)
the proposal – should be given an opportunity to participate in the scoping
exercise. While consultation with stakeholders takes place at various points in
proposal development, it is particularly important during scoping.

Scoping Techniques:
 Checklists
 Survey, case comparison
 Effects networks
 Public or expert consultation
17.3- Establish Environmental Indicators:
Sometimes the description and evaluation of effects is given in terms of
“sustainability indicators” (i.e., measures used to gauge whether the proposal will
contribute to sustainable development).

Indicators are used to:

 measure and describe baseline environmental conditions (e.g.,
State of the Environment reporting)
 predict impacts
 compare alternatives
 monitor implementation of PPP

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

17.4- Identify Options:

Comparing alternatives enables decision makers to determine which PPP is the
best option:
 achieves objectives at the lowest cost or greatest benefit
 achieves the best balance between contradictory objectives
Options can include:
 „do nothing‟ or „continue with present trends‟ option
 different locations
 different types of development which address the same objective
(e.g., energy by gas, coal, wind)
 different forms of management
 demand reduction

Techniques for Identifying Options:

 Environmental policy, standards, strategies
 Previous commitment precedents
 Regional/local plans
Public values and preferences
17.5- Impact Prediction:
SEA is concerned with the both direct and indirect impacts. The impacts of
policies, programs, and plans on the environmental components are normally
indirect. That is, the policy, programs, or plans are designed to bring about
changes in social and economic behavior. These social and economic changes
may in turn lead to potential direct and indirect impacts on the environment. The
process of forecasting and evaluating environmental effects in an SEA can employ
some of the same methods and procedures used in projectlevel EIA.
The purpose of this stage in the process is to identify and address the likely
environmental impacts of the P/P. This will involve:
• Obtaining an understanding of the existing state of the environment with respect
to the aspects that may be affected by the P/P.
• Predicting how that environment is expected to change as a consequence of
implementing the P/P (and its alternatives).
• Evaluating the significance of these changes in terms
of their compliance with the environmental policies, objectives and standards
identified during the scoping stage.
• Considering how the P/P can be revised or refined to
mitigate significant adverse effects and to maximise
any benefits offered by the P/P.
 Determine the type and magnitude of impacts that a PPP is likely
to have on the baseline environment
 The impact on final effects is often not addressed

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

 SEA impact analysis focuses on causal factors affecting the

environment rather than their environmental effects (e.g., focus on
energy consumption rather than CO2 emissions)
 Often it is most effective to evaluate PPP against each other -
focus on relative costs and benefits rather than absolutes which
are often difficult to quantify
Types of Impacts Integration :
Integration of environmental, social and economic effects must be part of the
impact prediction and evaluation process. This joint consideration of
environmental social and economic effects is essential because some proposals
will yield direct economic (or social) impacts that will then lead to indirect (or
“higher order”) environmental effects. While most countries emphasize
environmental effects in 4 Weiner, K. S., 1997, “Basic Purposes and Policies of
the NEPA Regulations,” in Clark, R. and L. Canter, Environmental Policy and
NEPA, St. Lucie Press, Boca Raton, FL.
SEAs, some are beginning to experiment with appraisals that integrate
environmental, social and economic effects in a balanced way.
Impacts of PPPs can be:
 large or small, affecting an international, national, regional or
local area
 positive or negative
 short-term or long-term, reversible or irreversible
Impacts of PPPs can be:
 direct, indirect or cumulative
 likely or unlikely to occur
 easy or difficult to mitigate
Impact Analysis Techniques:
 Literature Review
o State of Environment
o Case Comparison
 Analytical Techniques
o Scenario development
o Modeling and mapping
o Risk assessment
o Policy impact matrix
o Indicators and criteria
o Benefit-cost analysis
 Expert Judgement
o Delphi surveys
o Workshops
 Consultative Tools
o Interviews

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

o Selective consultation
o Policy dialogue

Impact Evaluation:
ImpactCharacteristics(e.g., spatial extent, reversibility) x Impact Importance(e.g.,
value, sensitivity of the environment) =Impact Significance
Determining Significance Based on:
 Regulations and guidelines
 PPP objectives
 Sustainability criteria (e.g., carrying capacity)
 Equity
 Public opinion
Addressing Uncertainty:
 Impact analysis can involve high levels of uncertainty
 Techniques used to reduce and communicate the uncertainty include:
o clarifying and reporting all assumptions
o stating predictions in ranges versus precise numbers
o basing predictions on different scenarios
o using worst-cased scenarios based on the precautionary
principle
o incorporate contingency plans
o incorporate sensitivity analysis
Mitigation:
An SEA should include measures that eliminate, reduce or offset adverse
environmental effects. The term “mitigation” refers to the “elimination, reduction
or control of the adverse effects of the policy, plan or program, and includes
restitution for any damage to the environment caused by such effects through
replacement, restoration, compensation or any other means”
 The aim of the SEA process is to minimize negative impacts to
the point where they are no longer significant
 Mitigation measures attempt to avoid, reduce, repair or
compensate for impacts
 Mitigations at the PPP level are typically more strategic,
proactive and more varied than those at the project level
 Mitigation measures may include:
 planning to avoid sensitive areas
 placing constraints or establishing frameworks for lower-tier
assessments
 establishing new protected areas
 creating guidelines for PPP implementation
 Once mitigation measures have been proposed, the potential
impacts should be re-evaluated

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 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ((Brief Overview))

17.6- Monitoring and Follow-Up:

An SEA should include a plan for monitoring environmental effects so that
mitigation measures can be implemented if unforeseen effects occur. In addition
an SEA should include a plan for ensuring that agreed upon mitigation measures
are actually carried out.
Objectives:
 Test whether the PPP is achieving its objectives and benchmarks
 Identify any negative impacts which require remediation
 Ensure that mitigation measures are implemented
 Provide feedback to assist future impact predictions
17.7- Consultation and Public Participation in SEA:
The aims of consultation and participation in SEA are to:
 Enhance transparency in decision-making, by providing information which
allows for early identification and mitigation of impacts;
 Provide a more comprehensive understanding of the baseline environment
and relevant key individual and community issues and values (so more
comprehensive data can be integrated into the preparation of the P/P);
 Obtain information about potential environmental effects at an early stage
of the SEA process; and • Increase understanding, avoiding unnecessary
controversy and delays in the decision-making process at later stages due to
public opposition arising from lack of understanding.
An independent review of an SEA provides a check on the quality of the assessment.
Results from the review should be considered in preparing the final SEA and in
making final decisions

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