Moving towards a more comprehensive planning SEA and indicators Per Christensen Aalborg University Denmark

content  SEA – strategic environmental assessment  A new framework for planning  Storstrøms County – a project on SEA

The SEA directive  2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment Implemented before 21/ Implemented before 21/ Mandatory for regional plans after 21/ Mandatory for regional plans after 21/ No guidelines will be made – the counties are on their own No guidelines will be made – the counties are on their own

Purpose of SEA  Environmental assessment is an important tool for integrating environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of certain plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment… because it ensures that such effects of implementing plans and programmes are taken into account during their preparation and before their adoption

Steps in a SEA  Consultation and delimitations  Collecting base-line data  Consider reasonable alternatives  Assess environmental impacts  Mitigation measures  Publicly available ”environmental report”  Hearings  Decision making  Monitoring

What´s new ?  A systematic assessment with a reference to baseline conditions  An assessment of a 0-alternative,  A documented assessment,  A more transparent decision making  A monitoring of significant environmental impacts

What is meant with goals and objectives  You have to comply with international and national policies and conventions  Increased number of EU policies  Decreasing national frameworks - from policies to intentions  The goals and objectives of the county

What is meant by the ”environment” in the directive  Biodiversity  Population  Human health  fauna  flora  soil  water  air  climatic factors  Material assets  Cultural heritage  landscape  Interrelationship beween these A broad concept of the environment just like in EIA

Environmental effects  Secondary  cumulative  synergistic  short-, medium- and long term  Permanent and temporary  positive and negative

A new framework for planning Alternatives Alternatives Clearer goals and objectives Clearer goals and objectives Using indicators and monitoring Using indicators and monitoring Assessing environmental impacts using a broader concept of the environment Assessing environmental impacts using a broader concept of the environment Goal Indicators Monitoring

Elements in a new environmental planning Regional indicators

Indicators as a new way of working with planning  The concept of indicator was first used in Denmark in connection with the National strategy for sustainable development (2001)

The use of indicators

Content of the course  Goals and objectives  Environmental assessment  Indicators and monitoring  Establishing a proper organisation that can manage the task Objectives Indicators Assessment

 Hierarchy of goals and objectives  Are the goals and obectives consistent? Read and discuss Read and discuss Check compatibily Check compatibily Goals and objectives

Environmental assessment  SEA is different from EIA  Many different methods  Scoping and assessment

Indicators  Propose indicators at different level of complexity in the regional plan

Where are we heading  The work with the environmental assessment is now being initiated and during the next year establishing indicators and clarification of goals will happen as well