Stream A LEGISLATION AND POLICY report back

Main issuess Formal Aspects Experience and lessons learned Plans and visions for the future Actions

Disclaimer Summing up 9 topics, 20 sessions, 30 hours A global perspective, a satellite view Based on experience, knowledge and ideas of conference participants – one side of the coin? A great diversity in the status, quality and effectiveness of SEA within and between regions

Formal aspects No explicit legislation / procedure Sustainability a constitutional requirement National Environmental Protection / Management Act requiring environment to be considered in all governmental ppp, monitoring of implementation by parliamentary commission before act is passed SEA implied in an EIA act as assessment of ppp International actors play key role in initiating SEA in areas without specific legislation

SEA specific legislation / procedure Procedures regulated, contents regulated¨ Part of planning system or independent Various coverage of ppp Legislation for policies distinct (and more rare) from plans and programmes Various implementation driving forces, and “streamlining” over simplifying approaches International instruments may play a crucial role – international requirements/regulations may be a driving force (eg. EU Directive, SEA Protocol)

Experience and lessons Many examples of effective SEA - both with and without mandatory requirements Formal legislation is not a guarantee of good SEA, but could help to make it happen Real difference is made by implementation - capacity strengthening, enforcement, guidelines and monitoring Vertical and horizontal cooperation of authorities is essential

Capacity needs assessment and well suited to local conditions capacity development is a good short cut to an effective system Trial runs and pilot studies a good way to test the proposed /new or modified/ legislation The test of effectiveness is in influencing planning outcome /decision; SEA can operate without an existing, established planning environment SEA procedure must fit to decision makers requirement / be user friendly

Communication of SEA to “SEA non-believers” is a weak point; wwillingness to be involved in SEA depends on perceived benefits Need for easily accessible examples of good practice, demonstrating benefits and value added of using SEA; simple tools should be promoted In some SEAs key stakeholders involvement in designing and running the SEA process was found beneficial SEA philosophy is linked with good governance and publicly accountable decision making Context: environment low on political agenda, cut back on administration, increased range of environmental issues and responsibilities, “simplification” of development procedures…

Plans and visions Dream scenario SEA enthusiastically and effectively performed for majority of ppp at all levels SEA a workable tool, a means to an end Perfect integration of environment into planning – no longer a need for a separate SEA tool Benefits of SEA well known and widely accepted Sufficient skills, tools, data, resources Effective implementation and monitoring A feedback loop constantly improves the system

Realistic scenario See Actions Nightmare scenario No progress made¨ SEA not applied SEA “streamlined” out of the system or limited to “check-box” formal compliance

Actions Promote SEA as a useful tool, a means to an end Create and up date a data base of case studies which proved effective and demonstrated benefits / time, costs, public acceptance,…/ Improve benefits of SEA for sectors and industries; include them as indicators of SEA effectiveness Capacity assessments and trainings are constantly needed Make sure “SEA like” tools complement each other and not compete Provide information targeted at various groups of “SEA non-believers”, champion the use of SEA

Promote use of SEA tools, especially the simple and effective ones Provide practitioners and sectors with guidelines and opportunities to “learn by doing”, voluntary schemes, pilot studies Facilitate information exchange: networks, web pages, publications, especially at regional level Focus on what YOU can do

CREDITS The work was done by topic leaders and group participants THANKS!

Urszula A. Rzeszot WS Atkins Polska Sp. z o.o. ul. Nowogrodzka Warszawa Tel Fax –