Strategic Environmental Assessment in Programming of EU Structural Funds in CEE Szentedre, 19 Septem

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Strategic Environmental Assessment in Programming
of EU Structural Funds in CEESzentedre, 19
September 2002

• Jiri Dusik
• jdusik_at_rec.org

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REC Environmental Assessment Programme

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REC regional projects

• Implemented since 1997 as part of Sofia EIA
  Initiative (cooperation with OECD, UN/ECE, UNEP,
  UNDP)
• Aarhus Ministerial Conference (1998) SEA in
  Transitional Countries Emerging Practices
• SEA capacity-building activities in Czech
  Republic
• Input into negotiations on the SEA Protocol to
  the Espoo Convention (CEE workshops in coop. with
  UN/ECE Karlovy Vary 2000, Szentendre, 2000,
  Szentendre 2001, Warsawa 2001)
• Regional programme on SEA in Structural Funds
  programming in CEE (pilot projects in 5 CEECs
  regional workshops Bratislava 1999, Bled 2001)
• SEA capacity-building in South East Europe
  (national workshop in Croatia 1999, forthcoming
  in 5 SEECs)

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REC national projects Czech Rep.

• National Energy Policy (1998)
• Regional Development Strategies in Plzen Region
  (1999, 2001)
• National Development Plan (2001)
• National Strategy of Regional Development (2001)
• Regional Operational Programme for South-West
  (2001)
• Sectoral Operational Programme for Tourism (2001)
• National Tourism Policy (2002)
• National Waste Management Plan public review
  (2002)
• Update of National Development Plan (2002)
• ------
• Methodology of MoE for SEA of Regional
  Development Concepts
• System of Licensing of SEA experts

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REC national projects other CEECs

• Completed
• Slovenia National Development Plan (2000, 2001)
• Initiated in January 2002
• Estonia National Development Plan / SPD (2002)
• Poland National Development Plan (2002)
• Hungary Regional Operational Programme (2002)
• Bulgaria Regional Operational Programme (with
  DHV/Povvik, 2002)
• Turkey advising on SEA pilot for Master Plan of
  Canakkale Region, Turkey (for Matra/DHV, 2002)

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What is SEA

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Forms of Environmental Assessment

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Operational rules for applying SEA (Sadler 2001)

• the purpose is to inform decisions not produce a
  study SEA should help to maximise environmental
  benefits as well to avoid adverse impacts
• SEA can have many different forms, depending on
  the nature of the plan, programme of policy
• begin as early as practicable
• provide the right information at the right time
• use the simplest methods consistent with the task
• document the outcomes of the SEA process
• ensure public partcipation and independent review
  and

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Legislative provisions for SEA in CEE
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Approaches to SEA in CEE

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Two approaches to SEA

• Impact assessment approach extension of standard
  EIA procedure (emphasis on forecasting)
• Objective-led appraisal integration of
  environmental objectives into sectoral planning
  and programming (emphasis on backcasting) some
  elements present in traditional environmental
  evaluations of spatial plans in CEE

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SEA based on impact assessment

• Proponent submits the draft P/P for SEA screening
• Scoping of the draft strategy to identify key
  issues and referential alternatives that should
  be considered within the impact assessment
• Preparation of a SEA Report that evaluates the
  environmental impacts of each alternative and
  recommends the optimal solution
• Public and expert review of the SEA Report
• Final SEA Report serves as the key document for
  decision-making

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REC comments on impact assessment

• Often undertaken too late - only when draft P/P
  is prepared
• Conflicts arise when the planning authority is
  requested to develop new alternatives within the
  scoping
• Public participation through formal hearings at
  the end of the process may not be very effective
• SEA Report can be ignored if it comes too late in
  the decision-making

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SEA based on objective-led appraisal

• Proponent initiates the environmental appraisal
  when the agreement to develop the strategy has
  been agreed - SEA undertaken parallel to the
  planning
• Environmental problems in the sector/region
  subject to the strategy are identified
• Environmental objectives and targets for the
  sector/region subject to the strategy are
  established
• Strategic alternatives are evaluated against
  environmental goals and targets for the
  sector/region

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SEA based on objective-led appraisal

• Environmental impacts of the proposed specific
  activities suggested in the strategic decision
  are assessed and mitigated
• Public review organised in the key stages of the
  interactive process outlined above
• SEA Report summarises outcomes of the
  interactions above and the key outstanding issues

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REC comments on objective-led appraisal

• Putts environmental assessment into heart of the
  planning process - interactions of the planning
  teams and SEA team require considerable amount of
  work
• Examines issues that may not be captured by the
  traditional EIA process
• SEA is broken down to mini-assessments need
  to secure overall clarity and transparency of the
  SEA process.
• Public participation can be organised within
  relevant stages of this integrated procedure

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SEA requirements relevant to EU Structural Funds

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Basic requirements

• Framework regulation on SF programming in
  2000-2006 (1260/1999/EC) - Art. 41 Ex-ante
  evaluation
• Vademecum, Plans and Programming Documents for
  Structural Funds 2000-2006 (DG XVI, 1999)
  provides the general guidance for programming of
  EU Structural Funds,
• Handbook on Environmental Assessment of Regional
  Development Plans and EU Structural Funds, (DG
  XI, 1998) provides specific methodological
  guidance for SEA of RDPs in the European Union,

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Environmental Ex-ante evaluation

• Art 41.2(b)
• Evaluation of the environmental situation of the
  region concerned, in particular of those
  environmental sectors which will presumably be
  considerably affected by the assistance
• An estimate of the expected impact on the
  environmental situation
• Arrangements to integrate the environmental
  dimension into the assistance and how far they
  fit in with existing short- and long-term
  national, regional and local objectives (e.g.
  environmental management plans)