Moving towards a more Moving towards a more comprehensive planning comprehensive planning

SEA and indicators SEA and indicators

Per ChristensenPer ChristensenAalborg UniversityAalborg University

DenmarkDenmark

contentcontent

SEA – strategic environmental SEA – strategic environmental assessmentassessment

A new framework for planningA new framework for planning

Storstrøms County – a project on SEAStorstrøms County – a project on SEA

The SEA directiveThe SEA directive

2001/42/EC on the assessment of the 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes effects of certain plans and programmes on the environmenton the environment

Implemented before 21/7 2004Implemented before 21/7 2004

Mandatory for regional plans after 21/7 2006Mandatory for regional plans after 21/7 2006

No guidelines will be made – the counties are on their No guidelines will be made – the counties are on their ownown

Purpose of SEAPurpose of SEA

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

Steps in a SEASteps in a SEA

Consultation and delimitationsConsultation and delimitations Collecting base-line dataCollecting base-line data Consider reasonable alternativesConsider reasonable alternatives Assess environmental impactsAssess environmental impacts Mitigation measuresMitigation measures Publicly available ”environmental report”Publicly available ”environmental report” HearingsHearings Decision makingDecision making MonitoringMonitoring

What´s new ?What´s new ?

A A systematic systematic assessment with a reference to assessment with a reference to baseline baseline conditionsconditions

An assessment of a An assessment of a 0-alternative0-alternative,,

A A documented documented assessment, assessment,

A more A more transparent transparent decision makingdecision making

A A monitoringmonitoring of significant environmental impacts of significant environmental impacts

What is meant with goals and What is meant with goals and objectivesobjectives

You have to comply with international and You have to comply with international and national policies and conventionsnational policies and conventions

Increased number of EU policiesIncreased number of EU policies

Decreasing national frameworks - from policies Decreasing national frameworks - from policies to intentionsto intentions

The goals and objectives of the countyThe goals and objectives of the county

What is meant by the ”environment” What is meant by the ”environment” in the directivein the directive

BiodiversityBiodiversity PopulationPopulation Human healthHuman health faunafauna floraflora soilsoil waterwater airair climatic factorsclimatic factors Material assetsMaterial assets Cultural heritageCultural heritage landscapelandscape Interrelationship beween theseInterrelationship beween these

A broad concept of the environment just like in EIA

Environmental effectsEnvironmental effects

SecondarySecondary cumulativecumulative synergisticsynergistic short-, medium- and long termshort-, medium- and long term Permanent and temporaryPermanent and temporary positive and negativepositive and negative

A new framework for planningA new framework for planning AlternativesAlternatives

Clearer goals and Clearer goals and objectivesobjectives

Using indicators and Using indicators and monitoringmonitoring

Assessing environmental Assessing environmental impacts using a broader impacts using a broader concept of the environmentconcept of the environment

Goal

Indicators

Monitoring

Elements in a new Elements in a new environmental planningenvironmental planning

Regionalindicators

Indicators as a new way of working Indicators as a new way of working with planningwith planning

The concept of The concept of indicator was first indicator was first used in Denmark in used in Denmark in connection with the connection with the National strategy for National strategy for sustainable sustainable development (2001)development (2001)

Objectives and principles Head-line indicators Denmark must develop the welfare society and decouple economic growth from environmental impacts

N1 : GNP per capita N2 : Environmental impacts from 4 factors (CO2-greenhouse effect, N and P – eutrophication, and a measure for acidification) N3 : True savings N4 : Employment in different age groups

Denmark must create a safe and healthy environment for everyone and maintain a high level of protection

N5 : Average life expectancy (men and women) N6 : Emission of greenhouse gasses in different sectors N7 : Consumption of toxic chemicals

Denmark must secure a high degree of biological diversity and protect the ecosystems

N8: Natural habitats

Denmark must use resources more efficiently

N9 : Resource streams for 3 factors (energy, water and waste) in absolute number and relatively in relation to GGP

Denmark must take action at the international level

N10 : Foreign aid in percentage of GNI

Denmark must ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account in all sectors

N11 & N12 : Every year 3 sectors are chosen to illustrate the progress in their environmental profile

Denmark must ensure that the market supports sustainable development

N13 : Number of eco-labelled products

Denmark must ensure that sustainable development is a shared responsibility, and we must measure progress

N14 : Number of state institutions with a green procurement policy N15 : Number of environmentally certified firms

The use The use of of indicatorsindicators

Content of the courseContent of the course

Goals and objectivesGoals and objectives

Environmental Environmental assessmentassessment

Indicators and monitoringIndicators and monitoring

Establishing a proper Establishing a proper organisation that can organisation that can manage the taskmanage the task

Objectives Indicators

Assessment

Hierarchy of goals Hierarchy of goals and objectivesand objectives

Are the goals and Are the goals and obectives consistent?obectives consistent?

Read and discussRead and discuss

Check compatibilyCheck compatibily

Goals and objectivesGoals and objectives

Sustainable region

Groundwater protection Traffic policies Increase biodiversity

Environmental assessmentEnvironmental assessment

SEA is different from SEA is different from EIAEIA

Many different Many different methodsmethods

Scoping and Scoping and assessmentassessment

IndicatorsIndicators

Propose indicators at Propose indicators at different level of different level of complexity in the complexity in the regional planregional plan

Where are we headingWhere are we heading

The work with the environmental The work with the environmental assessment is now being initiated and assessment is now being initiated and during the next year establishing indicators during the next year establishing indicators and clarification of goals will happen as and clarification of goals will happen as wellwell