Strategic environmental assessment for sustainability: A review of a decade of academic research |
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| Institution: | 1. UCL QASER Lab, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK;2. Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, viale Italia, 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy;1. Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg, Box 640, S-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden;2. University of Gothenburg, Box 640, S-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden;1. School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland;2. Levett-Therivel Sustainability Consultants, United Kingdom;3. School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland;4. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland;1. Dipartimento di Agraria, Sezione Ingegneria del Territorio, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Viale Italia, 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy;2. UCL QASER Lab & Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 7HB, UK;1. Appraisal Center for Environment and Engineering, MEP, China;2. Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, China;3. Tianjin Environmental Monitoring Center, China;4. School of the Built Environment, Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom;5. Research center for Strategic Environmental Assessment, Nankai University, China |
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| Abstract: | This paper examines the strategic environmental assessment (SEA)–sustainability relationship over the past decade, from 2000 to 2010, focusing in particular on the incorporation of sustainability in SEA. A total of 86 papers from the academic literature containing the terms ‘sustainability’ or ‘sustainable development’ and ‘strategic environmental assessment’ were identified and reviewed. Several common themes emerged by which SEA can support sustainability, including providing a framework to support decision making for sustainability; setting sustainability objectives, ensuring the consideration of ‘more sustainable’ alternatives, and integrating sustainability criteria in PPP development; and promoting sustainability outcomes through tiering and institutional learning. At the same time, our review identified many underlying barriers that challenge SEA for sustainability, including the variable interpretations of the scope of sustainability in SEA; the limited use of assessment criteria directly linked to sustainability objectives; and challenges for decision-makers in operationalizing sustainability in SEA and adapting PPP development decision-making processes to include sustainability issues. To advance SEA for sustainability there is a need to better define the scope of sustainability in SEA; clarify how to operationalize the different approaches to sustainability in SEA, as opposed to simply describing those approaches; provide guidance on how to operationalize broad sustainability goals through assessment criteria in SEA; and understand better how to facilitate institutional learning regarding sustainability through SEA application. |
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