Public participation in Strategic Environmental Assessment: A practitioners' perspective |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy;2. GB Studio consultancy, Via della Colla 3, 18100 Andora, SV, Italy;1. School of Geo and Spatial Sciences, Department of Geography and Environmental Management, North-West University, C/O Hoffman & Borcherd Street, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa;2. Environmental Assessment, School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, Australia.;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. Federal University of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil;2. University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil;3. Escola Superior Dom Helder Câmara, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil;1. Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment, PO Box 2345; 3500 GH, Utrecht, The Netherlands;2. Environmental Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands;3. Environmental Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands;4. Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | Public participation is considered a distinguished feature of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and the SEA literature has traditionally identified several benefits attached to it, from more open and transparent decision-making to greater acceptance of plans/programmes' output by the affected population. However, relatively little empirical evidence has been collected so far on the extent and outcomes of public engagement as it is being carried out in current SEA practice. In this article, we present the results of a study on this theme based on a direct survey of 47 SEA practitioners and scholars from different countries. Respondents were asked to report their experience about a number of items including: the frequency of SEA process featuring deep public participation; its overall influence on plan/programmme-making; the identification of the main factors impeding it; the correlation of public involvement with environmental outcomes; and the increase of costs. Results indicate that public engagement in current SEA practice is still relatively limited and with limited influence on decision-making. The main impeding factors seem to be: lack of political willingness by proponents; insufficient information on the SEA process by the public; and weakness of the legal frames. However, respondents also report that when effective public engagement takes place, benefits do arise and identify a positive correlation between the degree of public involvement and the environmental performance of plans and programmes. Overall, findings suggest that public involvement has indeed the potential to positively influence both SEA and decision-making, although this should be supported from the policy side by stronger legal frames, higher requirements and improved technical guidance. |
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