Implementing SEA in practice: SEA of the National Strategy on the Use of Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources in Azerbaijan for the years 2015 – 2020, presentation by Aysel Babayeva, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Azerbaijan

1. Implementing SEA in practice
in Azerbaijan:
SEA of the National Strategy on the Use
of Alternative and Renewable Energy
Sources in Azerbaijan for the years
2015-2020
Ms. Aysel Babayeva
Senior advisor, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
National focal point to UNECE, Espoo Convention
_______________
Brussels, Belgium. 1 December 2017

2. Partnership on SEA capacity building activities in
Azerbaijan
UNECE Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) and its Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA) Protocol confirmed national SEA
capacity building assistance to Azerbaijan by
adoption of its “Work Plan for 2014-2017 years”
during its Meeting of Parties on 2-5 June 2014 in
Geneva.
Work plan reflected the national needs on SEA
application (legal and institutional) and pilot project
implementation proposed by the Ministry of Ecology
and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan
(MENR).
SEA Pilot project was implemented in 2014 – 2016.
Funds were provided by the European Union
Program “Greening Economies in the Eastern
Neighbourhood” (EU EaP Green Program)
_______Aysel Babayeva______
In close cooperation and coordination
with State Alternative and Renewable
Energy Agency (AREA) of Azerbaijan,
MENR proposed the SEA pilot on newly
developed Strategy by AREA:
“National Strategy on the use of Alternative
and Renewable Energy Sources in
Azerbaijan for 2015-2020 years”.

3. SEA practice in Azerbaijan
• SEA of Greater Baku Regional Development Plan.
SEA was implemented based on requirements of World
Bank which was main funding organization of the project
(2014)
• A pilot SEA of the National Strategy on the Use of
Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources in
Azerbaijan for 2015 – 2020. (2015)
The SEA pilot was implemented in the framework of the
EU funded program “Greening Economies in the Eastern
Neighborhood” (EaP GREEN)

4. SEA pilot project implementation targets
 To build national institutional capacity and legal framework via getting
the experience on SEA application at the national level
 To test and demonstrate opportunities of practical application of the
relevant provisions of draft EIA law which included in provisions on SEA
 To develop recommendations for improvement of national legislative and
institutional frameworks on SEA, in particular Draft EIA Law based on
learned lessons and to support its development in compliance with
international requirements (EU Directive 2001/42/EC and UNECE
Protocol on SEA)
 To provide recommendations for environmental optimization and
modifications of the ARES Strategy

5. Key steps on SEA
Screening:
Weather the Strategy as a conceptual strategic document is subject to SEA or not?
Scoping:
Determining the key environmental and issues relevant to the Strategy, including public
consultation on scoping (Baku, May 2015).
Environmental baseline:
Analyzing the existing situation and problems for the key issues determined in the scoping
phase.
Assessment:
Evaluating the likely environmental and health effects related to the Strategy.
Draft SEA report:
Preparing the draft SEA report and final public consultation (Baku, December 2015).
Final SEA report and recommendations:
Detailing the key findings and recommendations for the Strategy, including measures to
mitigate the likely environmental and health impacts when considering the action plans.
Regular meetings were held with the experts of SEA team and relevant authorities, along
with the workshops delivered by international experts.

6. Development scheme of AREs (source: AREA)

7. Scope of SEA
Main aspects
 Climate
 Atmospheric air
 Biodiversity, flora and fauna
 Landscape
 Water
 Soil and land resources
 Tangible and non-tangible
cultural heritage, tourism
resources
 Human Health
Envisaged likely significant impacts
 To biodiversity, birds (avifauna - sea and migratory birds) and
bats, national parks, state nature reserves and protected
zones, including the sensitive zones (important ornithological
areas, wetlands and migratory ways of the birds by Wind
Power
 To river flow regime, volume, its ecosystem and the local
fishery by SHPS
 To land resources, material cultural heritage and traditional
use of lands, thus ARE development will demand land
acquisition, in particular SPS, SHPS.
 All activities installation, construction and exploitation period
will have significant, short-term impacts to the environment
 Inter-sectoral activity conflicts, specially, agriculture, fishery,
oil and gas, water and waste management

8. Key SEA pilot recommendations
The SEA found that the Strategy would have an overall positive impact on the
environment, due to a reduction in emissions and pollution (if renewables replace certain
parts of energy production from fossil fuels) and enhanced energy security. The following
measures were proposed in further renewable energy planning (Action Plan and
projecting level):
• Provide detailed siting guidance (indicated by SEA) for selecting locations, e.g. projects
should not be located: (a) within bird migratory corridors, areas of importance for bird
species, or Protected Nature Areas, (b) 0.5km-1km from residential buildings or 0.5km
from work facilities, or (c) on prime agricultural land or forest land.
• Promote the recycling and reuse of natural resources and materials in renewable
energy projects. In particular, to utilize the facilities on hydro power development suitable
for fish routes and consider best available design for actual river ecosystem (derivation
method and avoiding more than two facilities on the river) to address those concerns
• To support local community enhancement projects and considering it in funds for
implementation of the projects (e.g. upgraded roads or new community buildings by
planning authority).
• Establish regular follow up (State environmental Expertize of MENR) and reporting
schemes to monitor impacts that may occur during implementation of activities.

10. GIS map
(National parks, protected zones, wetlands + development scheme of ARES by 2020

11. River Brown Trout (Qizilxalli) and Salmo Trutta Caspius (Xəzər qızılbalığı)
(included to the Red Book of Azerbaijan) and Small Hydro Power Plant

12. What was achieved in
general?

13. Results of SEA pilot project
SEA application to ARE sector
 Provided new approach to address environmental and health issues caused by ARE
use, despite the assumptions on “clean energy”
 Revealed opportunities for development and environmental protection, in particular
on conservation of biodiversity
 Provided inter-sectoral opportunities to avoid potential conflicts between ARE and
other economic sectors
 Set out objectives and measures regarding environment and health to be integrated
into the “Action Plan” under the “Strategy on ARES”
 Formulated further framework for the EIA to be followed at the project level of ARE
development
Capacity building:
 More than 10 person gained theoretical knowledge of SEA as well as practical
experience with its application, awareness on SEA raised among governmental
authorities, civil servants, public and academia
 Improved coordination among the governmental bodies, ensured public trust
 SEA recommendation paper has been preparing based on the outcomes of SEA pilot
to increase efficiency of the national SEA system

14. Photos from final public consultations on SEA Report on
December, 2015, Baku

15. Presentation of SEA results in 7th International Forum on
Energy for Sustainable Development (18-21 October 2016.
Baku, Azerbaijan)

16. Workshop at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academia (ADA university) with the University of Geneva
on “Green urban management” Introducing the role of SEA in urban planning by MENR

18. Thank you for attention!