Background, sustainable development, principles of Rio Declaration, Espoo Convention, understanding difference in policy, plan, program & project, key elements of SEA, benefits of SEA.

1. Analytical and Participatory processes for
incorporating environmental & social
considerations, at early stages of decision
making, into policies, plans and programs
STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT (SEA)

2. Background
 Towards the end of 20th century the world community
finally realized the importance of clean environment
and judicious use of natural resources as essential
prerequisites for human survival after experiencing
serious environmental harms as the aftermath of
Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) in Europe and
America.
 The world saw a major increase in population, which,
along with an increase in living standards, led to the
depletion of natural resources. The use of chemicals
and fuel in factories resulted in increased air and water
pollution and an increased use of fossil fuels.

3. World Commission on Environment
and Development (WCED)
 In 1983 the UN Secretary General Javier Peres de Cuellar
invited Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland
to form and chair World Commission on Environment &
Development, popularly known as the Brundtland
Commission. The purpose of the Commission was to
identify environmental worries such as population growth,
global warming, deforestation, species loss, toxic wastes
etc., and develop an action plan in matters pertaining to
development and environmental protection. WCED was
dissolved in 1987 after publishing its report “Our Common
Future” that emphasized the need and importance of
“Sustainable Development” at global level.
 http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf

4. UNCED 1992 Rio de Janeiro
 The recommendations and action plan of the WCED were
presented before the UN Conference on Environment and
Development or the ‘Earth Summit’, held in Brazil from 3rd
to 14th June 1992, with 172 participating countries.
 It was the first time in human history that a global
consensus was evolved to adopt the concept ‘Sustainable
Development’ as a way forward for future economic and
industrial growth of the world.
 The Brundtland Commission Report “Our Common
Future” (1987) defined Sustainable Development as:
“development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs”

6. Principles Identified in Rio
Declaration
 Principle-1: “Human beings are at the center of concerns for
sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and
productive life in harmony with nature”;
 Principle-4: “in order to achieve sustainable development,
environmental protection shall constitute an integral part of the
development process and cannot be considered in isolation from
it”;
 Principle-17: “Environmental impact assessment, as a national
instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are
likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment
and are subject to a decision of a competent national authority”;
 Principle-25: “Peace, development and environmental protection
are interdependent and indivisible”;

7. Continued…
 Principle-10: “Environmental issues are best handled with
the participation of all concerned citizens, at the relevant
level. At the national level, each individual shall have
appropriate access to information concerning the
environment that is held by public authorities, including
information on hazardous materials and activities in their
communities, and the opportunity to participate in decision-
making processes. States shall facilitate and encourage
public awareness and participation by making information
widely available. Effective access to judicial and
administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy,
shall be provided”.

8. Espoo Convention 1991
 Another more relevant international agreement on EIA
in a trans-boundary context is known as the Espoo
Convention that relates to trans-boundary projects
between two or more contiguous countries. It was
adopted on Feb. 25, 1991, in Espoo, Finland, and after
a lengthy process of ratification, acceptance, approval
& accession it entered into force on Sep. 10, 1997. In
comparison to the normal EIA required for large
projects the Espoo convention calls for Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) or evaluation of the
likely environmental, including health, effects in a plan
or program.

9. Physical Spheres of Environment
 Atmosphere
Structure/composition/dynamics of air, weather
systems
 Hydrosphere
Oceans, seas, lakes, wetlands, rivers, groundwater,
springs, glaciers (Cryosphere)
 Lithosphere
Rocks, minerals, soil (Pedosphere)
 Biosphere
Animals including humans, plants, microorganisms

10. Pakistani Laws define
Environment
Air, water and land
All layers of the Atmosphere
All organic/inorganic matter & living organisms
The Ecosystem and ecological relationships
Buildings, structures, roads, facilities and works
All social and economic conditions affecting
community life
Interrelationship between any of the above
factors
(Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997)

11. Strategic Environmental Assessment
 SEA is a systematic, proactive process for evaluating the
environmental consequences of policies, plans & programs
in order to ensure that environmental consequences are
fully included and adequately addressed at the earliest stage
of decision making, on par with economic and social
considerations (Sadler & Verheem, 1996).
 It promotes social and economic equity alongside
ecological sustainability in decision making on
development initiatives.
• Exercised to address broad strategic issues
• Relates to more than one projects, large areas, affecting many
people and communities
• Issues need to be resolved and decided prior to making
decisions.

13. Policy, Plan, Program, Project
 Policy: A general course of action or proposed overall
direction that a government is, or will be, pursuing and that
guides ongoing decision-making.
 Plan: A purposeful, forward-looking strategy or design,
often with coordinated priorities, options and measures that
elaborates and implements policy.
 Program: A coherent organized agenda or schedule of
commitments, proposals, instruments and/or activities that
elaborates and implements policy.
 Project: A proposed capital undertaking, typically involving
the planning, design and construction of a plan, facility or
structure
(Sadler & Verheem, 1996)

14. Basic Stages in SEA
1. Establishing the Context for SEA
 Screening
 Setting Objectives
 Identifying Stakeholders
2. Implementing the SEA
 Scoping (in consultation with stakeholders)
 Collecting baseline data
 Identifying alternatives
 Identifying how to enhance opportunities and mitigate impacts
 Quality assurance
 Reporting

15. Continued…
3. Informing and Influencing decision-making
 Making recommendations (in consultation with
stakeholders)
4. Monitoring and Evaluation
 Monitoring decisions taken on the PPP
 Monitoring implementation of the PPP
 Evaluation of both SEA and PPP
(OECD, 2006)

16. Key Elements of SEA Process
 Identification of broad plan and program alternatives
 Screening
 Scoping
 Situation Assessment
 Formulation of guidelines for development of plans and
programs
 Developing and assessing alternatives plans and programs
 Developing strategy for implementation, monitoring and
auditing
 Decision making
 Implementation
(World Bank, 2002)

17. SEA Answers Following
Questions
 ‰What are the potential direct and indirect outcomes of
PPP?
 ‰How do the PPP outcomes interact with the
environment?
 ‰What is the scope and nature of environmental
interactions?
 ‰Can the adverse environmental effects be mitigated?
 ‰What are the overall potential environmental effects of
the PPP after opportunities for mitigation have been
incorporated?

18. Benefits of Implementing SEA
Process
‰
 The promotion of public participation and ownership of the decision-making
process
 ‰The provision of guidance on the development of mitigation proposals
 ‰The provision of a systematic review of relevant environmental issues
 ‰The achievement of a clearer understanding within government administrations
of potential environmental effects
 ‰The facilitation of the design of sustainable policies, plans and programs
 ‰Improvement of the way in which cumulative effects and global changes are
dealt with
 ‰The maintenance and enhancement of a chosen level of environmental quality,
rather than on minimizing individual impacts, by ensuring that environmental
issues are addressed from an early stage in the process of formulating PPPs and
incorporated throughout the process
 ‰Identification of the opportunities and constraints which the environment places
on development
 ‰Highlighting trade-offs between short-term benefits and long term adverse
impacts

19. Environmental Issues of PPPs (+ or -
)
 Biodiversity
 Change in Biodiversity
 Ecosystem Health
 Exotic Species
 Habitat Change
 Species Extinction
 Climate
 Desertification
 Drought
 Climate Change

20. Continued…
 Environmental Degradation
 Acidification
 Air Quality
 Contamination of Biota
 Contamination of Soil
 Contamination of Water
 Environmental Technology
 Eutrophication
 Water Quality
 Man-made Disasters
 Natural Disasters
 Release of Toxic Chemicals

21. Continued…
 Land Use
 Arable Land
 Deforestation
 Recreational Land
 Traffic Congestion
 Urban Well Being
 Urbanization
 Resources
 Fisheries, Energy, Minerals, Soil quality, Water

22. National Policies of Pakistan
 National Water Policy (draft 2017)
 National Food Security Policy (draft 2017)
 National Transport Policy (under preparation)
 National Power Policy (2015)
 National Forest Policy (2015)
 National Energy Policy (2013-18)
 National Climate Change Policy (2012)
 National Drinking Water Policy (2009)
 National Sanitation Policy (2006)
 National Maritime Policy (2002)
 National Housing Policy (2001)
 National Tourism Policy (1990)

23. Pakistan’s Public Sector
Programs
 Public Sector Development Program (PSDP)
 National Rural Support Program (NRSP, 1991)
 Family Planning Program (1965)
 Extended Program on Immunization (EPI, 1978)
 Epidemics Prevention and Control Program
(2011)
 Punjab Industries Sector Program (2018)
 Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Program
(2011)
 Youth Skills Development Program (2014)
 National TB Control Program (1996)