Wetlands and Poverty Reduction Project Anglophone regional practitioners training course MODULE 3 POLICY SETTING AND ADVOCACY By Teddy Tindamanyire, Isah Dutse, Catherine Mungai 5 MAY 2007 A Wetlands International project supported by DGIS

Lecture 5: USE OF STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT (SEA) TOOLS IN WETLANDS MANAGEMENT

Learning Objectives Meaning and concept of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Application of SEA tools Application of SEA tools to country specific wetlands strategies and other plans in the African Region

Definition A systematic process for evaluating the environmental consequences of proposed policy, plan or programme initiatives in order to ensure they are fully included and appropriately addressed at the earliest appropriate stage of decision making on par with economic and social considerations (Sadler and Verheem (1996)

Sea – Definition Cont’d Simply defined as the environmental impact assessment process applied to policies, plans and programmes at strategic levels (as opposed to project level in conventional EIA). Other related terms used to refer to environmental assessment at the strategic level include – Policy environmental assessment – Policy impact assessment – Sectoral environmental assessment – Programmatic environmental impact statement

The Aims of SEA Main aim: Incorporate Environmental/sustainability issues in strategic decision making Secondary aims: Improve the strategic action by making it clearer, more internally consistent Involve the public or its representatives in the decision making process Educate decision makers about the environmental impacts of their decisions

In Principle SEA helps to mainstream environment into national planning from its initial stages which then leads to sustainable PPPs On a wider spectrum, MDG Goal 7 Can only be achieved and sustain our resources if environment issues are strongly embedded and mainstreamed into PPPs through the use of SEA

SEA Principles SEA Focuses on opportunities for stimulating sustainable development SEA focus on identifying pro-poor policies, plans and programmes SEA gives equal weight to natural resources and socio- economics SEA Encourages consistency & flexibility SEA is gender sensitive SEA is applicable at national, regional and district levels SEA encourages simplicity and practicality SEA Provides reliable information

... Socio- Cultural Economy Natural resources SEA of NWP Achieving Poverty Reduction through sustainable growth Basic concepts and definitions

Basic concepts Cont. Strategy – high level actions that are Policies, Plans and Programmes (PPP) Policy – is an inspiration & guidance for action e.g. whether to institute a carbon tax Plan – a set of coordinated and timed objective for implementation of the policy e.g. extension of natural gas to domestic consumers by 2007 Programme – a set of projects in a particular area

Basic concepts Cont. Environment – includes natural resources, socio-cultural, economic conditions and institutional environment

SEA & other processes?. Integrated Impact Assessment STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Social Impact Assessment Adaptive Impact Assessment Sustainability Appraisal Cumulative Impact Assessment

Similarities of SEA & other env’tal processes like all the above are based on the premise of: Sustainability Participatory approach and Adaptability

Steps in the sea process Step 1:Understanding the Context Step 2:Determining Objectives and Targets Step 3:Defining Baseline Conditions Step 4:Evaluating the Existing PPP Step 5:Predicting Effects Step 6:Developing Indicators Step 7:Considering Alternatives Step 8:Considering the Scope for Mitigation Step 9:Monitoring and Evaluation

Stakeholder analysis to identify those affected and involved in the PPP decision Consultation surveys Consensus building processes SEA Tools for ensuring stakeholder engagement

SEA Tools for predicting environmental & socio-economic effects Modeling or forecasting of direct environmental effects Matrices Network analysis Participatory or consultative techniques Geographical information systems Sustainability Analysis

SEA Tools for analysing and comparing options Scenario analysis and multi-criteria analysis Risk analysis or assessment Cost benefit analysis Opinion surveys to identify priorities

SEA & Decision Making Strategic DecisionEnv’tal Input (SEA) 1. ID Aim of Strategic Action Env’tal /Sustainability Issues ID relevant Targets 2. ID alternative ways to achieve goal & Solve problem Env’tal /Sustainability Issues ID relevant Targets Describe env’tal baseline Propose more sustainable alternatives 3. Choose b/w Alternatives Predict & Evaluate impacts of alternatives Propose env’tally preferred alternatives 4. Fine-tune chosen alternatives Propose env’tally preferred alternatives 5. Formal decision & announcements Mitigate impacts of chosen alternatives 6. Implement & monitor strategic action Write SEA Report Establish Env’tal Guidelines/Env’tal Mgt plan for implementation

SEA Structure

SEA Vs EIA SEA is able to handle many (generic) limitations of EIA: – Lack of assessment of cumulative impacts – Inability of EIA to address security and defense issues of a country, – Difficulties to evaluate environmental impacts from the indirect and induced activities stemming from the major development, – Inability to consider more alternative measures – Limited mitigation measures of EIA

SEA Vs EIA EIA Procedural Project-oriented & Site-specific Reactive Few alternatives Out put is permit driven Omit unforeseen cumulative impacts SEA Conceptual Strategic & open-ended Proactive More alternative measure Process driven Considers cumulative impacts

SEA Road Map of Wetlands