GEO Brasil - UNEP

introduction
The application of this process may ease the development
and implementation of co-ordination procedures, in a way
to avoid inconsistencies and conflicts among the objectives,
the goals and the participants of these PPPs.
By triggering an interaction exercise and the harmony of
different policies, plans and programmes, SEA can perform
a mechanism for the co-ordination practice to be fortified.
This can take place at the planning level. In addition to
inserting the environmental variable and value in the context
of different PPPs, the use of strategic assessment
procedures goes beyond this dimension and also influences
the planning activity itself. This occurs while the necessity
of interaction between different policies, plans and
programmes is established. This is not done in the sense of
imposing centralisation/ control, but with the purpose of
seeking coherence and legitimacy for policies, plans and
programmes when public participation in the planning
process is stimulated.
In what considers the implementation of a strategic
assessment exercise, the identification of the topics that
must be considered and included in the study to be
developed is a relevant aspect. The following factors
influence the choice of the topics to be included in SEA:
a) environmental laws, regulations and patterns;
b) objectives of environmental, social and
economic policies;
c) public consultation; and
d) former decisions or the opinion of relevant
groups.
Different topics must be appropriate for different planning
scales – what is applied to a policy is not always applied to
plans or programmes. The topics may adopt only a
biophysical (narrow) view of the environment, or they may
take a wider view, including socio-economic aspects.
The topics may be guided by sector subjects (e.g. power,
transportation, culture) disciplinary subjects (e.g.
demography, biology or geography), or they may be cross
cutting, in order to include a more comprehensive outlook
in the assessment. For example, the following topics are
some to be considered in a strategic assessment of a
development policy, plan or programme:
a) natural resources are used efficiently and residues are
minimised by closed cycles;
b) pollution is limited to levels at which natural systems
can withstand without harm;
c) nature diversity is valued and protected;
d) local needs are met locally;
e) everyone has access to quality food, water, shelter and
fuel, at acceptable and affordable costs;
f) everyone has job opportunities in a diversified
economy;
g) the population’s health is protected, through the
creation of a safe, clean and pleasant environment,
and through health care services;
h) people live without fear of violence, crime or
persecution;
i) everyone has access to the necessary instruments,
knowledge and information, in order to be able to fully
participate in society;
j) the community can take part in the decision-making
process;
k) culture, fun and recreation opportunities are available
to everyone; and
l) places, spaces and objects combine sense and beauty
with usefulness. The settlements are “human” in scale
and form. Local diversity and identity are valued and
protected.
In order to have a measurement of the impacts related to
different topics/ activities to be assessed by SEA,
environmental or sustainability (including economic and
social aspects) indicators are used. It is possible to measure
and forecast all impacts of a PPP and indicators are used to
represent the status of and the impacts on different aspects
of the environment. For example, they can be used to
measure the conditions of the initial environment (with no
interventions) and forecast impacts. They can also be used
to compare alternatives and monitor the implementation
of the PPP.
14