Strategic Environmental Assessment for Policies: An Instrument for Good Governance(Directions in Development)

Description

Environmentally and socially sustainable policies are essential for good governance. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is the key tool for integrating environmental considerations into policies, programs and plans. SEA has been used extensively for programs and plans, but has less frequently been applied to policies. In the cases where it is applied, the very unusual nature of policy formulation as an ongoing, iterative and adaptive process, rather than a linear, rational process, often has meant that SEA, as applied, has had limited success in influencing decision-making. This book focuses on SEA applied to policies and analyzes how the SEA process could potentially be more effective at influencing decision-makers. Through lessons learned from previous use of SEA on policies, it draws lessons on the strengths and weaknesses of current SEA methodology. It then goes on to analyze how policies are formulated and implemented and proposes a new conceptual framework for conducting SEA of policies that potentially could be more useful in influencing decision-makers to integrate environmental sustainability considerations into policy formulation and implementation. Strategic Environmental Assessment for Policies: An Instrument for Good Governance is the third title in the Environment and Development Series. This new series from World Bank Publications covers current and emerging issues in order to promote debate and broaden the understanding of environmental challenges as integral to equitable and sustained economic growth.