Strategic Environmental Assessment for Policies: An Instrument for Good Governance

by Kulsum Ahmed (Editor), Ernesto Sanchez-Triana (Editor)

Overview

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. This book focuses on SEA applied to policies. 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 thatpotentially could be more useful in influencing decision makers to integrate environmental sustainability considerations into policy formulation and implementation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780821367629
Publisher:	World Bank Publications
Publication date:	04/30/2008
Series:	Environment and Development
Pages:	236
Product dimensions:	6.08(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.73(d)

Table of Contents

About the Editors and Authors     ix
Acknowledgments     xi
Abbreviations     xiii
SEA and Policy Formulation   Kulsum Ahmed   Ernesto Sanchez-Triana     1
Evolution of SEA     2
Impact-Based SEA     3
Applying SEA to Policies     5
Toward an "Institution-Centered" SEA Approach     6
Notes     8
References     9
Policy-Level Strategic Environmental Assessments: Process Integration and Incentives of Policy Proponents   Leonard Ortolano     11
Case Studies     12
Analysis of Case Studies     21
Assessments of SEA Requirements for Policy Proposals in Canada and the Netherlands     25
Conclusions     30
Notes     32
References     34
The Continuous Process of Policy Formation   Martha S. Feldman   Anne M. Khademian     37
Policy Formation as Decision Making     38
Policy Formation as a Continuous Process     47
Conclusion     55
Note     56
References     56
Toward Environmental Priority Setting in Development   Richard D. Morgenstern     61
Background     62
Comparative Risk Analysis     65
Economic Damage Assessment     78
Conclusions     86
Notes     88
References     89
Bibliography     91
Giving the Most Vulnerable a Voice   Caroline Kende-Robb   Warren A. Van Wicklin III     95
Why the Vulnerable Should Be Involved in Policy Formulation     97
Definition of the Vulnerable and How They Are Affected     98
Creation of an Enabling Environment in Which the Vulnerable Can Be Heard     103
Entry Points for Giving Vulnerable Groups Voice     104
Levels of Participation in Policy Processes     106
Tools for Giving the Vulnerable Voice     107
Case Studies     114
Conclusions     121
Notes     122
References     122
Building and Reinforcing Social Accountability for Improved Environmental Governance   Harry Blair     127
Definitions and Causal Linkages     128
Causal Linkages     131
Case Studies     135
Patterns and Themes     146
Conclusion     151
Notes     152
References      155
Learning in Environmental Policy Making and Implementation   Alnoor Ebrahim     159
What Is Organizational Learning?     160
Framing Policy Learning     163
Cases of Policy Learning     164
Conclusions     172
Notes     175
References     177
Using Strategic Environmental Assessments to Design and Implement Public Policy   Kulsum Ahmed   Ernesto Sanchez-Triana     181
SEA for Policies     184
Policy Formation and Challenges for Applying SEA     185
Proposed Policy SEA Approach     187
Lessons from Good Practice     194
Conclusions and Future Directions     198
Notes     200
References     202
Index     207
Box
Impact-Based SEA Procedures     4
Figures
Spectrum of Decision-Making Models     39
Continuous Policy Process     51
Continuous Policy Process: Green Forest     54
Benefits of Participation and Consultation in Policy Formulation     97
Flowchart of Participatory Policy Processes     106
How Tools Fit into the Participatory Policy Cycle     112
Policy Making as a Linear Process      132
The Policy-Making Process as It Actually Works     132
PROPER II Annual Cycle     141
Environmental Policy-Making Process for Air Pollution Abatement in Delhi     148
Environmental Policy-Making Process Under Indonesia's PROPER II Program     149
Policy Learning as a Technical, Conceptual, and Social Process     165
The Three Pillars of Institution-Centered SEA     183
Tables
Examples of SEAs for Policies     5
Integration of SEA into Policy Making     22
Level of Integration of SEAs in Case Studies     22
Similarities between Rational Decision-Making Model and Strategic Evaluation Assessment     40
Comparison of International Comparative Risk Analyses     69
Health Risk Rankings in Selected Comparative Risk Analyses     72
Measured Costs of Environmental Degradation in Selected Countries     82
Damage from Indoor and Outdoor Pollution in Selected Countries     84
Tools for Participation in Policy Processes     108
Accountability, Transparency, and Long-Term Constituencies in Two Case Studies     146