Good Practice Guidance Note: SEA and Integration

Summary:

The objective of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive (2001/42/EC), as detailed in Article 1, is to protect the environment by integrating environmental considerations into the preparation of plan(s) and/or programme(s) (P/P), thus promoting sustainable development.

This good practice guidance note provides advice on how SEA can be better integrated into the P/P-making process, helping to enhance environmental outcomes and support the delivery of sustainable development. It is intended for use by P/P-makers and SEA practitioners for P/Ps that meet the criteria for SEA under either S.I. No. 435/2004 or S.I. No 436/2004, as amended.

This guidance note seeks to help P/P-makers and SEA practitioners integrate SEA into the P/P-making process by outlining:

• the benefits and importance of integrating the SEA and P/P-making processes;
• the consequences of not integrating the two processes;
• the current barriers to and opportunities for effective SEA and P/P integration;
• good practice principles for SEA and P/P integration, which are supported by a series of best practice case studies in which P/P-makers and SEA practitioners adhered to good practice in integrating SEAs and P/Ps;
• a checklist to help P/P-makers and SEA practitioners determine whether SEA is being integrated into the P/P-making process;
• the “dos and don’ts” of how to integrate SEA into the P/P-making process.