C6.7 Links with EIA and other Management Tools
C6.7.1 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) aims to identify the environmental effects of policies, plan and programmes (rather than projects as EIA does).
The SEA process is also a legal requirement and the process is similar to that of EIA:
- Screening.
- Investigation of whether the plan or programme falls under the SEA legislation.
- Scoping.
- Defining the boundaries of investigation, assessment and assumptions required.
- Documentation of the state of the environment.
- A baseline on which to base judgments.
- Determination of the likely environmental impacts.
- Informing and consulting the public.
- Influencing decision making based on the assessment.
- Monitoring of the effects of plans and programmes after their implementation.
SEA is discussed in further detail in Module C7.