Evaluating strategic environmental assessment in The Netherlands: content, process and procedure as indissoluble criteria for effectiveness

Buuren, Arwin van; Nooteboom, Sibout

doi:10.3152/146155109x454311

Cited by 54 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…It is clear that when and how SEA is applied is crucial in understanding its effectiveness which depends upon its alignment with, and embedding within, the planning process [76]. At the same time, in order to understand how to structure and improve integrated planning/evaluation of port plans, it is important to consider how to implement the interaction between the assessment context, the assessment process and assessment methods; how to select different approaches and techniques; and how to choose them considering the specificity of the decision-making context.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Port Plans in Italy: Experiences, Approaches, Tools

Cerreta

Toro

2012

Sustainability

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Evaluation is increasingly important in decision-making processes for the sustainable planning and design of port plans. It acts as a support for plan preparation, for making values, interests and needs explicit, and for exploring the components of the decision-making process itself. Evaluation can be likened to an "implicit tool" that can integrate approaches, methodologies and models, adapting to the many needs revealed during the decision-making process. New sustainability challenges call for new approaches to creating frameworks for the analysis and evaluation of plans and projects that allow the integration of multidimensional goals and values. Utilizing some selected case studies of port plans in six Italian cities, this paper explores how environmental assessment can become a tool for dialog and interaction among different fields of expertise to support dynamic learning processes, knowledge management and the creation of shared choices, using suitable approaches and tools. In this view, Integrated Spatial Assessment (ISA) can be useful in supporting decision-making processes on different scales and institutional levels to stimulate dialog between technical and political evaluations, referring to complex values that are part of conflicting and changing realities in which it has become imperative to operate according to sustainability principles.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Port Plans in Italy: Experiences, Approaches, Tools

Cerreta

Toro

2012

Sustainability

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“…'Something' in this sense means the 'environmental assessment process' which includes SEA, EIA, HIA and SIA. In addition, the effectiveness of impact assessment processes has been considered to be their influence on decision-making processes in selecting the most appropriate option for the development, based on sustainability measures (Partidário, 2000;Van Buuren and Nooteboom, 2009). Table 1 defines 'effectiveness' based on a number of relevant studies covering SEA, EIA, SIA and HIA.…”

Section: Contested Definitions Of Effectivenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualising the effectiveness of impact assessment processes

Chanchitpricha

Bond

2013

Environmental Impact Assessment Review

141

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“…uncertainty, ambiguity and ignorance are assumed to be limited or non-existent). Taking the first of these assumptions, the evidence that objective information is transferred via IA into policy is somewhat limited (Wood and Jones, 1997;Cashmore et al, 2004;Cashmore et al, 2009;Elling, 2009;Van Buuren and Nooteboom, 2009;Eales and Sheate, 2011). More and more authors argue that decision-making is not rational and that IA, for example, has considerably more roles than simply information provision (see, for example, Lawrence, 2000;Leknes, 2001;Bond, 2003;Bekker et al, 2004;Cashmore, 2004;Owens et al, 2004).…”

Section: Impact Assessment Theory and Uncertaintymentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing uncertainty, ambiguity and ignorance in impact assessment by embedding evolutionary resilience, participatory modelling and adaptive management

Bond

Morrison‐Saunders

Gunn

et al. 2015

Journal of Environmental Management

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In the context of continuing uncertainty, ambiguity and ignorance in impact assessment (IA) prediction, the case is made that existing IA processes are based on false 'normal' assumptions that science can solve problems and transfer knowledge into policy. Instead, a 'post-normal science' approach is needed that acknowledges the limits of current levels of scientific understanding. We argue that this can be achieved through embedding evolutionary resilience into IA; using participatory workshops; and emphasizing adaptive management. The goal is an IA process capable of informing policy choices in the face of uncertain influences acting on socio-ecological systems. We propose a specific set of process steps to operationalise this post-normal science approach which draws on work undertaken by the Resilience Alliance. This process differs significantly from current models of IA, as it has a far greater focus on avoidance of, or adaptation to (through incorporating adaptive management subsequent to decisions), unwanted future scenarios rather than a focus on the identification of the implications of a single preferred vision. Implementing such a process * corresponding author 2 would represent a culture change in IA practice as a lack of knowledge is assumed and explicit, and forms the basis of future planning activity, rather than being ignored.

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Evaluating strategic environmental assessment in The Netherlands: content, process and procedure as indissoluble criteria for effectiveness

Cited by 54 publications

References 19 publications

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Port Plans in Italy: Experiences, Approaches, Tools

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Port Plans in Italy: Experiences, Approaches, Tools

Conceptualising the effectiveness of impact assessment processes

Managing uncertainty, ambiguity and ignorance in impact assessment by embedding evolutionary resilience, participatory modelling and adaptive management

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