2 nd workshop for SEA practitioners

1. 2ndworkshop for SEA practitioners Zagreb June 20, 2013

2. Aim and approach • To test and discuss the proposed approach to scoping and baseline analysis • Training is based on the ongoing real SEA for amendments of the Spatial Plan of Osijek-baranja County • Results can be provided to the county authority for consideration in further SEA process • Examples from other EU countries will provide a basis for discussion on the most appropriate approach in Croatian context.

3. Agenda

4. Scoping

5. Rationale • Scoping is important for efficiency of SEA process – it determines priority issues of concern and „scopes-out“ issues that are less important • Priority issues become the main point of reference for • examining how environmental concerns are integrated into the planning document; • assessing positive or negative impacts of the proposed development strategy and measures.

6. Aim of scoping • Scoping shall identify development interventions and relevant environmental and health issues, which should be further considered within the SEA • Scoping can also identify, as far as possible: • territorial scope of the assessment and key areas of concern, • stakeholders to be involved, • Data and information to be considered

7. Recommended consultations • The SEA Directive specifically requires consultations with the relevant environmental and health authorities when determining the scope and the level of detail of the assessment process • Co-operation with the planning agency/team during scoping is highly desirable, since relevant issues and objectives should be optimally accepted by the proponent of the plan and the planning team as an adequate benchmark • Consultations at this stage may also be extended to key stakeholders, since such consultations may enhance the quality and wide acceptability of the entire SEA process.

8. Practical tips • Ensure that the significant environmental issues cover all the main issues, since gaps at this stage may misguide the entire SEA process. • Where possible, try to reach consensus on the significant environmental issues with environmental and health authorities, the planning team and possibly other key stakeholders. • Select issues that are adequate for the scale and level of detail of the plan or programme. Environmental issues for the general plan or programme for the entire country will probably be more general than environmental issues for a detailed plan or programme with clear land-use implications in a specific territory.

9. Case work: introduction • Draft scoping table for Osijek-baranja County is based on inputs from key county agencies and institutions • Department for Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection • Agribusiness and Forestry Affairs Administrative Department • Institute for Spatial Planning • Institute for Public Health • Institute for Nature Protection (county + SINP) • Preliminary consultations with agencies were conducted when preparing their presentations for the workshop • Information were presented at the workshop • The table was completed during last session of the workshop and sent for additional comments to the participants

10. Case work: assignment • Identify key issues and specific concerns related to proposed changes of the spatial plan • Suggest issues which • should be further analysed in SEA, • should be addressed directly in the spatial plan (possible options/alternatives to be investigated etc.) • should be scoped out (and provide justification)

11. Concluding discussion • How to organize consultations in scoping? • What should be the structure of scoping report? • When / how to involve SEA experts?

12. Concluding remarks • Not all elements of environment have to be addressed in each and every SEA….on the other hand it needs to be ensured that defined scope of SEA covers all main issues, since gaps at this stage may misguide the entire SEA process • A set of issues defined in scoping should be • simple and focused on main concerns of strategic nature • kept flexible and open for adding/skipping issues later on (when more data are available or plan further elaborated) • Proper consultations are essential – optimally consensus on the significant environmental issues should be reached

13. Baseline analysis

14. Aim of task • This step aims to: • present information on the state of the environment and natural resources relevant to the plan or programme; • describe interactions between these trends and the main development sectors which are the subject of the plan or programme; • outline the likely evolution of these trends without implementation of the plan or programme; • provide this information for the purpose of the planning process as well as for the SEA. • It should result in baseline against which the potential effects of the development proposed by the physical plan will be evaluated in next stages of the assessment.

15. Proposed approach • SEA team needs to present sound judgments on the ongoing environmental changes which are relevant to the plan. • Very often, deficiencies in analyzing current situation and trends do not usually arise from the lack of data but rather from poorly targeted analyses that focus on irrelevant issues. • It is important to concentrate on the main environmental issues that have been identified in the preceding SEA step. • The SEA practitioners need to gather just enough information to answer guiding questions for each key issue of interest.

16. Proposed approach • The main challenge of the baseline assessment is to ensure that: • it is focused (i.e. it addresses key trends relevant to SEA and does not overburden assessment of the situation with irrelevant information); • describes past and current trends; • outlines likely evolution of those trends, were the proposed programming document not to be implemented.

17. Proposed approach – future trends • The outline of the future trends should be elaborated upon in cases where the proposed plan would not be implemented and is obviously constrained by numerous uncertainties (i.e. data available, economic developments, technological progress or advancements in regulatory frameworks that collectively influence future trends). • SEA experts are only required to outline the future trends as best as they can, taking into account and acknowledging any available studies and considering: • past trends; • key driving forces behind these trends; • main uncertainties.

18. Proposed approach – data • The data on the current and future trends may also strengthen the analysis of the overall development context during the elaboration of the plan • Possible sources of information • Progress reports on existing legislation; • State of the environment reports; • Data from monitoring of relevant policies, strategies, plans or programmes on EU, national, regional or local levels; • Special research projects.

19. Questions to be addressed i. • What are the legal and policy targets? • What has been the trend so far? • How far is the current situation from any established objective or targets? • Is it reaching any critical turning point of bottom-line? • What is driving these trends? • How will the future trend evolve without the proposed plan or programme? • How is this baseline trend going to be influenced by major developments that have been already approved but not implemented yet, climate change, changes in the regulatory or policy framework, economic incentives, etc.?

20. Questions to be addressed ii. • Considering all this, how would you describe the realistic worst-case and the best case scenario in the future trend if the spatial plan is not implemented? • What are the key implications of the planning process? • Which population groups or economic sectors can be adversely affected by this trend? • The conclusions should be supplemented by any graphic aids to illustrate the trends • Comments on the adequacy of current data and monitoring systems should be made • Any major data gaps and uncertainties highlighted (should it be the case) as a result of this stage of SEA.

21. Recommended consultations • Consultations with relevant authorities and the public are not required within the steps. • It is advisable to consult the above mentioned stakeholders at least in order to gather relevant information. • Tips and main principles in assessment of the current situation: • Involve stakeholders in information-gathering by informing them about the available documentation and requesting additional information.

22. Description or Analysis

23. Practical tips • Use expertise within environmental and health authorities and key stakeholders to identify and interpret relevant data and predict trends. • When assessing future trends, consider impacts of other future projects and development plans that have been approved but not implemented yet – these may often significantly alter the existing environmental situation • Share information with the planning team. • Keep the focus when collecting information. • Do not collect excessive details or use information just because it is there.

24. Case work: assignment • For one issue (selected from those identified in scoping – water, soil, human health, waste management) • Prepare a brief summary of past development, current status and the likely future evolution for a given issue considering main drivers • Specify detailed problems to be further (i) analysed in SEA, (ii) addressed directly in the spatial plan (possible options/alternatives to be investigated etc.) • Outline approach to detailed analyses (considering probably limited time and data availability) • Propose a way of consultations for the impacts assessment

25. Concluding discussion • What should be level of detail of baseline analyses? • How to ensure communication between SEA and planning processes/teams when preparing baseline analysis? • Are other consultations needed? How to arrange them? • What additional information and data would be needed for baseline analyses? How to get them?

26. Concluding remarks • Description vs. Analysis • quite often the lack of data is not a major problem, but analyses are poorly targeted and focused on irrelevant issues • it is important to focus on analysis of information and avoid extensive description of non-relevant facts • Concentrate on issues identified in scoping • It is important to identify driving forces behind the apparent trends…although some impacts may not be visible yet • Likely effects of climate changes should be considered • Targeted consultations can be very efficient way to establish baseline • Uncertainties have to be acknowledged