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An evaluation of recent Strategic Environmental Assessment practice in Brazil

An evaluation of recent Strategic Environmental Assessment practice in Brazil. Luis E. Sánchez University of São Paulo - USP. IAIA’07 Seoul Korea. Contents An evaluation of recent Strategic Environmental Assessment practice in Brazil. SEA developments in Brazil

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An evaluation of recent Strategic Environmental Assessment practice in Brazil

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  1. An evaluation of recent Strategic Environmental Assessment practice in Brazil Luis E. Sánchez University of São Paulo - USP IAIA’07 Seoul Korea

  2. ContentsAn evaluation of recent Strategic Environmental Assessment practice in Brazil • SEA developments in Brazil • SEA in Brazil, a brief overview • Case studies • Results and discussion • Conclusions L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  3. 1. SEA developments in Brazil • despite a firmly grounded twenty-year experience with project EIA in Brazil, SEA has ranked low in government priorities • recently have a few reports been labeled “strategic assessments” • no regulations or guidelines govern their preparation L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  4. 1. SEA developments in Brazil • there is a feeling, among environmental NGOs, that what is being labeled SEA in Brazil is a broad set of environmentally focused studies that show few common characteristics other than featuring a wider and shallower scope than project EIA L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  5. 2. SEA in Brazil, a brief overview • during many years, interest in SEA was restricted to a small group of academics and government officials • in recent years the theme became more “popular”, that is, project proponents, government development agencies and other interested parties started seeing the possible value of SEA, not necessarily as a means of mainstreaming environmental concerns into the planning process, but especially as a possible path to reduce opposition to controversial projects. L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  6. 2. SEA in Brazil, early initiatives (1990s) • an attempt to institutionalize SEA was made in São Paulo State in 1994, as a result of review and reform of project EIA procedures • the proposal put under the umbrella of the State environment authority the analysis of government plans that could severely harm the environment, though a review process similar to that employed in EIA review L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  7. 2. SEA in Brazil, recent government initiatives • in 2002, the Federal government commissioned a study on the potentialities of SEA in Brazil which, among other recommendations, suggested that: • SEA should be based on legislation, but preferably on planning regulations and not on existing environmental licensing regulations • SEA should be applied to the four-year Federal government investment plan L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  8. 2. SEA in Brazil, recent government initiatives • the Energy Planning Authority [Empresa de Planejamento Energético] commissioned a number of Integrated Environmental Assessments for river basin development • the Ministry of the Environment embarked on an on-the-job SEA training program for Federal and State government officials (currently an ongoing program) L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  9. 2. SEA in Brazil, judicial review • there is no legally binding request to perform SEA, but in a few judicial settlements, integrated studies of hydrographic basins have been called upon as a means to overcome scope limitations of individual EIAs for dam projects • in 2003 the Brazilian Federal Accounting Office reviewed the results of a tourism development plan, recommending that SEA should be applied to enhance future plans L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  10. 2. SEA in Brazil, other recent initiatives • a bill has been presented to the Congress aiming at mandatory preparation of SEA reports prior to a number of government plans • an NGO took the initiative to undertake a strategic assessment of proposed oil and gas exploration and production activities • a few private and state-owned companies commissioned SEAs for a number of natural resource projects (oil and gas, hydro power, mining) L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  11. 3. Case studies • an informal survey of self-labelled SEA reports or processes in Brazil • three cases selected for analysis and comparison • the diversity of contexts under which SEA is performed and the small number of cases preclude any attempt to employ a research approach other than case study L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  12. 3. Case studies • São Paulo metropolitan ring road • Rio Madeira hydro development • Abrolhos offshore oil and gas development L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  13. Madeira river Abrolhos oil and gas São Paulo ring road 3. Case studies L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  14. 3. São Paulo Metropolitan Ring Road L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  15. 3. Madeira river hydro development study area dams location L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  16. 3. Abrolhos oil and gas development offshore oil and gas development study area L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  17. Main features of selected cases L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  18. Main features of selected cases L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  19. 3. Case studies: review and comparison • Reports were checked for • (i) methods used for scoping, • (ii) definition of spatial and temporal boundaries, • (iii) coverage of environmental, social and economic baseline, • (iv) methods of impact identification, • (v) methods for impact prediction and assessment, • (vi) recommended monitoring and follow-up L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  20. Main elements of the SEA process L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  21. Main elements of the SEA process L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  22. Main elements of the SEA process L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  23. Approach to SEA tasks L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  24. Approach to SEA tasks L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  25. Approach to SEA tasks L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  26. 4. Results and discussion • 1- a very heterogeneous set of strategic assessments • different methods and approaches • different report structures and organizations • authors seek different objectives in performing SEA • alternatives explored in two cases • public involvement took lace in one case (Madeira hydro, where no alternatives were considered) • a common feature: only secondary data compiled • a common feature: no use of indicators, no proposed framework for monitoring • all cases proceeded to impact analysis keeping similarities with project EIA L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  27. 4. Results and discussion • 2- low influence on decision-making • two SEA reports were prepared after project EIA, but before project approval through environmental licensing • one report (oil and gas) was prepared before projects and did influence decision • 3- vertical tiering (with forthcoming project EIA) is the main reason for undertaking SEA L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

  28. 5. Conclusions • SEA is in its infancy in Brazil • lack of established procedures stakeholders do not agree on strategic issues • there are other planning initiatives not self-denominated SEA which feature several characteristics of the SEA process • future developments could evolve to requirements to prepare SEA reports in a similar way to project EIA, including approval from environmental authority L.E.Sánchez SEA in Brazil

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