Strategic Environmental Assessment
Code
7187
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Department
Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente
Credits
5.0
Teacher in charge
João Miguel Dias Joanaz de Melo, Tomás Augusto Barros Ramos
Weekly hours
5
Total hours
38
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
This course provides students with an understanding of the theory and practice of integrated environmental assessment, as a process of producing policy-relevant information on key interactions between human activities and environmental systems. Environmental assessment guides and enhances decision-making processes. The main goal of this course is to provide the concepts, methodologies and practices related with Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Students should be able to use SEA as an environmental management and assessment tool. This course is mainly interdisciplinary in nature, working by integrating environmental, social, economic, cultural and health information to evaluate the principal positive and negative impacts or risks and opportunities associated with policies, plans programmes proposals.
Prerequisites
Multidisciplinary training in environmental and sustainability sciences , environmental planning and land use management.
Subject matter
1. Introduction to the course on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of Policies, Plans and Programmes (PPP); 2. Background/history, objectives, main concepts; advantages and limitations of SEA; principles and guidelines of SEA; 3. The European Union Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment; Kiev Protocol (Protocol on strategic environmental assessment to the convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context, Kiev, 2003); 4. Types of SEA approaches and international experience; 5. SEA Process: setting the context to SEA; describing the environmental baseline; predicting, evaluating and mitigating impacts; SEA follow-up – PPP implementation, monitoring and management; 6. Documentation: environmental report, non technical summary and monitoring report. 7. SEA quality evaluation.
Bibliography
EA – Environmental Agency (2005). Good Practice Guidelines for Strategic Environmental Assessment. Environmental Agency, United Kingdom. European Commission (2001). Strategic Environmental Assessment of Transport Corridors: Lessons learned comparing the methods of five Member States. Report prepared by Environmental Resources Management for the European Commission, DG Environment. EPD – Environmental Protection Department (2004). Hong Kong Strategic Environmental Assessment Manual. Environmental Protection Department, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region. Wanchai, Hong Kong. GRDPN – Greening Regional Development Programmes Network (2006). Handbook on SEA for Cohesion Policy 2007-2013. Greening Regional Development Programmes Network. Project part-financed by the European Union (interreg IIIC Programme). Jones, C. et al (2006). Strategic Environmental Assessment And Land Use Planning: An International Evaluation, Earthscan Publications. Oñate, J. ( 2002). Evaluacion Ambiental Estrategica, Mundi-Prensa Libros, Barcelona.
Partidário, M. (2003). Guia para Avaliação Estratégica de Impactes em Ordenamento do Território. Direcção-Geral de Ordenamento do Território e Desenvolvimento Urbano, Lisboa, 77p. ParTidário, M.R & Clark, R. (eds.) (1999). Perspectives on Strategic Environmental Assessment. Lewis Publishers, Inc. Smith, M; João, E.; Albrecht, E. (2005). Implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment (Environmental Protection in the European Union), Springer, Berlim. Therivel; R. & ParTidário, M.R. (eds.) (1997). The Practice of Strategic Environmental Assessment. Earthscan Publications Ltd. Therivel; R. Wilson, E., Stewart, D.H. & Pritchard, D. (eds.) (1992). Strategic Environmental Assessment. Earthscan.
Teaching method
The teaching method is supported by lectures and practical classes. The teaching methods are mainly conducted to support several aspects: a) individual/group technical and scientific skills; b) argument skills and coherent analysis in the interpretation of the studied subjects. Classes will be complemented with a tutorial system, using e-learning tools.
Evaluation method
Continual evaluation of performance supported by: a) Practical exercises; b) Working group (with real case studies).
Courses
