Abstract
The objective of the study was to map out how tasks carried out according to the Act on the Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment (i.e. the Strategic Environmental Assessment Act for plans and programmes) are managed at Finland’s regional Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. The report focuses on the quality and uniformity of the tasks between the regional centres, on the regional SEA cooperation and on the role of SEA in the preparation of plans and programmes. The information was collected from two questionnaires and complementary interviews that were conducted after a preliminary analysis of the questionnaires.
Practices concerning SEA tasks within the regional centres were developed when the SEA law came into force in 1995 and those practices were amended in 2010 when the Regional Environment Centres were integrated into the new regional Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. Lack of resources is one of the most crucial challenges in the implementation of SEA tasks. In addition to resources directed specifically for SEA tasks, a common operational model would help in the organizing of SEA tasks.
Although information on SEA tasks flows efficiently within most of the regional centres, some information gaps remain, especially between the centres’ three areas of responsibility. Cooperation between the regional centres and the regional councils is close and information is exchanged according to mutual practices between parties, which may vary slightly between the regions. In addition to current SEA practices, the report briefly introduces some measures for developing the organisation of SEA practices at the regional centres, as well as measures for regional cooperation, SEA support and greater integration of SEA as a strategic planning tool into the preparation of plans and programmes.
Practices concerning SEA tasks within the regional centres were developed when the SEA law came into force in 1995 and those practices were amended in 2010 when the Regional Environment Centres were integrated into the new regional Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. Lack of resources is one of the most crucial challenges in the implementation of SEA tasks. In addition to resources directed specifically for SEA tasks, a common operational model would help in the organizing of SEA tasks.
Although information on SEA tasks flows efficiently within most of the regional centres, some information gaps remain, especially between the centres’ three areas of responsibility. Cooperation between the regional centres and the regional councils is close and information is exchanged according to mutual practices between parties, which may vary slightly between the regions. In addition to current SEA practices, the report briefly introduces some measures for developing the organisation of SEA practices at the regional centres, as well as measures for regional cooperation, SEA support and greater integration of SEA as a strategic planning tool into the preparation of plans and programmes.
Translated title of the contribution | Strategic Environmental Assessment of Official Plans and Programs in the Regional ELY-Centres : Current management of SEA tasks and developmental needs |
---|---|
Original language | Finnish |
Place of Publication | Helsinki |
---|---|
Publisher | Finnish Ministry of Environment |
Volume | 10 |
Edition | 2015 |
Number of pages | 39 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-952-11-4393-9 |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
MoE publication type | D4 Published development or research report or study |
Publication series
Name | Ympäristöministeriön raportteja |
---|---|
Publisher | Ympäristöministeriö |
No. | 10 |
Volume | 2015 |
ISSN (Electronic) | 1796-170X |