Does SEA guidance really make a difference?: Looking back in order to look forward - The case of developing guidance on climate change integration in SEA when listening to the practitioners views
Author
Lähdesmäki, Katja
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2012
Submitted on
2012-01-17
Pages
99
Abstract
This thesis examines whether Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) guidance actually makes a difference in practice, and how new guidance on climate change can be designed to support early, integrated assessment. The study starts from the observation that the volume of SEA guidance is increasing while evidence of its effectiveness remains limited, and that integrating climate considerations into SEA is a relatively new area with a lack of targeted guidance. Using implementation theory and street-level bureaucracy as its analytical lens, the research combines literature analysis of existing guidance (including European, Finnish, Danish and climate-specific documents) with practitioner interviews to explore the usability, role and perceived importance of guidance and the need for issue-specific climate guidance. It also addresses climate uncertainty, the interplay between mitigation and adaptation, and how to foster positive synergies and avoid negative trade-offs so that climate priorities do not sideline other environmental objectives. On this basis, the thesis aims to offer practitioner-informed recommendations on what elements climate-related SEA guidance should include to genuinely support the integration of climate concerns in planning and decision-making.
Specialet undersøger, om vejledninger for strategisk miljøvurdering (SMV/SEA) faktisk gør en forskel i praksis, og hvordan nye vejledninger om håndtering af klimaændringer kan udformes, så de støtter en tidlig og helhedsorienteret miljøvurdering. Udgangspunktet er, at mængden af SMV-vejledning er voksende, mens viden om dens effekt er begrænset, samtidig med at integrationen af klimahensyn i SMV er et relativt nyt felt med mangel på målrettet vejledning. Med implementeringsteori og street-level bureaucracy som teoretisk ramme kombinerer studiet litteraturanalyse af eksisterende vejledninger (herunder EU-, finske og danske kilder samt klimarelaterede vejledninger) med interviews af praktikere for at belyse vejledningers anvendelighed, rolle og betydning, samt behovet for emnespecifik klimavejledning. Afhandlingen adresserer også usikkerheder ved klimaændringer, forholdet mellem afbødning og tilpasning, og hvordan positive synergier kan fremmes og negative trade-offs undgås, så klimahensyn ikke sker på bekostning af andre miljømål. På den baggrund har formålet at formulere praksisnære anbefalinger til, hvilke elementer der bør indgå i klimavejledning til SMV, så ny vejledning reelt understøtter integrationen af klimahensyn i planlægning og beslutningstagning.
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