Strategic Environmental Assessment and environmental issues in programme evaluation

Ivana Capozza

Italian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006

SEA Framework - Directive 2001/42/EC (1)

• Main goals: high level of environmental protection and integration of environmental considerations into the preparation of programmes, with a view to sustainable development

• Key points:

– assessment of programmes that (may) have significant environmental effects

– during the preparation of the programme and before its adoption

– responsibility of the authorities in charge of the preparation/adoption of the programme

Italian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006

SEA Framework - Directive 2001/42/EC (2) •Key points (continues):

– environmental report: identification, description and assessment of likely significant env. effects of implementing the programme and of the reasonable alternatives, according to the objectives and scope of the programme

– consultations of env. authorities and public on draft programme and env. report (at an early stage and before the adoption of the programme, effective opportunity to express opinion)

– consideration of env. report and results of consultations in the final decision

– information about final decision

– monitoring of significant environmental effectsItalian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006

SEA and Structural and Cohesion Funds programmes 2007-2013

• NSRFs are not subject to SEA but good practice

• (Operational) Programmes for 2007-2013 should be compliant with the Directive screening

• Conformity of assessment

– non-technical summary + statement + monitoring measures (SEA directive)

– ad hoc information on consultations (who, how, timing)

• Integration of SEA and Ex Ante Evaluation of OPs

Italian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006

PROGRAMMING PROCESS 2007-2013

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

The Strategy Preliminary Strategic National DocumentStrategic Document for the Mezzogiorno

Strategic Regional Documents (SRD)

STR

ATEG

IC d

imen

sion

National Strategic Reference Framework

Convergence, competitiveness and territorial cooperation objectives

Priorities

Final Programme

OP

ER

ATIO

NA

L

PR

OG

RA

MM

ING

Draft Programme

Regional policy programme/Operational Programme

(first draft)Reference framework and general

objectives (from the SRD)

Specific objectivesPriorities and lines of action

Definition of alternativesTargets

Implementing provisions

IMPLEMENTATION

Environmental Report and non-

technical summaryConsultation

s

InformationConsideration of

Environmental Report and results of consultations

Environmental framework

Assessment of environmental impacts and of

alternatives

Monitoring Modifications to the programme?

YES

Consultations

Information

NO Screening

Scoping Consultations

General Issues • How to integrate the SEA procedure in the overall programming and ex ante evaluation process? For example, by means of:

– joint analysis of the regional context (including the environment)?

– coordinated consultations?

– is it enough to record the SEA results into the ex ante evaluation report?

– other?

• How to organise the process? Who is in charge of the assessment? For example:

– do you carry out evaluation on your own? On which topics?

Italian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006

Critical Issues (1)

• Screening:

– are ESF OPs automatically excluded from SEA?

– what happens to modifications to OPs? Do they need a “screening statement”?

• Environmental framework: how to choose appropriate indicators (feasibility, level of detail, relationship with likely effects of the programme)?

Italian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006

Critical Issues (2)

• Environmental assessment (report):

– how to choose environmental protection goals (national or regional strategy for SD, European strategic documents, other)?

– how to select the reasonable alternatives? how many?

– what kind of assessment: qualitative, target-bases, scenario analysis, … ?

Italian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006

Critical Issues (3) • Consultations:

– how are you organising the consultations?

– who are the authorities to be consulted?

– on which basis do you identify stakeholders?

– means and actions of information?

– timing for participation?

– which are the most important (expected) contributes from consultations?

• Monitoring:

– who should be responsible for it (environmental bodies, managing authorities)?

– indicators: only environmental or also process?

Italian Evaluation Units Open DaysRoma, July 5, 2006