Strategic environmental assessment: an overview

Current SEA provision and proposed developments in different parts of the world are reviewed, highlighting a 15 year time lag between the development of SEA and EIA. The reasons for the recent growth of interest in SEA are examined, focusing on the limitations of project-level EIA and new assessment requirements arising from policy commitments to sustainable development. The similarities and differences between SEA and EIA are considered, in order to identify the distinctive features of SEA, by reference to tiering, the range and types of actions assessed, the processes and procedures followed and the assessment methods applied. Conclusions are drawn and a number of proposals are made to strengthen SEA practice in the future.