Conceptualizing strategic environmental assessment: Principles, approaches and research directions. Noble, B. & Nwanekezie, K. Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
Conceptualizing strategic environmental assessment: Principles, approaches and research directions [link]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   
Increasing emphasis has been placed in recent years on transitioning strategic environmental assessment (SEA) away from its environmental impact assessment (EIA) roots. Scholars have argued the need to conceptualize SEA as a process designed to facilitate strategic thinking, thus enabling transitions toward sustainability. The practice of SEA, however, remains deeply rooted in the EIA tradition and scholars and practitioners often appear divided on the nature and purpose of SEA. This paper revisits the strategic principles of SEA and conceptualizes SEA as a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional assessment process. It is suggested that SEA can be conceptualized as series of approaches operating along a spectrum from less to more strategic – from impact assessment-based to strategy-based – with each approach to SEA differentiated by the specific objectives of SEA application and the extent to which strategic principles are reflected in its design and implementation. Advancing the effectiveness of SEA requires a continued research agenda focused on improving the traditional SEA approach, as a tool to assess the impacts of policies, plans and programs (PPPs). Realizing the full potential of SEA, however, requires a new research agenda — one focused on the development and testing of a deliberative governance approach to SEA that can facilitate strategic innovations in PPP formulation and drive transitions in short-term policy and initiatives based on longer-term thinking.
@article{noble_conceptualizing_????,
	title = {Conceptualizing strategic environmental assessment: {Principles}, approaches and research directions},
	issn = {0195-9255},
	shorttitle = {Conceptualizing strategic environmental assessment},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195925516300786},
	doi = {10.1016/j.eiar.2016.03.005},
	abstract = {Increasing emphasis has been placed in recent years on transitioning strategic environmental assessment (SEA) away from its environmental impact assessment (EIA) roots. Scholars have argued the need to conceptualize SEA as a process designed to facilitate strategic thinking, thus enabling transitions toward sustainability. The practice of SEA, however, remains deeply rooted in the EIA tradition and scholars and practitioners often appear divided on the nature and purpose of SEA. This paper revisits the strategic principles of SEA and conceptualizes SEA as a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional assessment process. It is suggested that SEA can be conceptualized as series of approaches operating along a spectrum from less to more strategic – from impact assessment-based to strategy-based – with each approach to SEA differentiated by the specific objectives of SEA application and the extent to which strategic principles are reflected in its design and implementation. Advancing the effectiveness of SEA requires a continued research agenda focused on improving the traditional SEA approach, as a tool to assess the impacts of policies, plans and programs (PPPs). Realizing the full potential of SEA, however, requires a new research agenda — one focused on the development and testing of a deliberative governance approach to SEA that can facilitate strategic innovations in PPP formulation and drive transitions in short-term policy and initiatives based on longer-term thinking.},
	urldate = {2016-03-21},
	journal = {Environmental Impact Assessment Review},
	author = {Noble, Bram and Nwanekezie, Kelechi},
	keywords = {Multi-Level Perspective, Policies, plans and programs, Strategic environmental assessment, Strategic thinking, Strategic transitions, Transition management},
	file = {ScienceDirect Full Text PDF:files/48507/Noble and Nwanekezie - Conceptualizing strategic environmental assessment.pdf:application/pdf;ScienceDirect Snapshot:files/48525/S0195925516300786.html:text/html}
}

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