Dynamic and embedded evaluation procedure for strategic environmental assessment

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) represents a fundamental tool to guarantee the environmental sustainability of policies, plans and programs. Many national and international regulations in force, however, are not able to define a fair and shared methodology for SEA yet. What is more, environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures are widely described in literature, while there is still a lack in methodologies capable of evaluate all the involved elements in SEA; one of the main setbacks is the need of public participation during the procedure. The main disadvantage of available methods is the difficulty in correlating technical and social features.In the present work, a list of the major SEA available methods is presented, and a detailed analysis of the SEA procedure – according to Italian and European legislation – is proposed. Furthermore, an innovative dynamic, embedded and objective method is presented, in order to support the SEA. The proposed procedure is based on a multi-criteria analysis made by a matrix assessment. In particular, a new integrated system of indicators is proposed and described, which are able to evaluate both natural and socio-economic environmental aspects, for a sustainable development policy.Steps of explanation of objectives and action plan check, characterization of existing environmental status, identification and assessment of impacts and individuation of mitigation and compensation measures, assessment of residues impacts, verification of environmental compatibility and sustainability, and implementation of a monitoring program are the relevant points of the methodological approach developed, defined and subsequently discussed in its entirety in the present work.The dynamic and embedded evaluation procedure for strategic environmental assessment (DEEP-SEA) is able to ensure more effective information on plan contents, targeting choices to actions that can be able to achieve full compatibility and environmental sustainability, with the highest community consensus.

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► Environmental sustainability of plans and programs is required by national legislations.
► Currently available strategic environmental assessment (SEA) tools fail in considering both social and technical aspects.
► A new procedure is proposed in order to support SEA experts.
► Analytic hierarchy process and 2.0 web technology are implemented in the procedure.
► This innovative procedure leads to a shared final decision and to environmental sustainability.