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Environmental Assessment

SPA’s work on environmental assessment is concerned with promoting the improved use of, and effective integration of key assessment tools in decision-making and planning processes, and in promoting sustainability-orientated approaches in the application of such tools. In its past work, SPA focused on environmental impact assessment (EIA), particularly on promoting improved performance of EIA practice. Studies of EIA effectiveness were undertaken (eg in Tanzania), training manuals produced and widely consulted Directories of the World’s EIA guidelines prepared.

Currently the focus is at a more strategic level, on environmental assessment of policies, strategies, plans and programmes, reviewing effective methods and approaches, promoting good practice, and providing support to governments, agencies and organisations. In particular, SPA work is exploring the use and application of two key strategic-level tools:

• Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) – a rapidly evolving tool that is being increasingly used as a key mechanism to achieve Millennium Goal 8 to integrate environmental concerns in decision-making
  
  
• Sustainability appraisal (SA) - an tool that aims to integrated environmental, social and economic concerns in an analytical/assessment framework.

Recent, current and proposed projects include:

• An international review of SEA experience and practice
  
  
• Technical Secretariat to OECD DAC Task Team on SEA
  
  
• An international review of experience and practice in sustainability appraisal
  
  
• Sustainability appraisal framework for southern Africa
  
  
• User Guide to tools for environmental integration

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