Technical secretariat on Strategic Environmental Assessment

IIED's strategies, planning and assessment team (SPA) provided a technical secretariat to the OECD DAC Task Team on Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Project
Archived
,
2004 - 2007

The OECD DAC Task Team on Strategic Environmental Assessment brings together donors (bilateral and multilateral), UN organisations and experts to address how to promote the application of SEA in development cooperation.

Project objectives

In the first phase of its work (2003-2006) the objectives of the task team was to develop and promote the practical use of SEA in the formulation and assessment of development policies, plans, programmes and 'mega projects' and to help ensure that:

  • Environmental considerations are effectively incorporated into strategic decision-making at the formative stage
  • The linkages between environmental, social and economic factors are better understood and addressed
  • The outcomes of policies, plans and programmes have better prospects to contribute to sustainable development.

One of the key products was the production of DAC guidance on SEA. The task team was awarded the coveted Institutional Award by the International Association for Impact Assessment in 2006 for its pioneering work.

The second phase, initiated in 2007, focused on implementing the fuidance through SEA pilots for 12 key 'entry points' under the architecture of development cooperation (such as direct budget support, sector support, poverty strategies), and developing tools for raising awareness about SEA, training and capacity-development.

Additional resources

Strategic environmental assessment: A sourcebook and reference guide to international experience, Barry Dalal-Clayton, Barry Sadler (2005), IIED, OECD, UNEP in association with Earthscan Publications

Donors

Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NORAD and the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs