ABSTRACT

EIA has increasingly been applied at the level of policies, plans and programmes (PPPs) as well as projects. In the USA, this so-called strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has been carried out in a relatively low-key manner since the 1970s as an extension of project EIA. In other countries, SEA roll-out has been slower but has caused more of a splash. The European SEA Directive of 2004 has led to significant changes in the planning system in some Member States, China has passed specific SEA legislation in 2009, and SEA is also a strong growth area in other parts of the world.