QUALITY AND OUTCOMES: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN BRAZIL

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (02) ◽  
pp. 1450011 ◽  
Author(s):  
VÍTOR MARGATO ◽  
LUIS E. SÁNCHEZ
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Strategic Environmental Assessment ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Technical Quality ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Environmentally Sound ◽  
High Level

In a context of unregulated practice, strategic environmental assessment (SEA) contribution to environmentally sound decision-making may be difficult to gauge. Recent Brazilian experience, where there is no legal requirement for SEA, was studied by reviewing cases selected by considering distinctive drivers for undertaking an assessment, varied locations and different consultancies hired to prepare the report. A quality review checklist was used to evaluate the contents of SEA reports according to: (i) adherence to good practice; (ii) technical quality and adequacy to decision-making processes; (iii) achievement of sound and enduring environmental benefits. Interviews aimed at gauging their actual influence. SEAs reached a relatively high level of technical quality and procedural effectiveness, but very low substantive effectiveness. Influence on decision-making varied from null to limited consideration of information in developing programs. The main challenge for SEA in unregulated contexts is to demonstrate its value to decision-makers and citizens' organisations.

scholarly journals BETWEEN POLICY-MAKING AND PLANNING

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. 319-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
IVAR LYHNE
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Strategic Environmental Assessment ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Strategic Decision Making ◽  
Decision Making Processes

This article deals with the challenge of approaching decision-making processes through strategic environmental assessment (SEA). It is argued that the interaction between policy-making and planning in strategic decision-making processes is a neglected reason for problems with applying SEA, as legislation and guidance on SEA primarily approach either the policy or plan level. To substantiate the argument, the extent of interaction is empirically investigated. Four contemporary decision-making processes in the Danish energy sector are mapped as a series of choices. Fundamental changes with considerable environmental impacts are decided these years, often without preceding SEA processes. The mapping shows a profound interaction between policy-making and planning. In this interaction, public consultation, systematic environmental analyses, and transparency on alternatives are primarily related to choices of planning character. The findings lead to a discussion of the existing SEA guidance that is challenged in terms of adequacy of the guidance to approach the interaction.

DECISION MAKING AND STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

2001 ◽  
Vol 03 (03) ◽  
pp. 305-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
MÅNS NILSSON ◽  
HOLGER DALKMANN
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Strategic Environmental Assessment ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Strategic Decision Making ◽  
Departure Point ◽  
The Real ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Decision Making Processes

Strategic Environmental Assessment aims to incorporate environmental and sustainability considerations into strategic decision making processes, such as the formulation of policies, plans and programmes. In order to be effective, the assessment must take the real decision making process as the departure point. Existing SEA approaches are frequently tailored after an EIA model conceived from a rational perspective on decision making. However, there are good reasons to assume that most strategic decision making processes are characterised by a bounded rationality. Furthermore, the predictability of environmental consequences generally becomes weaker at strategic levels than at the project level and complexity increases in terms of the numbers of actors involved in the decision. This paper examines various theoretical perspectives to decision making and discusses the implications for decision support in general and SEA in particular. The authors argue that the design of the SEA must be more sensitive to the real characteristics of the decision making context.

Integrating Environment into Development Strategy of Tianjin Binhai New Area through Strategic Environmental Assessment

2012 ◽  
Vol 178-181 ◽  
pp. 820-824
Author(s):  
Li Li Tian ◽  
Ya Fei Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Strategic Environmental Assessment ◽  
Atmospheric Environment ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Offshore Area ◽  
Tianjin Binhai New Area

Some strategic environmental assessment (SEA) pilot cases in China strive to integrate environmental issues into the planning from the beginning. One of them is the SEA for development strategy of Tianjin Binhai New Area. The SEA adopted an interactive assessment mode with the decision-making process and predicted the environmental impacts of the development strategy on land resource, water resource, energy, surface water, atmospheric environment, and ecosystem of land area and offshore area. The future development strategy of circular economy and low-carbon economy in Tianjin Binhai New Area was also analyzed. Finally, experience from the SEA case was discussed. The case study shows that support from non-environmental agencies, early integration of SEA process and planning process, interactive assessment mode, and sensible environmental protection strategy facilitate the integration of environment into decision-making.

scholarly journals Spatial modelling of assumption of tourism development with geographic IT using

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 279-294
Author(s):  
Jitka Machalová ◽  
Ida Vajčnerová ◽  
Kateřina Ryglová
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Tourism Development ◽  
Spatial Modelling ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
High Level

The aim of this article is to show the possibilities of spatial modelling and analysing of assumptions of tourism development in the Czech Republic with the objective to make decision-making processes in tourism easier and more efficient (for companies, clients as well as destination managements). The development and placement of tourism depend on the factors (conditions) that influence its application in specific areas. These factors are usually divided into three groups: selective, localization and realization. Tourism is inseparably connected with space – countryside. The countryside can be modelled and consecutively analysed by the means of geographical information technologies. With the help of spatial modelling and following analyses the localization and realization conditions in the regions of the Czech Republic have been evaluated. The best localization conditions have been found in the Liberecký region. The capital city of Prague has negligible natural conditions; however, those social ones are on a high level. Next, the spatial analyses have shown that the best realization conditions are provided by the capital city of Prague. Then the Central-Bohemian, South-Moravian, Moravian-Silesian and Karlovarský regions follow. The development of tourism destination is depended not only on the localization and realization factors but it is basically affected by the level of local destination management. Spatial modelling can help destination managers in decision-making processes in order to optimal use of destination potential and efficient targeting their marketing activities.

scholarly journals Development and assessment of development strategy alternatives in strategic environmental assessment

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
Marina Stenek ◽  
Bojana Nardi ◽  
Nenad Mikulić
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Strategic Environmental Assessment ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Informed Decision Making ◽  
Legal Requirements ◽  
The Development Strategy ◽  
The City

Development and evaluation of alternatives is a key process in the strategic environmental assessment (SEA), which enables improvement of the environment, informed decision-making, greater transparency and better opportunities for public participation. It is also the most challenging part of the assessment, because the alternatives are often avoided or considered to the extent to meet the legal requirements. The absence of alternatives in the assessment process significantly diminishes the contribution of SEA to the environmental protection system. The paper will outline the generally applicable methodology for the development and assessment of alternatives in the SEA process, on the example of the Development Strategy of the City of Solin, which is based on the development of the environmental alternative, which significantly contributes to the development of sustainable strategic solutions.

scholarly journals Program Outcomes of Payments for Watershed Services in Brazilian Atlantic Forest: How to Evaluate to Improve Decision-Making and the Socio-Environmental Benefits

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2441
Author(s):  
Flávio Monteiro dos Santos ◽  
Marcondes Coelho-Junior ◽  
Jéssica Chaves Cardoso ◽  
Vanessa Basso ◽  
André de Paula Marques ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Payments For Ecosystem Services ◽  
Program Outcomes ◽  
Efficiency Performance ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Watershed Services ◽  
Paraíba Do Sul River

In 2014, the Paraíba do Sul River Basin Integration Committee (CEIVAP) established its Pilot Program of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), focusing on water resources. The projects from this program share the same goal: to disseminate the use of PES as a tool for land management in watersheds. Contemplating 11 municipalities, including 84 landowners, conserving 718.63 ha and restoring 188.58 ha, this program was concluded in April 2020. Reviewing its historical and contextualizing features, we have observed that the outcomes from this program extend beyond these numbers. Here, we propose an evaluation methodology comparing the efficiency, performance, and impact of the PES projects. Based on new indicators that are easy to measure, we have identified key elements that have asymmetrically affected the projects. The complexity of the project scope and the execution of high-cost, and risky interventions on rural properties, have resulted in expensive projects with little tangible outputs. Our results support the upgrade of public policy for investment in ecosystem services by CEIVAP in the Paraíba do Sul watershed. In addition, our results can be more successful by improving the decision-making processes for similar projects in other watersheds.

scholarly journals The Influence of Core Self-Evaluations on Group Decision Making Processes: A Laboratory Experiment

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Cristofaro ◽  
Pier Luigi Giardino ◽  
Luna Leoni
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Simulation Game ◽  
Manufacturing Firm ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Team Decision ◽  
High Level ◽  
Overconfidence Bias ◽  
Core Self

The personal trait called Core Self-Evaluations (CSE) has been receiving increasing attention from behavioral strategy scholars due to its ability to predict job performance and to explain some facets of decision-making processes. However, despite previous studies hypothesizing that managers with high values of CSE are intuitive thinkers, beyond any doubt of their capacities and that they significantly lead to positive results for their organization, no one has empirically investigated these assumptions. This gap can be substantiated by the following research question: “How do high Core Self-Evaluations influence team decision-making processes?”. Answering it provides insights on how the evaluations that decision makers make about situations (and the consequent actions that are implemented) highly depend on decision makers’ inner traits and their effect on cognition. To fill this gap, 120 graduate students—divided into groups of four—took part in a simulation game and were asked to make decisions acting the role of General Manager of a small-sized manufacturing firm. Tests aimed at identifying the CSE and intuitive/reflecting thinking approach of participants were administered; moreover, the performance resulting from their decision-making processes and their estimation of reached results were collected. Results show that an average level of CSE is preferable to balance intuitive and reflective thinking, as well as avoiding overconfidence bias and reaching the best performance possible. This work suggests that there is a huge misattribution in considering a high level of CSE as being beneficial for decision-making processes and consequent performance.

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