The role and value of strategic environmental assessment in Estonia: stakeholders' perspectives

Abstract

The requirements for strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in Estonia legally came into force on 1 January 2001. Since then, seven SEAs of national-level plans and programmes have been conducted. This paper, based on a survey of SEA stakeholders (public authorities, SEA experts and environmental non-governmental organisations), explores the perceptions of objectives and effects, and difficulties, of conducting SEAs at this level. SEA is considered to have had a tangible effect on the content of policy documents, stakeholder involvement and environmental education. However, the late start of the SEA process and different perception of its objectives by different stakeholders have probably limited its effectiveness. Several recommendations related to SEA procedure and capacity building are made to overcome these difficulties.

Keywords:

• strategic environmental assessment
• SEA experts
• SEA methodology
• SEA process
• public involvement