285c Strategic Environmental Assessment

Invitation

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) may serve as a tool for analysis of environmental impacts and the integration of environmental considerations in strategic planning and decision making. The programme aims at contributing to sustainable development, by supporting capacity building in Strategic Environmental Assessment and integrating environment in strategic planning, decision making and implementation initiated or promoted by the participants.

Additionally, this particular SEA programme has an energy focus, specifically targeting participants from organisations and agencies within the energy sector.

The programme offers support for your organisation to strengthen, adapt and maintain capacity to implement SEA. Participants will take part of the latest developments in SEA, supported by Swedish experts and resource persons. They will also develop a network of colleagues from Sweden and other countries, and enhance knowledge about new working methods.

The training programme methodology is based on the assumption that your organisation wishes to carry out changes and is willing to invest its own resources to achieve these changes.

The programme is organised by Niras Sweden AB in collaboration with the Centre for Environment and Sustainability (GMV) at the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology.

Objective

The objective of  the programme is to strengthen SEA capacity in the participants' organisations. The programme will support each participant in initiating and developing an “SEA Project (SEAP)" that will strengthen the use of SEA in planning processes that she/he is involved in.

In the long term, the programme goal is to increase the integration of environmental and sustainability considerations into planning and decision making processes in the participants’ countries. The sustainability perspective on SEA addresses the interlinking of social, ecological and economic aspects, including aspects of poverty alleviation and the rights of the poor. 

BENEFITS:

• Increased knowledge of  different approaches to environmental assessments of policies, plans and programmes (SEA)
• Increased knowledge of  methods and tools for integrating SEA with strategic planning and decision making
• Increased knowledge of  international experiences of development regulations, guidance and procedures for implementing SEA in practice
• Increased understanding of  the importance of  transparency, access to information and public participation in planning
• Improved skills as a “change agent” in initiating and implementing organisational change
• Strengthened international, regional and national networks in the field of SEA

Target Group

Participants may be nominated by organisations and agencies within the energy sector that work actively with plans, policies and programmes at national or regional levels, and in different sectors for which SEA is required or may be applied. These may be government agencies, ministries, non-governmental organisations or private enterprises involved with energy in any relevant field, such as production, distribution, consumption, regulation, planning, policy development, or civil society engagement.

The programme will seek diversity in the sectors represented. Priority will be given to organisations that will benefit from increased capacity in SEA and strategic energy development. Participants will be selected from organisations with demonstrated intent and possibilities to support the design and implementation of an SEAP within the organisation. 

This training programme has a regional focus. The following countries are invited to nominate candidates:
Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia.

 

Contents

The training programme content is organised in four integrated thematic modules:
 
Module 1, Introduction to SEA: the concept of  and rationale for SEA, 
and methods and tools for conducting SEA.

Module 2, International and Swedish regulatory systems and experiences of SEA within the energy sector: concept and approach, the role of regulatory frameworks, and effective environmental integration.

Module 3, Good governance and implementation of  SEA in practice: the institutional, political, social and economic aspects of enabling the integration of  environmental considerations in strategic planning.

Module 4, Organisational change: organisational change theory and tools and skills for initiating, leading and managing an SEA project within an organisation.