Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

1. Strategic Environmental Assessment(SEA) Progress in Sabah ELP Project

2. STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (SEA). SEA has been defined* as “…a process which integrates environmental considerations in the decision-making process higher than the project level…” * “Strategic Environmental Assessment of Policies in Denmark”, DG Environment,Nuclear safety & Civil protection, European Commission, Brussels, November 1996

3. SEA is*: • a tool for bringing environmental considerations into the process of decision making at the strategic level • has a different content from environmental assessment at the project level (EIA) • is built on the principles of documentation, procedure, significance, alternatives and public participation * “Strategic Environmental Assessment of Policies in Denmark”, DG Environment,Nuclear safety & Civil protection, European Commission, Brussels, November 1996

4. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) POLICY Sector Environmental Study (SES) PLANNING MANAGEMENT Initial Environmental Assessment (IEE) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Environmental Audit Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Environmental Monitoring Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

5. Physical & Chemical Environment Biological & Ecological Environment Economic & Operational Environment Social & Cultural Environment The Holistic Environment

6. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has a number of advantages in any holistic planning process.

7. SEA has the potential to address environmental concerns at early stages of decision-making SEA examines Policies, Strategies and Programmes, and so can highlight issues produced from these well before any permanent action has occurred. Such early forecasting allows for early modifications to offset future negative impacts whilst maximising future benefits.

8. SEA forces through consideration of cumulative impacts of several projects or policies Small projects may fall through the EIA requirements for prescribed activities, but a number of such projects in an area may produce serious negative impacts through their cumulative effect. Such a situation may also exist between sectors, and SEA has the ability to identify such potential cumulative problems.

9. SEA forces consideration of indirect and external impacts SEA allows consideration of impacts produced by activities incidental to sector or programme operations, or those that originate outside project boundaries

10. SEA forces wider consideration of alternatives Because SEA is done early in the Policy-Planning-Management Cycle it is often the case that no actions have been initiated. Thus SEA allows all possible alternatives to be considered, and the different alternative actions compared to establish the best alternative for future sustainable development.

11. SEA requires a proactive approach, with potential to steer developments to most appropriate locations from a national/provincial perspective Because SEA provides an overview of the potential development and environmental impact of a wide area, it provides a means by which (through environmental planning) the benefits of natural and human resources can be maximised.

12. The Sabah ELP Project has introduced SEA into the District Planning Process and accomplished a number of objectives: • defined a process to conduct SEA • undertaken training of personnel from different sectors • implemented the SEA process in Sandakan and Tuaran • learning lessons from the SEA’s undertaken in Tuaran & Sandakan • applying the lessons to the SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu

13. Definition of a process for SEA in Sabah The development of a SEA process for Sabah has been done using the framework for SEA from the UK and adapted for Sabah and RIAM

14. Public Participation Definition of a process for SEA in Sabah • Definition • Screening • Scoping • External factors • Analysis • Documentation & Reporting

15. Training in SEA of personnel from different sectors A cadre of personnel from different sectors were trained in SEA. From this base a core team can be created, with specialist inputs given as required.

16. Training in SEA of personnel from different sectors

17. Implementation of the SEA process in Sandakan & Tuaran The Sandakan SEA recommended that SMI development could produce positive social and economic change but may aggregate into a larger pollution problem. To mitigate this general problem of cumulative pollution the SEA suggested that the EPD might consider the introduction of Environmental protection Areas where such SMI aggregations occur.

18. Implementation of the SEA process in Sandakan & Tuaran The Sandakan SEA recommended that “planning should take account of the scenic value of hills, forest cover, bays an beaches; and landscape development to be discrete (or even hidden) in order to preserve the natural beauty of the State”

20. Implementation of the SEA process in Sandakan & Tuaran The Sandakan SEA recommended: “To provide protection to smaller areas of forest reserves…buffer zones should be created around these areas...specifically around…Sepilok Forest Reserve, the Gum Gum Forest Reserve and the Labuk Road Forest Reserve”

21. Labuk Road Buffer Zone Gum Gum & part of Sepilok Buffer Zones

22. Implementation of the SEA process in Sandakan & Tuaran To protect the Salut/Menkabong lagoons the SEA for Tuaran produced a planning policy: “The use of retention ponds for storm water runoff from the KKIP site prior discharge into the Menkabong lagoons”

23. Implementation of the SEA process in Sandakan & Tuaran From the SEA for Tuaran preserving the Menkabong mangrove forests is seen as important. This conclusion was translated into a Planning Policy recommending that the Forest Department should “gazette all the mangrove in the northern Menkabong spur as Mangrove Forest Reserve (Class V) and the forest on the southern hill slopes in this area (within the KKIP boundary) will be declared an Amenity Forest Reserve (Class IV)…”

24. Mangrove Forest Reserve (Class V) Amenity Forest Reserve (Class IV)

25. Lessons learnt from the SEA’s undertaken in Tuaran & Sandakan SEA works best when considering strategies or programmes (policies are too loose to be of value in planning) Planning issues as well as sector strategies should be included in the SEA SEA must be started very early in the planning process to ensure a worthwhile input into the District Plans Quality control is needed at different points in the SEA process (not simply at the end) SEA works best with a core team to provide continuity throughout the process (with sector specialists as required)

26. Applying the lessons learnt to SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu There is a need to consider very carefully the Policy-Strategy-Planning (PSP) base. The recommendation is that only Strategy and Programme levels be considered to help to more precisely define the base of the SEA.

27. Applying the lessons learnt to SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu Planning issues as well as sector strategies should be included in the SEA The SEA should consider the possible development scenarios that may be suggested for each District. Some of the important scenarios may be either long-term or outside the administrative boundary, but these too should be considered.

28. Applying the lessons learnt to SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu In both Districts specific issues are being considered, eg: • the Kuala Penyu-Labuan bridge/ferry alternatives • bridge to replace ferry in Kuala Penyu town • the use of the Klias peatlands • impact of a new Sabah-Sarawak highway • impact of a new airport in Kimanis (Papar)

29. Applying the lessons learnt to SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu The SEA stands on the reliability from the results from each stage. Effective Quality Control is thus essential to ensure confidence in the assessment.

30. Applying the lessons learnt to SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu SEA must be started very early in the planning process to ensure a worthwhile input into the District Plans The SEA is a part of the planning process and for its results to be of use they must be available in time to be incorporated into the plans and regulations. Thus deadlines for completion of each stage need to be set and adhered to.

31. June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Screening Scoping Data collection & Assumptions Input to plans RIAM analysis Quality Control Public Exhibition Applying the lessons learnt to SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu

32. Applying the lessons learnt to SEA’s in Beaufort & Kuala Penyu A core team is being formed for the SEA to provide continuity throughout the process (with sector specialists as required) With their experience there will be a small foundation on which the use of SEA in Sabah in the future can be built on.

33. The ELP project has produced a system for SEA and will demonstrate its value for planning in Sabah. The question of sustainability remains in how Sabah will use this tool in the future.

34. THANK YOU THE END