This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Strategic Environmental Assessment
28/05/2003
STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The Executive will legislate to ensure:
- The full environmental impacts of all new strategies, programmes and plans developed by the public sector are properly considered
- Whenever a strategy, plan or programme is in preparation, an environmental assessment must be done and an environmental report published with the draft strategy, plan or programme
- Environmental bodies and the public are given a chance to comment and their views are taken into account when the final version is adopted
- When the strategy, plan or programme is introduced, it is monitored for unforeseen environmental effects
Background
An EU Directive states that strategic environmental assessment must be implemented by July 21, 2004. This only applies to a limited range of plans and programmes produced by government and public authorities.
A Partnership for a Better Scotland goes further by stating:
"We (the Executive) will legislate to introduce strategic environmental assessment to ensure that the full environmental impacts of all new strategies, programmes and plans developed by the public sector are properly considered."
The legislation will fulfil the specific commitment on strategic environmental assessment and demonstrate determination to put environmental concerns at the heart of public policy and secure environmental justice for all of Scotland's communities.
The legislation will fulfil the Executive's European obligations. It will give people an opportunity to have their voices heard and to be sure that effects on the environment, including effects on human health, will not be overlooked.
Strategic environmental assessment is a matter for the public sector and will not impose additional burdens on business or the voluntary sector.