Measurement indicators and an evaluation approach for assessing Strategic Environmental Assessment effectiveness

Carrying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is being promoted through law in many parts of the world with the aim of integrating environmental consideration into decision-making process and improving sustainable development. Although it is generally agreed that SEA plays an important role in the decisions affecting the environment, SEA is currently experiencing increased pressure from decision makers and politicians to argue and prove its effectiveness. Recently, studies concerning this area have been accelerating. When considering evaluating SEA effectiveness, two main challenges need to be addressed. Firstly, the identification and formulation of evaluating indicators, and secondly, finding ways and methods to quantify and measure conformance to the indicators. In this study, we first review critically the indicators and criteria on the effectiveness of the impact assessment, four dimensions evaluating indicators, including substantive indicator, procedural indicator, contextual indicator, and incremental indicator, and 13 sub-indicators have been identified. An evaluating model is developed and a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP) approach for designing and evaluating SEA is established and applied to a regional planning in China.