Integration of Ecosystem Services in Strategic Environmental Assessment of a Peri-Urban Development Plan

Teodoro Semeraro, Benedetta Radicchio, Pietro Medagli, Stefano Arzeni, Alessio Turco and Davide Geneletti
Additional contact information
Teodoro Semeraro: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Benedetta Radicchio: Regional Agency for Prevention and Environmental Protection, Puglia, 70126 Bari, Italy
Pietro Medagli: DHITECH S.c.a r.l.Prov. le Lecce Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Stefano Arzeni: DHITECH S.c.a r.l.Prov. le Lecce Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Alessio Turco: DHITECH S.c.a r.l.Prov. le Lecce Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Davide Geneletti: Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-25

Abstract: Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) can support decision-makers in constructing more sustainable plans, programs, and policies (PPPs). To be more coherent with new frontiers of sustainable cities, PPPs need to include conservation objectives and to increase ecosystem service (ES) strategies. The ES concept is not intrinsic to the SEA process; therefore, it is necessary to develop an approach and methodology to include it. In this paper, we propose a methodology to integrate the concept of ecosystem services in all phases of the SEA process for a sub-urban plan, including the design of mitigation measures. The case study is represented by a peri-urban development plan in the municipality of Gallipoli in South Italy, characterized by a strong tourism economy and valuable agro-ecosystems. The analysis shows the priority ecosystem services that are selected considering the sustainable development and environmental goals, the context of referment, and the aims of the peri-urban plan. After, we highlight the potential ecosystem services developed considering the design of mitigation actions like green infrastructure, which could be implemented in the peri-urban plan. The capacity to develop green infrastructure in SEA processes can configure the SEA as a tool for ecological urban design that is integrated with urban planning. This requires the ability to transfer ecological and planning theories into practical actions and the capacity of different disciplines to work in a transdisciplinary approach.

Keywords: environmental assessment; environmental goals; ecosystem services; mitigation actions; green infrastructure; urban plan; landscape planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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