Advances in Implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Techniques in Central America and the Caribbean

Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri, Lidibert González-González, María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero and Eduardo Cassiraga
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Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri: Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València (IIAMA-UPV), 46022 Valencia, Spain
Lidibert González-González: Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València (IIAMA-UPV), 46022 Valencia, Spain
María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero: Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València (IIAMA-UPV), 46022 Valencia, Spain
Eduardo Cassiraga: Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València (IIAMA-UPV), 46022 Valencia, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: The use of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) systems is essential to ensure the sustainability of plans, programs and policies. This works shows, for the first time in the scientific literature, a joint vision of the current situation of SEA systems in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic. The analysis has been performed using data collected from an exhaustive review of the pre-existing literature and specific information obtained from personal interviews carried out during the SEA forum held in Bogotá in 2018. Legal mechanisms in the Central American and Caribbean region reveal that specific regulation is not necessary to apply and develop SEA systems. Little experience in SEA development in the region is evidenced in the absence of SEA methodologies adapted to the different contexts of policies, plans, programs and governance circumstances. SEA results’ dissemination procedures have been performed only in El Salvador and Costa Rica. Besides, results show that no monitoring mechanisms for the programs implemented under SEA processes have been applied to date. To ensure the future development of SEA processes in the region under sustainable criteria, it is essential to ensure the support of decision makers so that plans and policies can be properly adapted.

Keywords: strategic environmental assessment; legislation; development; capacities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4039-:d:358295

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