STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND THE DEMOCRATISATION OF SPATIAL PLANNING

Alessandro Bonifazi (), Carlo Rega () and Paola Gazzola ()
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Alessandro Bonifazi: Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Polytechnic University of Bari Via E. Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
Carlo Rega: Inter University Department of Territorial Studies and Planning, Polytechnic University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 39, 10125, Turin, Italy
Paola Gazzola: Global Urban Research Unit, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, Claremont Tower, NE1 7RU, UK

Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management (JEAPM), 2011, vol. 13, issue 01, 9-37

Abstract: This paper investigates the potential of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to contribute to the high-level policy objective of fostering democratisation in spatial planning. Democratic SEA is conceptualised by discussing environmental citizenship, public control over policy making, and participants' empowerment. The empirical investigation is based on the analysis of SEA documents produced during 25 municipal spatial planning processes in Italy between 2004 and 2010. The study found that advances are more evident in the creation of cross-sectoral governance networks than in the involvement of citizens and civil-society organisations. SEA seems to be increasing transparency and expanding the scope of democratic control over spatial planning decisions, though the boundaries between experts, decision makers and citizens are clearly demarcated. To strengthen democratisation processes, the paper argues that all participants should consider themselves equally responsible within SEA networks, and be ready to question alternative environmental value systems that underpin spatial planning processes.

Keywords: Democratisation; evaluation; environmental governance; Italy; SEA; spatial planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1142/S1464333211003778

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