EFFECTIVENESS OF STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPLIED TO RENEWABLE ENERGY IN BRAZIL

Anne Caroline Malvestio () and Marcelo Montaño ()
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Anne Caroline Malvestio: Sao Carlos School of Engineering – University of Sao Paulo, Av. Trabalhador Sancarlense, 400, 13566-590, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil
Marcelo Montaño: Sao Carlos School of Engineering – University of Sao Paulo, Av. Trabalhador Sancarlense, 400, 13566-590, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil

Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management (JEAPM), 2013, vol. 15, issue 02, 1-21

Abstract: Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is assumed to be an important instrument to support decision-making in Brazil. Although not mandatory, nearly 35 SEAs, of which one third are devoted to energy plans and programmes (oil, gas, hydroelectricity and biofuel), have been prepared over the past 15 years in Brazil. The effectiveness of SEA, however, has not been studied in detail. This paper reports on the application of a procedural effectiveness analysis to 9 SEAs prepared for energy planning in Brazil, of which 5 deal with renewable energy plans and programmes. The results indicate no significant difference between renewable and non-renewable energy in terms of procedural effectiveness, with adequate performance in screening, baseline and description of mitigation actions, but serious deficiencies in the definition of SEA objectives, identification of strategic alternatives, description of public participation and follow-up strategies. The variability in the performance to each effectiveness criteria is taken as evidence that Brazil has not achieved consistency in SEA procedures, reinforcing the need for improvements in the current system.

Keywords: Strategic environmental assessment; procedural effectiveness; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1142/S1464333213400073

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