Cheti Pira and Corrado Zoppi on "Open issues concerning Strategic Environmental Assessment of the adjustment process of the Sardinian municipality Masterplans to the Regional Landscape Plan"

1. Open issues concerning Strategic Environmental Assessment of the
adjustment process of the Sardinian municipality Masterplans to the Regional
Landscape Plan
Cheti Pira, Corrado Zoppi

2. SEA approach
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP:
- Integration of SEA in the planning process
(endoprocedimentality)
- Sustainability integration in the planning process
Conclusion
Layout

3. In the spirit of Directive 2001/42/EC, important conditions for Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) to be effective are its cooperative and
inclusive attitudes and its integration in the planning process (we call it
“endoprocedimentality of SEA with respect to plans) .
Cooperation should involve institutions, planning authorities and agencies who are
involved in environmental assessment procedures. Inclusion implies favoring and
catalyzing local communities’ participation, that is participation of the public, in the
planning/assessment process.
The object of the SEA is not the decision, which is only the expected result, but the process
that leads to it (Kørnøv e Thissen, 2000).
This presentation discusses some problematic issues in the implementation of
the SEA in the ongoing experience of the Sardinian municipality Masterplans
adjustment process to the Regional Landscape Plan (RLP).
SEA approach

4. In terms of exportability, the innovation brought about by the Sardinian case
consists of a methodological approach which is in an advanced experimental
stage, since several municipalities and provinces are implementing SEA
processes with endogenously-identified planning/assessment objectives, and
with decisions on program/plan actions taken with the aim of addressing
suitable ways of reaching such objectives .
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP

5. Sardinian SEA is particularly significant because the regional administration
issued a Guidelines Manual (“GL” from now on) which not only ensures
formally that an inclusive and incremental SEA process is implemented, but also
defines rigorously the steps that SEA proceeding authority has to follow .
The SEA process, which couples plan definition and establishment, and its
implementation, is characterized by a set of phases which should be
responsibly and carefully developed in the interest of the process key-actors,
who should not reasonably give-up, since, being the process transparent, at
best, such a decision would most likely appear, to the voters of their local
communities, as a symptom of incapacity and sloth.
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP

6. Integration between SEA
and planning process.
Source: GL, page 11
Guidelines Manual for SEA of the Sardinian Region

7. Activities in the scoping phase.
Source: GL, page 12
Guidelines Manual for SEA of the Sardinian Region

8. Activities in the elaboration of the environmental report.
Source: GL, page 13
Guidelines Manual for SEA of the Sardinian Region

9. •A common practice at regional level is part of a modus operandi by which the
evaluation phases are downgraded and considered marginal in the project-
building process. In general, the processing of the Masterplan began prior to
the SEA procedure and therefore the opportunity for an improvement which
the SEA could have offered in setting up the plan was missed, in particular the
definitions of goals and alternatives.
•If, as in the case of Alghero, the SEA starts fifteen years after the beginning of
the planning process of the Masterplan, it seems obvious that it does not make
sense to seek alternatives when choices have already been made; it is also clear
that it is difficult, if not impossible, to widen the spectrum of the plan's goals so
as to include sustainability issues, in all their nuances.
• Were it not possible to fully integrate the SEA within the planning process,
this would disregard the Directive and it would especially result in being heavily
hampered in its potential of improvement in the quality of the planning
process.
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Integration of SEA in the planning process (endoprocedimentality)

10. The ultimate goal of the EC Directive is to highlight the need to improve the
quality of the planning process, which should be integrated by benchmark
criteria, for the definition of the plans’ and programs’ goals, aimed at
protecting the environment and therefore the enactment of good practices
which foster sustainable development.
In the Sardinian GL, this approach is structured according to the EC Directive in
a no longer recent handbook on SEA, which is still a theoretical point of
reference. According to the handbook and the GL, sustainability objectives
should be integrated into the system of a plan’s objectives based on the ten
criteria […] listed below:
1. minimize use of non-renewable resources;
2. use renewable resources within limits of capacity for regeneration;
3. environmentally sound use and management of hazardous/polluting substances and wastes;
4. conserve and enhance the status of wildlife, habitats and landscapes;
5. maintain and improve the quality of soils and water resource;
6. maintain and improve the quality of historic and cultural resources;
7. maintain and improve local environmental quality;
8. protection of the atmosphere;
9. develop environmental awareness, education and training;
10. promote public participation in decisions involving sustainable development.
Sustainability

11. “These criteria are applied to key development/investment sectors. They are
intended to assist Environmental Authorities think about these issues” (European
Commission, 1998, p. II. 1);
“Each region will need to decide what its own key criteria should be” (ibid.).
Two steps can be identified in the GL implementation into the adjustment
process of the Sardinian towns’ Masterplans to the RLP, with reference to
sustainability:
1) a poor and ineffective implementation in the scoping phase;
2) a forceful and efficacious implementation in the definition and issuing
phase of the Environmental Report (ER).
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability

12. Based on the analysis of some scoping documents, concerning several case studies,
it is possible to summarize the integration of the paradigm of sustainability in the
SEA process through four approaches.
Approach #1: the sustainability criteria are not taken into account
It is the most negative approach. It is common in the SEA of the provincial Masterplans.
Approach #2: the question of sustainability is taken into account in an abstract and formal
way
Some scoping documents state that sustainability is an important issue, but they do not
indicate how it should taken into account in the planning process (Assemini, Posada,
Monserrato).
Approach #3: some scoping documents indicate that sustainability criteria will be taken into
account in the production of the Masterplan, but they do not explain how.
Moreover, these documents seem to neglect the fact that the ten criteria are only a starting
reference point and need to be contextualized
(Alghero, Arbus)
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability-The scoping phase

13. Approach #4: sometimes, some scoping documents show awareness of the
importance of contextualization.
For example, the municipality of Villa San Pietro identifies a first set of objectives,
divided into general and specific with reference to distinct geographical areas. The
scoping document indicates that these objectives will be checked in terms of
sustainability during the preparation of the ER.
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability-The scoping phase

14. The paradigm of sustainability is applied much more effectively than in the
scoping documents. The contextualization of the ten criteria may take place for
example by the use of the GOPP (Goal Oriented Project Planning) methodology
(two ways of applying it: the ER of the Assemini’s and Alghero’s Masterplans).
Tentative
definition of Definition of the set of
Masterplan’s objectives of the
SWOT objectives Masterplan as a result of
integrating the criteria-
analysis derived objectives and
the objectives defined in
the first place
Contextualiz
ed
sustainability
criteria
The Assemini’s approach
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability

15. How does the Assemini’s approach work?
From the SWOT analysis: Weakness point: “In the area of Assemini there is the Forest
of Gutturu Mannu, a publicly-owned environmental resource where important
archaeological, archaeo-industrial, architectural and cultural heritage are located, with
particular reference to the San Leone mining site”. From this point of the SWOT
analysis originates the following Masterplan’s objective: “The Assemini’s Masterplan
aims to recognize and protect archaeological, architectural and industrial heritage
through the conservation of the landscape contexts of the communal area”.
From the SWOT analysis: Strength point :“In the area of Assemini there is an
important natural resource, the Santa Gilla Wetland”. From this point of the SWOT
analysis originates the following Masterplan’s contextualized criterion:
“Environmental conservation and recovery of the Wetlands of Assemini”, which
contextualizes the sustainability criterion #5 : “Maintain and improve the quality of
soils and water resource”.
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability

16. From the comparison of the Masterplan’s objective defined in the first place reported
above and the contextualized criterion reported above, originates the following
redefined Masterplan’s objective:
“The Assemini’s Masterplan aims to protect the Santa Gilla Wetland as one of the
main landscape resources of the communal area”.
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability

17. Tentative definition of
Masterplan’s objectives Comprehensive
SWOT
analysis through the integration of definition of the
criteria-derived set of the
sustainability-oriented
objectives and social- and
Masterplan’s
economic-oriented objectives
objectives
The Alghero’s approach
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability

18. How does the Alghero’s approach work?
From the SWOT analysis: Strength point: “In the Alghero’s area there is an important
system of hills, where historic settlements took place, which entails a particular
importance in terms of tourism and public services”. From this point of the SWOT
analysis originates the following Masterplan’s objective: “The Alghero’s Masterplan
aims to improve and update the tourist supply, in terms of receptive structures”.
From the SWOT analysis: Strength point : same as above. From this point of the
SWOT analysis originates the following Masterplan’s objective: “The Alghero’s
Masterplan aims to protect and make available for tourism the natural protected
areas of the Alghero’s area”, which contextualizes the sustainability criterion #7 :
“maintain and improve local environmental quality”.
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability

19. The objective defined originally as “The Alghero’s Masterplan aims to improve and
update the tourist supply, in terms of receptive structures”, is redefined as “The
Alghero’s Masterplan aims to promote the local tourism-based development based on
the scientific characterization and qualitative improvement of natural habitats” since,
from the comparison of this objective with the objective “The Alghero’s Masterplan
aims to protect and make available for tourism the natural protected areas of the
Alghero’s area” which contextualizes a sustainability criterion, the original objective
seems too weak since it does not put in evidence that there is a strong linkage
between tourism development and the system of the environmental resources of the
Alghero’s area.
SEA in the Adjustment of the municipality Masterplans to the RLP.
Sustainability

20. It can be said that, a model of public decision-making based on the conceptual
and methodological approach set out in SEA, can be inserted into a broader
model of regional governance oriented towards the paradigm of sustainability.
We saw that the implementation of the GL is a learning process, where the local
administration of the cities and towns of Sardinia have initially obtained very poor
results (the vast majority of the scoping documents bears witness), and have fairly
improved their outcomes when they issued their ER’s.
The Sardinian approach to SEA of the city and town Masterplans is easily
exportable to other Italian regional contexts, since the rules concerning the
process of definition, approval and implementation of the city and town
Masterplans are very similar to each other with reference to the other Italian
regions, as it is with regard to the regional landscape plans.
Conclusion

21. The most valuable aspect of this exportability concerns the fact that the GL
approach could possibly catalyze and implement community-learning processes
where regional and local administrations, citizens, private and public bodies,
profit and non-profit enterprises, could possibly learn how and why the
paradigm of sustainability could improve the quality of the local Masterplans
and, ultimately, the quality of life of the local communities.
Conclusion