Biodiversity and ecosystem services in strategic environmental assessment: An evaluation of six Australian cases
Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) aims to provide a sound theoretical basis on which to plan for biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). With the multi-purpose and increasing use of SEA worldwide, it is timely to evaluate the effectiveness of SEA practice in integrating biodiversity and ES...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Environmental impact assessment review 2021-03, Vol.87, p.106552, Article 106552 |
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description | Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) aims to provide a sound theoretical basis on which to plan for biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). With the multi-purpose and increasing use of SEA worldwide, it is timely to evaluate the effectiveness of SEA practice in integrating biodiversity and ES considerations. Here, we derive criteria from the International Best Practice Principles on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Impact Assessment to evaluate six Australian SEAs conducted for urban development plans. We use qualitative and quantitative content analysis to examine the endorsed SEA reports. We identify and analyse text references related to the evaluation criteria and use word counting of keywords to supplement and cross-check the validity of our findings. Four significant results emerge from our analysis. First, while goals to achieve no net loss (NNL) or net gain outcomes for biodiversity are mentioned in all case studies, their poor specification may limit their effectiveness. Second, there is limited integration of ES considerations into the SEA reports, limiting the potential advantages that such an approach could provide. Third, offsetting is the most documented type of mitigation measure, potentially signalling a lack of evidence in implementing early steps of the mitigation hierarchy, including avoidance. This could be explained by the low level of integration of biodiversity and ES considerations from the early stages in the planning process, where there is more flexibility to apply such steps. Fourth, biodiversity management systems and follow-up activities lack detailed information to judge whether they will be useful to demonstrate NNL outcomes. Based on these findings, we present recommendations for enhancing the integration of biodiversity and ES considerations in SEAs. Our approach provides a general framework that can be applied to evaluate SEAs elsewhere in the world from a biodiversity and ES conservation perspective.
•Criteria are derived from best practice principles to evaluate strategic assessments in Australia.•No net loss goals are poorly specified limiting effectiveness.•Evidence to demonstrate adequate application of the mitigation hierarchy is limited.•Ecosystem services integration is also limited.•Monitoring, auditing and evaluation activities lack detail. |
doi_str_mv | 10.1016/j.eiar.2021.106552 |
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•Criteria are derived from best practice principles to evaluate strategic assessments in Australia.•No net loss goals are poorly specified limiting effectiveness.•Evidence to demonstrate adequate application of the mitigation hierarchy is limited.•Ecosystem services integration is also limited.•Monitoring, auditing and evaluation activities lack detail.</description><identifier>ISSN: 0195-9255</identifier><identifier>EISSN: 1873-6432</identifier><identifier>DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2021.106552</identifier><language>eng</language><publisher>Oxford: Elsevier Inc</publisher><subject>Best practice ; Biodiversity ; Case studies ; Conservation ; Content analysis ; Counting ; Criteria ; Development plans ; Ecosystem assessment ; Ecosystem services ; Ecosystems ; Effectiveness ; Environmental assessment ; Environmental impact ; Environmental impact assessment ; Evaluation ; Flexibility ; Integration ; Low level ; Management systems ; Mitigation ; Mitigation hierarchy ; Qualitative analysis ; Services ; Specification ; Strategic environmental assessment ; Urban development ; Wildlife conservation</subject><ispartof>Environmental impact assessment review, 2021-03, Vol.87, p.106552, Article 106552</ispartof><rights>2021 Elsevier Inc.</rights><rights>Copyright Elsevier BV Mar 2021</rights><lds50>peer_reviewed</lds50><oa>free_for_read</oa><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><citedby>FETCH-LOGICAL-c372t-51b492d5ebcaa6f998fa97c8feb612f1cdd7909f37e87b220512fca906a35be03</citedby><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-c372t-51b492d5ebcaa6f998fa97c8feb612f1cdd7909f37e87b220512fca906a35be03</cites></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><linktohtml>$$Uhttps://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2021.106552$$EHTML$$P50$$Gelsevier$$H</linktohtml><link.rule.ids>314,780,784,3550,27866,27924,27925,45995</link.rule.ids></links><search><creatorcontrib>Gutierrez, Marco</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Bekessy, Sarah A.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Gordon, Ascelin</creatorcontrib><title>Biodiversity and ecosystem services in strategic environmental assessment: An evaluation of six Australian cases</title><title>Environmental impact assessment review</title><description>Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) aims to provide a sound theoretical basis on which to plan for biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). With the multi-purpose and increasing use of SEA worldwide, it is timely to evaluate the effectiveness of SEA practice in integrating biodiversity and ES considerations. Here, we derive criteria from the International Best Practice Principles on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Impact Assessment to evaluate six Australian SEAs conducted for urban development plans. We use qualitative and quantitative content analysis to examine the endorsed SEA reports. We identify and analyse text references related to the evaluation criteria and use word counting of keywords to supplement and cross-check the validity of our findings. Four significant results emerge from our analysis. First, while goals to achieve no net loss (NNL) or net gain outcomes for biodiversity are mentioned in all case studies, their poor specification may limit their effectiveness. Second, there is limited integration of ES considerations into the SEA reports, limiting the potential advantages that such an approach could provide. Third, offsetting is the most documented type of mitigation measure, potentially signalling a lack of evidence in implementing early steps of the mitigation hierarchy, including avoidance. This could be explained by the low level of integration of biodiversity and ES considerations from the early stages in the planning process, where there is more flexibility to apply such steps. Fourth, biodiversity management systems and follow-up activities lack detailed information to judge whether they will be useful to demonstrate NNL outcomes. Based on these findings, we present recommendations for enhancing the integration of biodiversity and ES considerations in SEAs. Our approach provides a general framework that can be applied to evaluate SEAs elsewhere in the world from a biodiversity and ES conservation perspective.
•Criteria are derived from best practice principles to evaluate strategic assessments in Australia.•No net loss goals are poorly specified limiting effectiveness.•Evidence to demonstrate adequate application of the mitigation hierarchy is limited.•Ecosystem services integration is also limited.•Monitoring, auditing and evaluation activities lack detail.</description><subject>Best practice</subject><subject>Biodiversity</subject><subject>Case studies</subject><subject>Conservation</subject><subject>Content analysis</subject><subject>Counting</subject><subject>Criteria</subject><subject>Development plans</subject><subject>Ecosystem assessment</subject><subject>Ecosystem services</subject><subject>Ecosystems</subject><subject>Effectiveness</subject><subject>Environmental assessment</subject><subject>Environmental impact</subject><subject>Environmental impact assessment</subject><subject>Evaluation</subject><subject>Flexibility</subject><subject>Integration</subject><subject>Low level</subject><subject>Management systems</subject><subject>Mitigation</subject><subject>Mitigation hierarchy</subject><subject>Qualitative analysis</subject><subject>Services</subject><subject>Specification</subject><subject>Strategic environmental assessment</subject><subject>Urban development</subject><subject>Wildlife conservation</subject><issn>0195-9255</issn><issn>1873-6432</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2021</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><sourceid>7TQ</sourceid><recordid>eNp9kEtPwzAQhC0EEuXxBzhZ4pxiO3USIy6l4iVV4gJny3E2yFVrF68b0X-Po3DmtNrRfLujIeSGszlnvLrbzMGZOBdM8CxUUooTMuNNXRbVohSnZMa4koUSUp6TC8QNy5BSzYzsH13o3AARXTpS4zsKNuARE-woQhycBaTOU0zRJPhyloIfXAx-Bz6ZLTWIgDgu93TpKQxmezDJBU9DT9H90OVhRLfOeGpN9l6Rs95sEa7_5iX5fH76WL0W6_eXt9VyXdiyFqmQvF0o0UlorTFVn7P2RtW26aGtuOi57bpaMdWXNTR1KwSTWbVGscqUsgVWXpLb6e4-hu8DYNKbcIg-v9RioRTLiGqyS0wuGwNihF7vo9uZeNSc6bFZvdFjs3psVk_NZuhhgiDnHxxEjdaBt9C5CDbpLrj_8F_ywoRv</recordid><startdate>202103</startdate><enddate>202103</enddate><creator>Gutierrez, Marco</creator><creator>Bekessy, Sarah A.</creator><creator>Gordon, Ascelin</creator><general>Elsevier Inc</general><general>Elsevier BV</general><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>7ST</scope><scope>7TQ</scope><scope>8BJ</scope><scope>8FD</scope><scope>C1K</scope><scope>DHY</scope><scope>DON</scope><scope>FQK</scope><scope>FR3</scope><scope>JBE</scope><scope>KR7</scope><scope>SOI</scope></search><sort><creationdate>202103</creationdate><title>Biodiversity and ecosystem services in strategic environmental assessment: An evaluation of six Australian cases</title><author>Gutierrez, Marco ; Bekessy, Sarah A. ; Gordon, Ascelin</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c372t-51b492d5ebcaa6f998fa97c8feb612f1cdd7909f37e87b220512fca906a35be03</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2021</creationdate><topic>Best practice</topic><topic>Biodiversity</topic><topic>Case studies</topic><topic>Conservation</topic><topic>Content analysis</topic><topic>Counting</topic><topic>Criteria</topic><topic>Development plans</topic><topic>Ecosystem assessment</topic><topic>Ecosystem services</topic><topic>Ecosystems</topic><topic>Effectiveness</topic><topic>Environmental assessment</topic><topic>Environmental impact</topic><topic>Environmental impact assessment</topic><topic>Evaluation</topic><topic>Flexibility</topic><topic>Integration</topic><topic>Low level</topic><topic>Management systems</topic><topic>Mitigation</topic><topic>Mitigation hierarchy</topic><topic>Qualitative analysis</topic><topic>Services</topic><topic>Specification</topic><topic>Strategic environmental assessment</topic><topic>Urban development</topic><topic>Wildlife conservation</topic><toplevel>peer_reviewed</toplevel><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Gutierrez, Marco</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Bekessy, Sarah A.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Gordon, Ascelin</creatorcontrib><collection>CrossRef</collection><collection>Environment Abstracts</collection><collection>PAIS Index</collection><collection>International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS)</collection><collection>Technology Research Database</collection><collection>Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management</collection><collection>PAIS International</collection><collection>PAIS International (Ovid)</collection><collection>International Bibliography of the Social Sciences</collection><collection>Engineering Research Database</collection><collection>International Bibliography of the Social Sciences</collection><collection>Civil Engineering Abstracts</collection><collection>Environment Abstracts</collection><jtitle>Environmental impact assessment review</jtitle></facets><delivery><delcategory>Remote Search Resource</delcategory><fulltext>fulltext</fulltext></delivery><addata><au>Gutierrez, Marco</au><au>Bekessy, Sarah A.</au><au>Gordon, Ascelin</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><atitle>Biodiversity and ecosystem services in strategic environmental assessment: An evaluation of six Australian cases</atitle><jtitle>Environmental impact assessment review</jtitle><date>2021-03</date><risdate>2021</risdate><volume>87</volume><spage>106552</spage><pages>106552-</pages><artnum>106552</artnum><issn>0195-9255</issn><eissn>1873-6432</eissn><abstract>Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) aims to provide a sound theoretical basis on which to plan for biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). With the multi-purpose and increasing use of SEA worldwide, it is timely to evaluate the effectiveness of SEA practice in integrating biodiversity and ES considerations. Here, we derive criteria from the International Best Practice Principles on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Impact Assessment to evaluate six Australian SEAs conducted for urban development plans. We use qualitative and quantitative content analysis to examine the endorsed SEA reports. We identify and analyse text references related to the evaluation criteria and use word counting of keywords to supplement and cross-check the validity of our findings. Four significant results emerge from our analysis. First, while goals to achieve no net loss (NNL) or net gain outcomes for biodiversity are mentioned in all case studies, their poor specification may limit their effectiveness. Second, there is limited integration of ES considerations into the SEA reports, limiting the potential advantages that such an approach could provide. Third, offsetting is the most documented type of mitigation measure, potentially signalling a lack of evidence in implementing early steps of the mitigation hierarchy, including avoidance. This could be explained by the low level of integration of biodiversity and ES considerations from the early stages in the planning process, where there is more flexibility to apply such steps. Fourth, biodiversity management systems and follow-up activities lack detailed information to judge whether they will be useful to demonstrate NNL outcomes. Based on these findings, we present recommendations for enhancing the integration of biodiversity and ES considerations in SEAs. Our approach provides a general framework that can be applied to evaluate SEAs elsewhere in the world from a biodiversity and ES conservation perspective.
•Criteria are derived from best practice principles to evaluate strategic assessments in Australia.•No net loss goals are poorly specified limiting effectiveness.•Evidence to demonstrate adequate application of the mitigation hierarchy is limited.•Ecosystem services integration is also limited.•Monitoring, auditing and evaluation activities lack detail.</abstract><cop>Oxford</cop><pub>Elsevier Inc</pub><doi>10.1016/j.eiar.2021.106552</doi><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record> |
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subjects | Best practice Biodiversity Case studies Conservation Content analysis Counting Criteria Development plans Ecosystem assessment Ecosystem services Ecosystems Effectiveness Environmental assessment Environmental impact Environmental impact assessment Evaluation Flexibility Integration Low level Management systems Mitigation Mitigation hierarchy Qualitative analysis Services Specification Strategic environmental assessment Urban development Wildlife conservation |
title | Biodiversity and ecosystem services in strategic environmental assessment: An evaluation of six Australian cases |
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