Abstract
Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) can support decision-makers in constructing more sustainable plans, programs, and policies (PPPs). To be more coherent with new frontiers of sustainable cities, PPPs need to include conservation objectives and to increase ecosystem service (ES) strategies. The ES concept is not intrinsic to the SEA process; therefore, it is necessary to develop an approach and methodology to include it. In this paper, we propose a methodology to integrate the concept of ecosystem services in all phases of the SEA process for a sub-urban plan, including the design of mitigation measures. The case study is represented by a peri-urban development plan in the municipality of Gallipoli in South Italy, characterized by a strong tourism economy and valuable agro-ecosystems. The analysis shows the priority ecosystem services that are selected considering the sustainable development and environmental goals, the context of referment, and the aims of the peri-urban plan. After, we highlight the potential ecosystem services developed considering the design of mitigation actions like green infrastructure, which could be implemented in the peri-urban plan. The capacity to develop green infrastructure in SEA processes can configure the SEA as a tool for ecological urban design that is integrated with urban planning. This requires the ability to transfer ecological and planning theories into practical actions and the capacity of different disciplines to work in a transdisciplinary approach.
Highlights
Ecosystem services (ESs) represent the human benefits derived from a combination of biophysical structure and ecological functions that characterize the landscape and can be conditioned from the method and purpose for which humans use the land [1,2].The concept of ecosystem services should be included in decision-support procedures, such as strategic environmental assessments (SEAs) for public plans or programs and environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for individual projects because the conservation of ecosystem services is essential to safeguarding people’s well-being [3,4]
Air-quality regulation, climate regulation, and moderation of extreme events were selected as priority ecosystem services that need to be enhanced in the area through mitigation actions [26,54,55,56,57]
Specific design choices can improve the capacity of green areas to support biodiversity, but this is not the primary scope and we cannot predict with certainty those birds and animal species that will be able to settle in the spaces
Summary
The concept of ecosystem services should be included in decision-support procedures, such as strategic environmental assessments (SEAs) for public plans or programs and environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for individual projects because the conservation of ecosystem services is essential to safeguarding people’s well-being [3,4]. SEA refers to a “range of analytical and participatory approaches that aim to integrate environmental considerations into Policies, Plans and Programmes (PPPs) and evaluate the inter-linkages with economic and social considerations” [5]. Interest is growing in the potential role of the ecosystem service (ES) concept within SEA [6,7,8]. Integrating ecosystem services into SEA is aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of PPPs and the potential impacts on ecosystem service provision.
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