Strategic environmental assessment for low-carbon development: A case study of oil and gas planning in Tanzania

Abstract

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) can help policy-makers navigate the transition to a low-carbon future. However, research into SEA's efficacy is scarce. We investigated how and to what extent low-carbon development (LCD) was considered in the case study SEA of Tanzania's oil and gas development plan. Using a comprehensive analysis framework we developed earlier, we performed documentary analysis on the draft SEA report. Findings reveal that LCD considerations were addressed partially and inconsistently. Notably, there was no alternatives options analysis, so opportunities for promoting LCD were foregone. Our findings suggest that SEA lags behind the known scientific evidence linking strategic energy planning to climate change mitigation. We recommend revising SEA institutional frameworks and developing the capacity of SEA actors to ensure that future SEAs are more strategic. Lessons highlighted from the Tanzanian case study can be applied to address the opportunities and challenges of LCD in other comparable jurisdictions.