Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a well-established procedure to support Decision Makers (DMs) in considering and evaluating the effects of Policies, Plans, and Programs (PPPs) on the environment, along with social and economic considerations, providing a valid basis for informed decision making. The integration of sustainability issues into decision-making processes can be provided in several ways: offering a framework to support DMs in their choice, studying and analyzing alternatives, identifying sustainability objectives, and integrating sustainability criteria in PPPs. In light of such needs, this paper aims to present a methodological approach to guide the assessment phase of environmental effects in the SEA procedure. The proposed methodology consists in seeking a strong and clearly understandable connection between the environmental sustainability objectives deriving from policies at the international level, and the specific environmental sustainability objectives of a Plan, which is propaedeutic to the evaluation of the environmental effects of the Plan itself. Moreover, this approach allows to keep the analysis at the strategic level, which is the one required in SEA. The contextualization of the general objectives of environmental sustainability with respect to the environmental aspects affected by the Plan itself and to the characteristics of the reference territory allows the requirement of strategic relevance to be fully met, integrating policy directions that in some contexts, such as the European one, are not subject to the SEA procedure.

ABSTRACT This article examines the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), EIA Addendum, and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) used to evaluate the Watuputih Groundwater Basin in the designated karst area of North Kendeng Mountain, planned for cement mining. Using discourse analysis of systematic language and text, it compares the narratives and framings within these documents. The analysis reveals a complex relationship between dominant and alternative discourses. The dominant policy discourse, reflected in the EIA and its addendum, is shaped by powerful actors such as cement companies and the Central Java provincial government, who explicitly prioritize economic development. In contrast, the alternative discourse, represented in the SEA, promotes a more sustainable approach to governing the karst landscape. This contrast highlights competing environmental governance paradigms and the political role of environmental assessments. Ultimately, the study shows how key actors influence public perception and policy direction through competing knowledge claims embedded in environmental assessment frameworks.

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of Environmental Assessment (EA) practices across Denmark, Germany, Spain, and Portugal, utilizing a best practices benchmark for integrating biodiversity considerations. The benchmark evaluates the degree of alignment between both Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) reports and best practices for biodiversity integration, offering insights into the effectiveness of current EA practices. We analyzed 191 EA reports, focusing on eight key themes: significance, knowledge, synergies and trade-offs, ecosystem services, goals and visions, uncertainty, mitigation and enhancement, and monitoring. The results highlight both areas of strength, such as the use of monitoring, and areas requiring improvement, such as the integration of ecosystem services and management of synergies and trade-offs. The findings provide a basis for enhancing EA practices and ultimately promoting biodiversity conservation in spatial planning.

In this paper, how changes to environmental aspects considered in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) can affect human health is explored, based on a comprehensive and systematic literature review. Whilst health is a key aspect for consideration in SEA, how it should be approached has remained subject to discussion. There is agreement, though, that at a minimum, health impacts from bio-physical environmental changes need be assessed. What this means is elaborated on in this paper. Challenges to and opportunities for an effective consideration of health in SEA are briefly outlined.

Spring water is an essential natural resource that supports ecological stability and human survival, making its protection a significant environmental and legal governance issue. Amid increasing water demand, climate variability, and forest degradation, the State is required to establish a regulatory framework to preserve spring water, particularly in protected forest areas. This study examines the legal regulations governing the protection of spring water in forest zones using a normative legal research method. This study adopts a statutory approach by reviewing the 1945 Constitution, the Water Resources Act, the Forestry Act, and the Environmental Protection and Management Act, as well as a conceptual approach to analyze the doctrines of state control, the ecological function of forests, and principles of environmental protection. The findings demonstrate that protecting spring water is a constitutional mandate reinforced by interrelated sectoral statutes. Forests perform a critical hydrological function; thus, the degradation of forest areas directly affects the quality and availability of water. The Environmental Protection Act provides preventive legal instruments, such as the Strategic Environmental Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment, and environmental approval, to control harmful activities. Additionally, forest rehabilitation programs and the designation of protected local zones strengthen the conservation measures. Although the legal framework is comprehensive, its effectiveness is hindered by policy inconsistencies, weak supervision, and conflicts of interest in land use decisions. An integrated, multilayered statutory system regulates the legal protection of spring water in forested areas. However, its success depends on consistent law enforcement, intergovernmental coordination, and strengthened local regulations to ensure sustainable water availability for future generations of farmers.

Indonesia is planning to build a nuclear power plant (NPP) as a transitional energy source to mitigate the impacts of climate change. To contribute to and mitigate climate change, a new and current nuclear reactor design must be adapted to the potential consequences of climate change in a long-term perspective. Climate change is an evolving and systemic phenomenon that will affect the possible frequency and magnitude of potential external events affecting a reactor at a specific site, including the increased likelihood of combinations of hazards. Indonesia is located near the equator, which results in distinct atmospheric dynamics, active volcanic activity, and high seismic activity due to tectonic plate movements. These factors contribute to Indonesia's vulnerability to natural hazards that are often linked to climate change. Currently, the site evaluation safety assessment in Indonesia's Nuclear Regulation does not include external hazards linked to climate change, other than meteorological aspects. This study aims to identify which specific external hazards could occur and which adaptation measures can be implemented. The methodology used in this study includes a comprehensive literature review of natural hazards, their impacts, mitigation strategies, and necessary regulatory updates, from the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency or Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB), Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics or Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, and Geofisika (BMKG), the Climate Change Knowledge Portal, followed by comparing climate change attributes implementation in Indonesian regulations to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards and best practices from NPP operating countries. Our analysis shows that although Indonesia's national regulations have begun to incorporate climate considerations through strategic environmental assessments, updates to BAPETEN’s technical regulations are essential. The paper concludes with recommendations to improve existing regulations to enhance reactor resilience, to perform regular probabilistic safety analyses, and to include climate change assessments in periodic safety reviews. Keywords: policy recommendation, nuclear power plant, reactor resilience, climate change, Indonesian regulation

ABSTRACT As global demand for mineral resources grows, resource‐rich countries are seeking tools to promote sustainable mining. Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) offers a promising framework, yet evidence of its effectiveness in Africa remains limited. This study evaluates the procedural effectiveness of Kenya's mining sector SEA, the first of its kind in East Africa. Using qualitative content analysis, the SEA report was assessed against international best‐practice criteria across preassessment, assessment, postassessment, and participation phases, and interpreted through a political‐economic mobilization (PEM) lens. The results reveal major procedural weaknesses, including an unclear sustainability vision, weak baseline data, limited consideration of alternatives and uncertainties, vague implementation guidance, and inadequate stakeholder engagement. These findings highlight the risks of SEA being reduced to a formal requirement rather than a strategic tool. The study underscores the need for more politically informed and strategically oriented SEA practices to support sustainable mining sector development in Kenya and similar contexts.

The article explores the administrative and legal foundations of the protection and restoration of the pedosphere in Ukraine under the conditions of armed aggression. It substantiates that the soil cover, as an integrative component of the environment, acquires special legal significance during wartime destruction since it functions as an object of both ecological and humanitarian protection. Theoretical and legal aspects of the concept of “pedosphere” in national law are examined, along with its correlation with the categories of “land,” “land resources,” and “soil.” The necessity of legislatively defining the term pedosphere in Ukrainian law is emphasized to ensure terminological consistency and conceptual unity in environmental and administrative legal regulation. The study reveals the structure and content of administrative and legal mechanisms ensuring the protection of the pedosphere, including preventive, supervisory, restorative, and jurisdictional instruments. It demonstrates that the system of legal regulation in this field combines general environmental law norms with special provisions of international humanitarian law that prohibit military actions resulting in widespread and long-term environmental destruction. Particular attention is given to the analysis of legislative acts adopted during the wartime period aimed at documenting, assessing, and compensating environmental damage inflicted upon the soil cover. The article highlights the international legal aspects of liability for harm caused to the pedosphere, in particular through the activities of the International Register of Damage Caused to Ukraine by the Aggression of the Russian Federation, established by the Council of Europe. It is emphasized that the documentation and evidentiary processes related to wartime environmental damage to soils constitute the foundation for future reparations procedures and the establishment of international legal responsibility of the aggressor state. The paper also addresses criminal law aspects of ecocide and administrative liability for soil pollution and degradation. The authors propose directions for improving legal regulation in the field of pedosphere protection: introducing into legislation the legal definitions of “pedosphere” and “environmental damage to the pedosphere”; establishing the State Program “Protection and Restoration of Ukraine’s Pedosphere”; integrating environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment procedures into large-scale post-war reconstruction projects; modernizing the system of administrative liability; and unifying evidentiary standards for wartime environmental damage. It is argued that a comprehensive renewal of the normative and institutional framework will contribute to restoring ecological balance, strengthening the natural potential of territories, and ensuring the human right to a safe and sustainable environment.

The role of strategic environmental assessment in forming development strategies of territorial communities of Chernihiv region taking into account the ecological state of small rivers lower reaches of the Desna

In Indonesia, strategic environmental assessment (KLHS) documents are crucial for developing long-term regional plans (RPJPD). SEA provides the foundation for developing regional policies and activities so that development can be carried out sustainably. The goal of this training is to teach the use of Powersim Studio's dynamic model for preparing KLHS RPJPD documents in Jayapura City. The training is designed for communities directly involved in regional development policies and activities. In June 2024, the training was conducted for 12 Jayapura Regency Environment Agency civil servants using Powersim Studio tools. Results showed increased simulation capabilities regarding water and food carrying capacities and Sustainable Development Goal indicator scenarios from 2025 to 2045. Participants gained an understanding of how to support performance and long-term needs simulations.

ABSTRACT Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth, yet its environmental consequences demand scrutiny as nations strive for sustainable development. This study investigates how environmental policies mediate the relationship between inward and outward FDI and natural resource availability, focusing on biocapacity in 41 high‐income countries over a 22‐year period. Using a mediation effects methodology, supported by Sobel–Goodman–Aroian and bootstrap resampling tests, we find that environmental policies significantly reduce the negative impact of FDI on biocapacity. Specifically, burden policies, such as taxes and fees, are more effective than subsidies in mitigating FDI's detrimental effects, particularly in democratic contexts. However, both policy types contribute to curbing negative spillovers. A key policy recommendation is to implement strategic environmental assessments to evaluate FDI projects, ensuring alignment with sustainable practices without discouraging investment.

The article examines the problems of ecological and legal awareness of citizens as an essential factor in the effectiveness of the waste management system in Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to identify the legal and organizational factors influencing the formation of citizens’ ecological and legal awareness in the field of waste management, as well as to develop recommendations for improving the effectiveness of legal regulation in this area. It is determined that modern environmental challenges - in particular, the increasing volume of waste, environmental pollution, and the consequences of military actions – require raising the level of legal awareness and public participation in decision-making on environmentally significant issues. The article analyzes the current legislation of Ukraine in the field of environmental education and access to environmental information, including the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Laws of Ukraine «On Environmental Protection», «On Education», «On Waste Management», «On Environmental Impact Assessment», and «On Strategic Environmental Assessment». It is shown that ecological and legal awareness includes not only knowledge of environmental rights but also the practical ability to exercise them through public control, participation in decision-making, and the development of a culture of responsible environmental behavior. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of legal regulation concerning informing citizens about war-related waste and environmental risks accompanying martial law. It is emphasized that the development of ecological and legal awareness is a necessary condition for the sustainable recovery of the national economy and ensuring the environmental safety of territories affected by hostilities. The article substantiates the need to improve the legal mechanism for public participation in waste management, expand digital platforms of open environmental data, and strengthen the role of environmental education. The positive experience of increasing citizens’ legal awareness within projects aimed at the development of a circular economy is analyzed. It is concluded that the development of ecological and legal awareness should be considered a strategic direction of state policy in the field of sustainable development and circular economy, especially in the context of war and post-war recovery in Ukraine.

The article examines the role of environmental whistleblowers in the process of Ukraine’s European integration and their contribution to strengthening the rule of law. The significance of the activities of environmental whistleblowers is substantiated both in view of the environmental challenges and dangers that Ukrainian society faces today, and in terms of establishing effective and efficient democracy. Information today serves as the basis of all competencies and orientations in life situations. Providing its citizens with complete and reliable information, generated or stored by the state, is an integral part of both respect for them and recognition of national sovereignty. Information issues are directly correlated with the state’s guarantee of effective implementation of the rule of law, and therefore with issues of European integration. Ensuring environmental security is one of the most important tasks of modern state policy. The activities of environmental whistleblowers in this case become an important mechanism for preventing violations of environmental norms, combating corruption, and building citizens’ trust in state institutions. An important component of the whistleblower institution is the creation of internal and external channels of communication, ensuring confidentiality and prohibiting the persecution of informants. This determines the right of citizens to access environmental information, participation in decision-making and access to justice in the environmental sphere. It has been established that environmental whistleblowers play a key role in identifying and preventing violations in the field of environmental protection, increasing transparency and accountability of government bodies. In Ukraine, the whistleblowing mechanism is provided for by the Law of Ukraine “On Prevention of Corruption”, but the environmental sphere remains virtually outside its regulatory influence. A positive moment for the national legal system was the accession to the Aarhus Convention and the introduction of environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment procedures. However, the system of legal protection of environmental whistleblowers has not yet been created. The latter often face pressure and persecution that restrain their activity. Ukraine should use the experience of the European Union and its member states to create its own model of protection of environmental whistleblowers as a component of environmental and national security.

This study explores sustainable urbanism in the three largest Saudi Arabian cities—Riyadh, Jeddah, and NEOM—in the context of Vision 2030. Qualitative methodology was used, which incorporated environmental, social, economic, governance, and mobility aspects. The analysis of ten semi-structured interviews with planners, engineers, and policy officials was based on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Sustainable Urbanism, and Participatory Governance models. The results indicate that Riyadh presents structural congruence and consistency of policies, Jeddah is characterized by disjointed governance and poor coordination, and NEOM is characterized by futuristic aspirations with unpredictable social inclusiveness. The paper highlights that more powerful integration of governance, participatory planning, and realistic implementation is required to create a balance between technological innovations and equity in society. It adds to the current knowledge of how the global sustainability models can be localized in the fast-changing cities of the Gulf.

Abstract Municipalities face an increasing need to understand, mitigate, and manage climate risks in urban environments. This presentation explores how the Resilient Built Environment Method (RBE Method), together with the Resilient Neighbourhoods Tool (RNTool) that implements it, supports the integration of climate adaptation strategies into urban spatial planning through multiscale risk mapping and assessment, ranging from citywide to small urban scale level. The RBE Method is an adaptation of iiSBE’s Sustainable Built Environment Method (SBE Method), designed to align with the IPCC’s climate risk assessment framework. It helps cities implement strategic adaptation measures from Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) within urban plans, bridging strategic city planning with tactical neighbourhood and small-scale interventions. The case study of the City of Chivasso (Italy) demonstrates the RBE Method’s application, specifically in mapping extreme heat hazards at the city level and employing a multi-criteria approach to identify adaptation measures for the Municipal General Urban Plan update. The paper will also address how the RBE Method supports preparing Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) of urban plans, including assessing current adaptation levels, justifying planning choices, monitoring measure implementation, and evaluating their impacts over time.

Abstract Despite earlier calls for a pause, investment in geoengineering technologies and field experiments proposing to counter climate change is booming. At present there is no effective global governance regime to ensure that such technologies are safe, effective or equitable. This article explores the relevant obligations for geoengineering activities with potential impacts on the marine environment and explores what ‘due diligence’ for environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental impact assessments entails, considering, amongst other sources, the recent International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Climate Change Advisory Opinion . It concludes that international rules and national regulations should build upon these obligations before any deployment is approved.

The fast expansion of offshore wind generation in the Baltic and North seas has made efficient marine co-existence frameworks even more important for managing conflicting uses of marine space. While addressing more general policy objectives like energy security and biodiversity conservation, marine co-existence entails creating a balance between offshore wind energy development with such industries as fisheries, shipping, aquaculture, and environmental protection. Based on past research, this article starts with an analysis of marine co-existence as a conceptual framework, separating active marine co-existence—as an interaction between maritime sectors and interests that yields win–win solutions—and passive marine co-existence—with an aim to protect the ecological relevance of unplanned areas. The article then centres on the tools at hand to apply marine co-existence in regulation. Among them are strategic environmental assessments, maritime spatial planning, feasibility planning, procurement policies, and permit-granting procedures—mostly environmental impact assessments and licensing. Inspired by national legal systems, the European Union/European Economic Area, and international legal systems, the article investigates how these instruments help to apply marine co-existence. It contends that although current tools offer a foundation for marine co-existence, their efficacy is limited without specific marine co-existence strategies. More exact policy guidance, integrated regulatory approaches, and more study on cumulative consequences, prioritizing in spatial planning, and cross-sectoral conflict resolution inside increasingly crowded marine habitats are required.

ABSTRACT Radical, structural, and multidimensional transformations are urgently needed in urban systems to advance sustainability on local and global scales. Combining traditional and new local governance arrangements is key in leveraging this change. Local governance research indicates an increased interest in better understanding decision-making processes aimed at sustainability in urban systems. However, there is still limited understanding of how decision-making processes can enable or constrain urban sustainability transformations in diverse local contexts. This research explores interactions and linkages between Municipal Administration and citizens in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) decision-making processes of Municipal Master Plans in North Portugal through the COMPASS – COncept Map of decision-making Processes of policies, plans, and programs aimed at urbAn Sustainability tranSformation (Ponte et al., 2025). We analyzed the agency features of COMPASS, focusing on ‘learning, information and knowledge’, ‘awareness’, ‘resources’, and ‘shared vision’. Our findings suggest that a more flexible and reflexive local governance arrangement is necessary for effective decision-making processes. Additionally, SEA should depart from procedural and technocratic approaches towards a more transformational functioning. This paradigm shift facilitates the embedding of a citizens’ ‘shared vision’ that is aligned with sustainability and fosters collective and strategic thinking early in urban SEA processes for urban sustainability transformations.

ABSTRACT Ten key performance indicators (KPIs) of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) effectiveness were applied to 20 recent Irish SEAs, prepared between 2018 and 2023. This tested the applicability of the KPIs, established a ‘baseline’ of SEA effectiveness against which future SEA practice can be compared, and identified areas where improved practice is needed. The reviewed SEAs showed a progression through the dimensions of effectiveness: from good context effectiveness, through reasonable practice for the procedural and pluralist dimensions, to poor practice and limitations in the substantive, normative and knowledge/learning dimensions. This is consistent with the personal experience of the research team and the international literature. The findings suggest that integration of the SEA mitigation measures and consultation responses into the plans/programmes was particularly limited, with half of the plans/programmes integrating fewer than 25% of the SEA recommendations, and 60% integrating fewer than 25% of public comments. This means that SEA incurs all of the procedural costs but gains few of its possible substantive and normative benefits. The research concludes that there is a need for strengthening the integration of SEA findings into plan-making.

With the increase in marine spatial planning efforts the need for robust environmental assessments that account for multiple pressures of human activities on marine ecosystems is more critical than ever. However, Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) practice, a requirement of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of marine spatial plans, remains insufficient. This paper explores the integration of ecosystem-based approaches into SEA stages for holistic environmental assessments of marine spatial plans that prioritize ecological integrity. It also reviews advancements in marine CEA research, focusing on risk-based approaches for assessing cumulative effects, and addresses the existing disconnection between CEA science and environmental assessment practice. Emphasis is placed on improving key SEA stages that are critical to CEA by identifying principles and approaches that systematically and spatially address the interactions of various pressures and ecosystem receptors across the four dimensions (4D) of marine environments to assess cumulative effects risks. This novel approach, presents a holistic framework aimed at enhancing CEA practice within SEA of marine spatial plans, for more sustainable and ecosystem-focused planning outcomes in marine environments.