Análise da relação entre os processos de planeamento e avaliação ambiental estratégica, ao nível dos planos de urbanização

Abstract

In this project we analyzed the methodology of strategic environmental evaluation applied to the Municipal plans of territory arrangement, namely the town planning, used as a tool that allows a balance between society, environment and economics to achieve a sustainable development.The main objective of this research was to analyse the effectiveness of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process at a municipal level, identifying main constraints and opportunities for improvement.After four years of the Directive transposition, finished processes or processes near conclusion are very few. This scenario is explained by SEA being a recent process in Portugal and also by the weak clearness of concepts and responsibilities of the intervening entities in the process. The main constraints of a good SEA process development relay on a late beginning of SEA process in relation to the beginning of plans elaboration, conducting to a non identification of alternatives/scenarios.To make SEA an important supporting tool for decision-making, the integration of scenarios is seen as crucial. Non-inclusion of scenarios would result in the development of inadequate (or even inexistent) mitigation measures, monitoring and follow-up, which in turn would lead to an insufficient evaluation and monitoring of significant effects resulting from plan implementation.Therefore, it is concluded that SEA is still a recent and inefficient process in Portugal. Improvements at processes, contents, structures and methodologies must be developed, in order to assure a good performance and an effectiveness improvement.

Date of Award	2011
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Paulo Trigo Ribeiro (Supervisor) & Rui Florentino (Supervisor)