STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: POLICY AND PRACTICES IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is an assessment tool designed to function at a strategic level that helps to bring aspects of environmental sustainability into the decision making process and leads to better environmental protection and management. Recently, some initiatives have been taken to adopt SEA in policy, plan and program (PPPs) under different ministries in Bangladesh. But no in-depth study has been done particularly to understand whether the legal arrangements in place are adequate and clear to make the SEA practice effective in the context of Bangladesh. On the other hand, there is no clear picture and document on the present situation and trend of SEA practiced in Bangladesh. Considering it, a survey was conducted to analyze the present condition of SEA and find out the constraints for successful implementation of SEA as an approach to integrate environmental considerations in the PPPs in Bangladesh. This study used multiple methodological techniques including document review, online survey (google form) through standard questionnaire and key informant interviews (KIIs) were followed by the participation of different stakeholders of SEA process like policy makers, administrative officer of concerned ministry, organizatios etc. From this study, it was revealed that SEA appeared first in Bangladesh in 2006 with the support of World Bank as donor agency and the first SEA was done in Bangladesh on the Dhaka metropolitan development plan in 2007. But through the enactment of the National Environmental Policy 2018; SEA gained formal status in the country. The result also showed that most of the organizations (government and non-goverment) i.e. 71.43 per cent never practice SEA whereas only 16.67 per cent organizations practice SEA on regular basis and 11.90 per cent organization practiced partially for assesing SEA in their proposed PPPs. A diverse list of constraints such as lack of political will, lacking of awareness of SEA, inadequate finance, weak enforcement of environemntal law and inadequate knowladge of the implementation of SEA in PPPs were identified for success of SEA in Bnagladesh. In addition, the practice of SEA was found to be generally poor and evidence suggests that SEA has not yet introduced satisfactorily in Bangladesh. Therefore, awarness building, capacity development and proper training on SEA in Bangladesh is urgently needed.