| 1. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-
(författare)
-
Beyond impacts : Contextualizing strategic environmental assessment to foster the inclusion of multiple values in strategic planning
- 2015
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has the potential to improve strategic planning. However, meeting this expectation is a major challenge since SEA practice still constraints itself to assess the impacts of strategic planning initiatives. To advance the role of SEA beyond impact assessment, it has been argued that SEA needs to adapt to strategic planning contexts. Yet, there is a lack of consensus on how SEA should adapt to strategic planning contexts as these are complex, vary considerably and carry high levels of uncertainty. Against this background, the aim of this thesis is to contribute to the development of SEA by creating knowledge on ways in which it can be contextualized to different strategic planning situations. Three case studies addressing different values and strategic planning contexts were designed from which experiences on SEA conceptualization were drawn. The results show that developing strategic focused SEA frameworks that enhance dialogue, collaboration and knowledge generation on multiple values can address issues such as: the lack of data and objectives in developing planning contexts; gaps in knowledge and uncertainty associated to environmental monitoring in transboundary contexts; and the recognition of the importance of ecosystem services and their needed green qualities in urbanizing contexts. Based on the gained case study experiences, it is argued that SEA contextualization can mean addressing strategic planning intentions, identifying and engaging actors, deriving and prioritizing key values, collaborating to generate knowledge on key issues, and using this knowledge to shape strategic planning. Due to the complexity of the issues involved, contextualizing SEA is considered to be challenging to achieve and requires time and resources. However, based on the SEA case studies, it can be argued that the value added to strategic planning outweighs these requirements. Continuing to study the practice of context adaptable, strategic focused and participatory based SEA processes may contribute to advance SEA’s role beyond impact assessment and enable reaching its expected potentials.
|
|
| 2. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-
(författare)
-
Fostering Participation and Dialogue Using Strategic Environmental Assessment
- 2011
-
Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Various international conventions and several theories and approaches from the planning and environment fields of study have focused on enhancing the public’s access to information and its participation in strategic decision making. However, it seems that it is challenging to encourage a meaningful public participation in decision making processes, since it is difficult to engage civil society in strategic discussions, it is complex to institutionalise participative processes, and it is demanding to include traditionally marginalised groups in current debates on development. Despite this, it appears that deciding how participative approaches should be designed and when these approaches should be applied is of crucial importance to secure appropriate forums for dialogue. To study these claims and foster participation and dialogue, a study was carried out to examine the development of flexible, adaptable and participative strategic environmental assessment processes. Even though designing the processes demanded time and constant adaptation, it is argued that adequately conceptualising and implementing flexible, adaptable and participative approaches to strategic environmental assessment can lead to inclusive, legitimate and anchored outputs that can significantly influence decision making processes.
|
|
| 3. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Green qualities in transport efficient cities
- 2013
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A main stream postulation in urban planning is that denser cities enhance energy efficiency and city attractiveness by offering shorter travel distances and a variety of functions that reduce car traffic and facilitate walking, biking and public transit. However, the complex links that exist between city density and its implications for energy efficiency and city attractiveness call for a better understanding of the factors that influence an integrated planning of regional cities. In this context, one factor that could be of interest to study is that of green urban open spaces such as green wedges, parks, wetland areas, shore lines, gardens, cemeteries, golf courses and treed boulevards that provide protection for biodiversity as well as many other valuable ecosystem services. However, discussions on developing compact, energy efficient and attractive regional cities are raising conflicts with policies that aim at conserving green urban open spaces. The aim of this paper is to increase knowledge on and contribute to the development of strategies and measures to best manage the conflicts that are emerging between developing dense, low traffic cities and planning for good quality, valuable and accessible green urban open spaces. To achieve this aim, a conflict mapping exercise is being carried out by identifying, reviewing and assessing literature on the subject. In parallel, relevant examples are being analyzed and seminars, workshops and interviews are taking place with actors of the Stockholm city region. Obtained results are conflicting perceptions on the role that green urban open spaces should play in city development, conflicts of governance and collaboration, conflicts between different objectives at varying decision making scales, and significant limitations to integrated and systemic socio-ecological understandings of the city region and its changing values. The conflict mapping exercise is a valuable starting point to identify the proposal of alternative land use practices, discuss how these can be assessed, and define measures that can enhance compactness, energy efficiency and green qualities in city region planning and development.
|
|
| 4. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Network Strategic Assessment Approach for Capacity Development and Dialogue in NGOs
- 2013
-
Ingår i: International NGO Journal. - : Academic journals. - 1993-8225. ; 8:3, s. 68-79
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As platforms for dialogue non-governmental organizations play an important role in facilitating the inclusion of a diversity of views in the debates and decisions that shape society. However, to successfully influence societal development non-governmental organizations need to develop and mobilize their capacities. This paper argues that organizational capacities can be developed and mobilized with strategic dialogues, which can be enabled and fostered with network strategic assessment approaches. Through a case study, research was carried out to draw experiences from designing a network strategic assessment approach in the context of a network-based non-governmental organization that aims to strengthen the development of its members and communities. Even though conceptualizing the network strategic assessment approach was challenging, research results were participant engagement, process ownership and strategic dialogues. It is argued that by fostering strategic dialogues network strategic assessment approaches allow networks to synchronize and mainstream their strategic elements in the daily activities of their member organizations. Moreover, it is claimed that such approaches contribute to integrate aspects of capacity development with network planning and decision making, enhancing organizational understanding and performance.
|
|
| 5. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Network Strategic Environmental Assessment for Capacity Development and Dialogue
- 2012
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Non-governmental organisations are playing an increasingly important role in facilitating the inclusion of a diversity of perspectives in the debates and decisions that shape society by acting as platforms for dialogue. However, to enable and maintain dialogues that influence decision making it is acknowledged that these organisations need to focus on developing their key capacities and design appropriate approaches. For these purposes, planning and decision making support processes like strategic environmental assessment can be useful. This paper suggests a network approach for capacity development and dialogue generation for network based non-governmental organisations through the design of a network strategic environmental assessment process. Experiences are drawn from developing the network strategic environmental assessment in Samp Intercontinental Museum Network, a Swedish non-governmental organisation working with the development of museums and their communities. The results were process ownership, participant engagement and iterative dialogues. Even though it is challenging to develop network strategic environmental assessments, it is argued that these processes can benefit network organisations by setting the bases for their capacity development programmes and by operationalising and mainstreaming their higher level concepts, allowing these organisations to reach their goals and contribute to long lasting transformations in society.
|
|
| 6. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Participative SEA Approach for Data Collection and Objective Formulation
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management. - : Imperial College Press. - 1464-3332 .- 1757-5605. ; 11:2, s. 189-211
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper analyses the interaction between data needs and objective formulation in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). This topic is discussed from the experiences that were gained by designing and applying a participative SEA pre-study process in the developing region of the Sonso Lagoon, Colombia. Data collection and issue identification are described, as are the different purposes and similarities with objective-led and baselineled SEAs. It is argued that the participative framework used in Sonso can be applied in similar developing country contexts where there is a lack of environmental data and clear development goals. Finally, it is stressed that the participative SEA pre-study process can be implemented in situations where different sector objectives conflict or in circumstances where there is a need to formulate regional or municipal development objectives.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
|
|
| 9. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Scenario-based Transboundary Approach to Shape Arctic Futures
- 2013
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Technological advances, climate change and increased strategic interest in the Arctic are causing rapid and long lasting transformations that challenge established governance and collaboration practices, and increase information demands to support regional decision making. In the rapidly transforming Arctic, however, scenarios of environmental change risk being insufficiently accounted for in adaptation planning, as monitoring of key environmental parameters has declined or is poorly optimized. Furthermore, application of support instruments for environmental planning, such as strategic environmental assessment, has been limited. This poster presents recent advancements in efforts to combine quantitative analysis of environmental monitoring in the Arctic with strategic governance research to develop instruments, such as scenarios, projections and assessment processes, which can facilitate relevant planning and decision making for change adaptation. The research explores and aims to improve the preconditions for and links between environmental management, policy-relevant monitoring, and climate change adaptation strategies in the Arctic. Results include environmental monitoring assessment for the Arctic, and design of a transboundary strategic environmental assessment approach that includes scenarios as a main component for enabling strategic dialogues, information exchange and decision support. In this proposed approach, focus is placed on identifying conflicts of interest, gaps of knowledge and uncertainties, and on developing inclusive scenarios and future projections that could be used by different actors to facilitate improved understanding of climate change impacts on sensitive and unique Arctic ecosystems. The approach can be used to discuss and arrive at shared projections, visions and objectives for the Arctic, and its application and testing in research may aid in enabling Arctic actors to establish networks, interact, share information and develop their capacities to improve decisions on Arctic futures.
|
|
| 10. |
- Azcarate, Juan, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Strategic environmental assessment and monitoring : Arctic key gaps and bridging pathways
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Environmental Research Letters. - : IOP Publishing. - 1748-9326. ; 8:4
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Arctic region undergoes rapid and unprecedented environmental change. Environmental assessment and monitoring is needed to understand and decide how to mitigate and/or adapt to the changes and their impacts on society and ecosystems. This letter analyzes the application of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and the monitoring, based on environmental observations, that should be part of SEA, elucidates main gaps in both, and proposes an overarching SEA framework to systematically link and improve both with focus on the rapidly changing Arctic region. Shortcomings in the monitoring of environmental change are concretized by examples of main gaps in the observations of Arctic hydroclimatic changes. For relevant identification and efficient reduction of such gaps and remaining uncertainties under typical conditions of limited monitoring resources, the proposed overarching framework for SEA application includes components for explicit gap/uncertainty handling and monitoring, systematically integrated within all steps of the SEA process. The framework further links to adaptive governance, which should explicitly consider key knowledge and information gaps that are identified through and must be handled in the SEA process, and accordingly (re)formulate and promote necessary new or modified monitoring objectives for bridging these gaps.
|
|
