Strategic Environmental Assessment approach: governance and planning. The role of SEA in planning processes

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) may be defined as a set of rules, principles, techniques and tools with the function of supporting the decision making process. The evaluation process is strategically relevant when applying the principles of environmental sustainability to regional and urban planning. SEA is a fundamental instrument for the environmental integration during the elaboration and adoption of plans; SEA offers an opportunity to bring about a real change of attitude and culture at strategic levels into strategic decision-making process; The objective of this study is to analyse the relationships between the various stakeholders and governmental institutions, with the aim of defining in what terms, with reference to regional governance, the theoretical principles of sustainable development (in terms of managing the relationship between natural resources and economic development) can be applied to the planning phases. The main aim is to build a framework for sequential activities in the planning process, of a new model of governance able to relate to different levels of government, from a political level to a local level.