Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment is a form of environmental assessment that evaluates the impacts from policies, plans and programs with the objective of contributing to Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) by integrating environment and sustainability factors into decision-making.

Strategic Assessment differs from standard project-level Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), by allowing for the assessment of environmental impacts at broader scales and earlier stages of the development planning and decision-making process. Strategic Assessment has increasingly been used in jurisdictions throughout Australia and internationally to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the environmental assessment process.

In its final advice on Improving Environmental Assessment in the Northern Territory (2010) the EPA recommended that reform of the Environmental Assessment Act should provide for the application of Strategic Assessment as part of an effective environmental assessment framework in the Northern Territory.

About Strategic Assessment

On 11 November 2010 the EPA hosted a conference and workshop to inform key stakeholders from across the Northern Territory Government about Strategic Assessment. Further presentations were also provided to business and community groups.

These events provided an opportunity for key stakeholders to hear from experts and leading practitioners from around Australia in the fields of environmental and sustainability assessment. The purpose was to provide information about how Strategic Assessment is being applied in Australia and internationally and to consider how it may be used in future in the Northern Territory.

The EPA has produced the following report: ‘Unpacking & Demystifying Strategic Assessment’ to outline key issues identified through these events and provide further information regarding Strategic Assessment.

Presentations

Copies of the presentations made have kindly been made available by the presenters. Please click on the links below to view the presentations:

Strategic Assessment Concept and Practice (842KB pdf)

Dr Angus Morrison-Saunders, Murdoch University, and Dr Jenny Pope, Integral Sustainability

Why Do Strategic Assessment? (263KB pdf)

Ms Clare Gronow, Principal Environmental Scientist, GHD

Strategic Assessment in Australian Jurisdictions Under the EPBC Act (2.16MB pdf)

Mr Steve Mercer, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Strategic Assessment – a NSW Case Study (1.35MB pdf)

Mr Robert Black, Department of Planning, NSW Government

Strategic Assessment in Practice (384KB pdf)

Mr Bill Grace, Manager Sustainability, GHD