Application of Strategic Environmental Assessment in Sri Lanka

Kusala Seneviratne MahalekameAssistant Director (EIA)

Central Environmental Authority

What is SEA

• SEA is the systematic and comprehensive process of evaluating the environmental effects of a POLICY, PLAN or PROGRAMME and its alternatives.

• EIA only evaluates impacts of ROJECTS and is therefore limited in its application.

Difference between SEA & EIA

• SEA have much larger boundaries than EIA in terms of time, space and subject coverage.

• SEA is driven by the analysis and assessment of major strategic options.

• SEA is mainly focus on the causes of impacts rather than the effects.

Why we need SEA• A major problem in Sri Lanka is that most government

agencies develop /implement plans in isolation.• SEA, will assist agencies to plan in consultation with

other agencies. Result- integrated decision making. • Since SEA is carried out at a strategic level and with the

participation of development agencies as well as conservation agencies, conflicts which could arise at the implementation stage could be identified at an early stage and solutions could be found.

• The need for detailed EIA’s for individual projects will be less if SEA is implemented properly-provided we adhere to the plan!

Status of Strategic Environmental Assessment in Sri Lanka

• In May 2006, the Cabinet of Ministersapproved a Cabinet Memorandumsubmitted by the CEA recommending thatin future, all new Policies, Plans andProgrammes to be implemented byMinistries and agencies should besubjected to Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment.

Status of SEA in Sri lanka

• The Cabinet of Ministers also directed the CEA to develop guidelines on how to carry out SEA’s and to provide training to other agencies and Ministries on SEA.

• The CEA has drawn up guidelines on how SEA should be carried out and also organized training on SEA for government institutions.

• Since the Cabinet Decision on SEA, CEA has carried out 3 pilot scale SEA studies

1) SEA for the Trincomalee Metro area Development Plan – 2008

2) SEA for the Greater Hambantota Development Plan – 2010

3) SEA for the Northern Province Regional development plan -2011

SEA for the Tricomalee Development Plan

Strategic Environmental

Assessment for theTrincomalee Metro Area Development

Plan

Central Environmental Authority           

2008 June 09

Main Objectives of Trinco. SEA

• To assess the Proposed Trincomalee Development Plan systematically, in order to evaluate the possible envt. impacts of the plan.

• To provide guidance and to re-orient the development plan where necessary in order to mitigate any adverse environmental impacts.

• To conserve the unique environmental features of Trincomalee, paying special attention to the long term protection of the marine environment and Trincomalee Bay in particular, consisting of Kodiyar Bay, Inner Harbour and Thambalagam Bay.

TRINCOMALEE SEA

• The baseline study identified many uniquefeatures such as places of archaeologicaland historical importance, scenic beauty,golden beaches, water bodies, forestreserves, important marine eco systemsthat require to be preserved.

Pigeon  Island

Koneswaran

Ilakkantai

LankapatunaSeruwilaMarble beach

Red rock beach

KanniyaHot springs

Kantale tank

TRINCOMALEE SEA

The study identified;

• Areas where investments should be made-industrial development, port related activities,tourism/eco tourism, fisheries, environmentalconservation and township development.

• Water supply, storm water drainage, roadmaintenance, domestic waste water and solidwaste management as issues needing urgentattention.

TRINCOMALEE SEA

• Trincomalee SEA is not AN SEA IN A STRICTSENSE.

• It is more a mitigation plan for a developmentplan already in place.

• However it came up with manyrecommendations for environmentalmanagement / protection which would otherwisenot have got attention.

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TRINCOMALEE SEA

• Trincomalee Bay, Koddiyar Bay and adjacentwaters to be declared as a marine mammalsanctuary.

• Near shore area of Lanka patuna andsurrounding coral reef should be declared as asite of historical importance.

• The near shore area around Brown Rock Pointcontaining many fringing coral reefs to bedeclared as a marine sanctuary.

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TRINCO SEA

• The proposed coal power plant shouldNOT be established at Sampalthive nearNilaveli as this area has extensive coralreefs.

• Siting of the coal power plant at Sampur isrecommended as discharge of coolingwaters and transport of coal will not resultin damage to the marine environment.

Coal power plant shifted from Sambaltive to Sampur

Sampur Sampur

Sambaltive 

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TRINCO SEA

• Development of the Special Economic Zone(SEZ) and Industrial estate as “Eco IndustrialZone/Estate”.

• Waste water generated in the two zones NOTTO BE DISCHARGED INTO THE BAY but tobe used for irrigation of fuel wood plantationswhich could be used for production of Bio –Diesel. (win-win solution)

TRINCOMALEE SEA

• The SEA has also identified areas suitable foreco tourism, fisheries , port related activities andcommercial activities.

• The SEA has recommended that the originalplan to install an incinerator for destruction ofmunicipal solid waste should be abandoned asMSW in Sri Lanka is not suitable for incineration.The SEA has recommended an engineeredlandfill site.

SEA for the Greater Hambantota Development Plan

HAMBANTOTA SEA

The SEA for Hambantota is an improvementto the Trincomalee SEA as the plan wasfinalized after the SEA.

However, even in Hambantota someprojects were already underway when theSEA was initiated. Eg : Airport, Harbour,industrial estate, Convention Centre

Main objectives of Hambantota SEA

• A major objective of the SEA is to guide the proposed development, while at the same time conserving the unique environmental features of Hambantota.

• This will ensure that there will be no conflicts in resource utilization, directly or indirectly, or as a result of synergistic or cumulative effects, which would aggravate the negative impacts

• In the first phase of the study, the Zoning Planproposed by the UDA was further developed,taking into account the geographical,demographical, political, environmental andsocial factors into consideration.

• New major projects have already been allocatedland, were accommodated into the Zoning Plan,while in the second phase, the impacts of thesewere studied in order to mitigate any negativeimpacts associated with them.

Final Zoning map for the Greater Hambantota Area

HAMBANTOTA SEAContd…..

Two major issues identified in the Hambantota SEA were;

• Human Elephant Conflict• Water scarcity in the area

Human – elephant Conflict

Major Recommendations

• To introduce a Manage Elepahant Range(MEP) which is to be declared under the Fauna and Flora protection Ordinance,

• To develop Sooriyawewa as the major Township between Hambantota and Embilipitiya

• To assess the land requirement for various Development projects to ensure efficient use of available urban lands

MER - Permitted activities

• Existing permanent Cultivation • Existing permanent settlement inside

settlement zones within MER• Eco tourism promotional activities –

elephant viewing based tourism.

MER-Not permitted

• New land clearance for permanent cultivation• New permanent settlements out side existing

settlement zones• Industrial development• Elephant drive to remove elephant from MER

Current situation

• Still MER could not be declared as a Manage Elephant Reserve under Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.

• Proposed projects within the MER– 2nd Inter national airport 2nd phase– Proposed highway– Proposed railway– Solar power Projects– New settlements ?

Proposed Expressway

The expressway traverses through the MER

Major drawback

• In practical situation recommendations suggested are difficult to implement.

SEA for the Northern Province

Major Objectives of the Northern SEA

Facilitation of development of the Northern Provincewithout undue problems and delays by identifying freelyavailable lands for development such as industry,agriculture tourism, housing, fisheries etc. at an earlystage, in order to prevent conflict situations arising at alater stage.

Identification of the remaining environmentally sensitiveareas that require protection.

Finding solutions to environmental issues in the Northernprovince.

Finding solutions to resource limitations such as waterand construction materials.

Major achievements

• Areas available for development identified.

• Environmentally and culturally sensitiveareas have been mapped.eg: forests, wildlife areas, water availability(surface and ground), mineral resources,natural disasters, archaeological / culturalmonuments etc.

• Conflict areas identified.

Priority Forest Conservation areas in the Northern Province

(as identified by the Forest Department, May 2010)

Development areas identified for the Northern Province (based on data of ISEA-North and data provided by the

UDA, May 2010)

Urban city Development Areas identified for the Northern Province

Drawbacks

• Finalization of the report took long time. The report has not been published yet. (However relevant resource maps are available in the www.isea.lk website. )

Thank You!