Strategic Environmental Assessment and ecosystem services for regional planning in Chile: From
understanding to practice
Daniel Rozas-Vásquez1, Davide Geneletti2, Christine Fürst1, Francisco Muñoz3
1 Center
for Development Research. University of Bonn
2 Spatial Planning for Sustainability Lab. University of Trento
3 Laboratorio de Planificación Territorial. Universidad Católica de Temuco
“Even the most effective framework, methodology and/or set of methods is of little value
in a regional planning context if a common understanding and vision is lacking (Modified
from Noble et al. 2012). This is especially relevant to those responsible for making and
implementing the decisions in different institutional scales”
Methodology
General methodological framework
Research context and
ecosystem services integration
in spatial planning
Questionnaire application
a
b
c
Some examples of application with Consultants (a) and public institutions (b,c)
Results
Participants in the questionnaire application by region, institution and the principal function.
Flow of hierarchical interactions starting with the PPP elaboration to the territorial system
where they have influence
Objective
Identifying the variety of understanding/visions about SEA and ecosystem services from the
different actors involved in the spatial planning process.
Research Stages
In current
development
Region
II
II
III
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
VI
VI
VI
VIII
VIII
VIII
VIII
VIII
IX
Institution
Ministry of the Environment (Regional office)
Universidad Católica del Norte (University)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Universidad Central (University)
Sub Secretary of Regional and Administrative Development (National office)
Fundación Chile (Consultant)
Ministry of the Environment (National office)
Ministry of the Environment (National office)
Ministry of the Environment (National office)
Universidad de Chile (University)
Regional Government
Regional Government
Ministry of the Environment (Regional office)
Universidad de Concepción (University)
Regional Government
Ministry of the Environment (Regional office)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Function
Person in charge of the natural resources, waste and risk assessment
Researcher
Person in charge of environment and spatial planning instruments
Researcher / Director of the diploma course in SEA
Adviser in the Department of Policies and Decentralization
Environmental project analyst
Professional of the Department of Environmental Economics
Office of Environmental Assessment
Office of Environmental Assessment
Researcher
Person in charge of the Spatial Planning Division
Person in charge of the Spatial Planning Division
Professional of the Environmental Coordination Section
Researcher
Person in charge of SEA
Person in charge of SEA
Analyst of the Department of Urban Development and Infrastructure
Analyst of the Department of Urban Development and Infrastructure
Chief of the Department of Urban Development
IX
IX
IX
Regional Government
Instituto de estudios del Hábitat. Universidad Autonoma (Consultant)
Regional Government
Person in charge of the process of planning and territorial development
Environmental coordinator
Person in charge of the Territorial Information Section
IX
IX
Regional Government
Ministry of the Environment (Regional office)
Person in charge of the process of planning and territorial development /
Secretary of the Regional Commission of the Coastal Land Use
Person in charge of SEA and climate change
IX
Laboratorio de Planificación Territorial. Universidad Católica de Temuco (Consultant) Project coordinator
IX
IX
IX
Laboratorio de Planificación Territorial. Universidad Católica de Temuco (Consultant) Environmental analyst
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Spatial planning analyst/ Environmental coordinator
Centro de estudios TerritorioMayor. Universiad Mayor (Consultant)
Director
IX
XIV
XIV
XIV
XIV
XIV
XIV
X
X
XI
XI
Laboratorio de Planificación Territorial. Universidad Católica de Temuco (University)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Ministry of the Environment (Regional office)
Regional Government
Regional Government
Ministry of Public Works (Regional office)
Universidad Austral de Chile (University)
CECPAN (Consultant)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Ministry of the Environment (Regional office)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Regional office)
Researcher / Coordinator of the Laboratorio de Planificación Territorial
Chief of the Department of Urban Development
Person in charge of SEA
Professional of the Strategic Analysis Department
Person in charge of SEA
Professional of the Planning Department
Researcher
Geographer in charge of the spatial planning thematic
Spatial planning analyst
Person in charge of the natural resources, waste and risk assessment
Chief of the Department of Urban Development
Geographic distribution of the participants
Results (Selected closed questions)
Key elements to consider during the SEA process
Conceptual relation network in SEA
understanding among the different actors
Government Institutions
As per your understanding, what is an ecosystem service?
56.4 %
2
1
46.2 %
30.8 %
20.5 %
7.7 %
7.7 %
7.7 %
Consultants
Environmental
The point of view of The environmental
A methodology
objectives and
the most relevant impacts generated by which allows clear
sustainability issues
decision makers
the spatial plan
and precise results
Null
7.7 %
7.7 %
Habitats and land Recreation and Biogeochemical Photosynthesis
uses
flood mitigation
cycles
5.2 %
2.6 %
No response
Null
3
4
33.3 %
33.3 %
20.5 %
Providing solid information and
decision oriented
7.7 %
Providing a complete and detailed Providing exact information about
environmental report
all the possible environmental
impacts
61.5 %
25.6 %
23.1 %
Essential in the
Maps to support the Complex models
sustainability analysis
decisions
"human-ecosystems"
5
No response
6
46.2 %
38.5 %
35.9 %
5.1 %
17.9 %
Other
10.3 %
The most challenging issues for the ecosystem services
integration in spatial planning
53.8 %
The most suitable way for integrating ecosystem services in
spatial planning
10.3 %
35
30
Categories and subcategories of conceptual components
identified in the content analysis
Consulted actors
Final comments
In general, the understanding of SEA is relatively close to what is mentioned in the theory. However,
there is still an important number of actors with the traditional EIA in mind, instead of a strategic
vision.
15.4 %
Regarding to the ecosystem services approach, while most of the respondents involved were able to
identify them in a proper way, there exist elements of confusion amongst almost half of the
participants.
5.1 %
Payment for ecosystem
services
Hierarchical representation of the most recognized concepts based on
their input degree (different size and colors) starting from below to top.
Approaches to integrate ecosystem services in SEA and spatial
planning
The most adequate way to support the decisions through SEA
46.2 %
Universities
Biophysical assessment
of ecosystem services
Social assessment of
ecosystem services
Other
Most frequent tools/techniques utilized in SEA
7
25
Other
Question
4
4
4
5
5
20
15
10
5
0
5
The most frequent
Second most frequent
Third most frequent
5
5
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
Answer “others”
In the sustainability analysis but not as the essential component
Economic diagnosis
In the conceptual elaboration of the spatial plan
Evaluation of trade-offs and synergies among different ecosystem services
The incorporation of the concept in the policy context. Case studies are
needed
The ecosystem services should not influence SEA but support an integrated
territorial analysis
Loss/degradation matrices of ecosystem services
With a clear and solid conceptual definition
Considered irrelevant for an effective application
Lack of information about spatial modeling of ecosystem services
Limited institutional development
Political will
Soft systemic analysis
Economic valuation and environmental assessment
Economic valuation of ecosystem services
In relation to the ecosystem services integration in SEA and spatial planning, the most relevant and
recognized aspect is the social evaluation. This should be incorporated in the sustainability analysis of
the spatial plan.
Finally, the network analysis shows the structure of relations between the identified concepts in SEA
and the actors who have recognized them. In this stage, the network analysis for the understanding
about ecosystem services and the interrelation with SEA and Spatial planning is still in process in this
research.
Acknowledgements
Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT-Chile). Programa
Becas Chile.