In 2014 – 2015 yrs ZAO “SPF DIEM” is taking part in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the program of economic and social development of Zabaykalsky Krai, held under the guidance of the region government and the Russian branch of WWF. It is the first experience of Strategic Environmental Assessment of a long-term regional development program in Russia. In case of the survey successful implementation, the invaluable experience would be used for the other regions. Head of the department of strategic environmental assessment and international projects Grigory Viltchek is one of the project working group participants along with the specialists of regional administration, WWF, and scientific institution if Chita.
Strategic Environmental Assessment is an assessment of possible environmental and social consequences of strategic decisions (plans, development programs of a region or an industry) implementation. Anticipatory SEA realization is a methodological tool currently almost not in practice in Russia. Though it is rapidly developed and used abroad, especially in Europe.
SEA is one of the ways to archive the UN Millenium Development Goals, accepted by all countries worldwide and by the leading world development institutions on the UN General assembly in the year 2000. Other international documents also point out SEA significance in the context of collaboration for development. Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005) recommends donor and partner countries to “develop and implement similar approaches to strategic environmental assessments” (OECD, 2012). In the year 2010 Kiev Protocol on SEA came into force and was opened for signature to all UN countries.
