Development of a Methodology/Framework for generating and evaluating alternative spatial and non-spatial scenarios
This page displays all of the metadata information which describes this resource. This metadata information provides details of: the owners and creators of this resource; download links to any files which are available for downloading; geographical and temporal information about the datasets or project in general; other information such as a description of the project, experimental techniques used, data download restrictions, etc.
View other resources on SAFER owned/managed by the owner of this resource.
Files attached to this resource have been downloaded 11 times.
Resource or Project Abstract
Consideration of Alternatives is required by Article 5 of the European SEA Directive, 2001. Alternatives are fundamental to the SEA process as they provide opportunities to identify and explore ways to deliver a plan or programme's objectives while addressing environmental issues. A good practice guide to the development and assessment of alternatives for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was developed for plan/programme-makers and SEA practitioners. This good practice guide presents a synthesis of the consultation process and its outcomes, highlighting the key issues affecting current practice and the principles for an effective and efficient consideration of alternatives as identified and proposed by consultees.
The SEA Alternatives project incorporated systematic and extensive international and national consultation. Key stakeholders, practitioners and academics were consulted during the first phase of the preparation of the SEA Alternatives manual, to gain insight into current Irish practice and best international practice. The consultation process was also used to initiate a national dialogue on what constitutes reasonable, realistic and sustainable alternatives. Further consultation was carried out at final draft stage to gather feedback and ensure that the proposed approaches are best suited to the Irish context.
The following outputs were also generated:
The use of MOLAND planning software in the consideration of alternatives was reviewed and separate guidance on its application was developed.
SEA_Spatial_Information_Sources____March2014.xlsx (Updates to this data inventory Excel sheet will be made primarily to the following website. http://www.epa.ie/monitoringassessment/assessment/sea/ )
Final_Consultation_Report_25_September13 : This report (available both in WORD and PDF formats) presents a synthesis of the consultation process and its outcomes, highlighting the key issues affecting current practice and the principles for an effective and efficient consideration of alternatives as identified and proposed by consultees.
Go back to top of page
Top 
Contact Information for This Resource
Data, Files, Information Objects Related To This Project Resource
Please Read Carefully Before Downloading
It is important for the EPA and the Environmental Research Community to know that the data and information products we distribute are useful to the user community we support. One way of doing this is by tracking the use of data and information in publications. Parts of or all of the datasets, data, or digital information products available here can be freely downloaded for further use in scientific applications under the condition that the source will be properly quoted in published papers, journals, websites, presentations, books, etc. Whenever possible the EPA strongly urge you to cite the use of these data, information, and web resources in the reference section of your publications. For convenience an automatically generated citation is available below which can be used immediately for citation purposes.
EPA SAFER Data Download Disclaimer: Before downloading any of the data or information objects below you are kindly asked to read the data download disclaimer Read Disclaimer (Opens in New Window). Downloading data or information objects from SAFER-Data indicates an acceptance of the data download disclaimer and the conditions outlined within it.
| Attachment Name and Download Link |
|---|
| Att 1 EPARR_157_Fry_MOLANDSEA_prn.pdf (4.26 Mb) |
| Att 2 MOLAND_Guide_Document.pdf (3.96 Mb) |
Suggested Citation Information
The information supplied in the table below should be provided with all citations to this electronic resource. You are requested to format each of the fields below as required by the specific bibliographical style you are using.
| Author(s) | Fry, J. |
| Title Of Website | Secure Archive For Environmental Research Data |
| Publication Information | Development of a Methodology/Framework for generating and evaluating alternative spatial and non-spatial scenarios |
| Name of Organisation | Environmental Protection Agency Ireland |
| Electronic Address or URL | https://eparesearch.epa.ie/safer/resource?id=59fcdeb3-e031-11e3-b233-005056ae0019 |
| Unique Identifier | 59fcdeb3-e031-11e3-b233-005056ae0019 |
| Date of Access | Last Updated on SAFER: 2025-01-24 |
An example of this citation in proper usage:
Fry, J. "Development of a Methodology/Framework for generating and evaluating alternative spatial and non-spatial scenarios". Associated datasets and digitial information objects connected to this resource are available at: Secure Archive For Environmental Research Data (SAFER) managed by Environmental Protection Agency Ireland https://eparesearch.epa.ie/safer/resource?id=59fcdeb3-e031-11e3-b233-005056ae0019 (Last Accessed: 2025-01-24)
Go back to top of page Top
Access Information For This Resource
| SAFER-Data Display URL | https://eparesearch.epa.ie/safer/iso19115/display?isoID=3051 |
| Resource Keywords | Strategic Environmental Assessment, SEA, Alternatives, Effectiveness, Good Practice |
| EPA/ERTDI/STRIVE Project Code | 2103-SL-DS-1 |
| EPA/ERTDI/STRIVE Project Theme | Land-use, Soils, and Transport |
| Resource Availability: |
 Public-Open |
| Limitations on the use of this Resource | The report and any data or information resources made available on this SAFER-Data resource have been generated by the Irish SIS project. The reliability, quality and completeness of data gained through SAFER-Data is intended to be used in an education or research context. These data are not guaranteed for use in operational or decision-making settings. The EPA and SAFER-Data requests an acknowledgement (in publications, conference papers, etc) from those who use data/information received with SAFER-Data. This acknowledgement should state the original creators of the data/information. An automated citation is provided below. It is not ethical to publish data/information without proper attribution or co-authorship. The data/information are the intellectual property of the collecting investigator(s). The data/information may be freely downloaded and used by all who respect the restrictions and requirements in the previous paragraphs. |
| Number of Attached Files (Publicly and Openly Available for Download): | 2 |
| Project Start Date | Monday 1st April 2013 (01-04-2013) |
| Earliest Recorded Date within any attached datasets or digital objects | Monday 1st April 2013 (01-04-2013) |
| Most Recent Recorded Date within any attached datasets or digital objects | Wednesday 30th April 2014 (30-04-2014) |
| Published on SAFER | Tuesday 20th May 2014 (20-05-2014) |
| Date of Last Edit | Tuesday 10th November 2015 at 14:46:51 (10-11-2015) |
| Datasets or Files Updated On | Monday 9th November 2015 at 16:25:38 (09-11-2015) |
Go back to top of page
Top
Geographical and Spatial Information Related To This Resource
Description of Geographical Characteristics of This Project or Dataset
Recommendations on improvement to Irish SEA practice based on a review of national and international best practice. Expert opinion sought on world-wide best practice from members of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA)
Go back to top of page
Top
Supplementary Information About This Resource
In this section some supplementary information about this resource is outlined. Lineage information helps us to understand why this project was carried out, what policy or research requirements did it fulfil, etc. Lineage is important in understanding the rationale behind the carrying out of a project or the collection of a specific dataset etc. Links to web sites, applications, papers, etc are outlined to provide you with additional information or supplementary reading about the project or dataset
| Lineage information about this project or dataset |
| Project arose as a STRIVE call, with the rationale of improving the identification and evaluation of 'alternatives' during the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of plans and programmes, as required under EU Directive 2001/42/EU.
The output from the project constitutes a Good Practice Guidance document. |
| Supplementary Information |
| Key points Alternatives are fundamental to the SEA process as they provide opportunities to identify and explore ways to deliver a plan or programme?s objectives while addressing environmental issues. This guidance provides a good practice approach in the form of a toolkit for SEA practitioners in three stages: (1) identification and development; (2) assessment and comparison; and, (3) selection and reporting of alternatives. The use of MOLAND planning software in the consideration of alternatives was reviewed and separate guidance on its application was developed. Findings/Recommendations Develop alternatives early in the assessment process (e.g. when initiating the drafting of a new sectoral plan or immediately after initial statutory consultation during a land use plan review). Collaborate with the plan/programme proponent in a continuous and close manner to ensure that key SEA concerns are consistently fed into the development and assessment of alternatives, and incorporated into the overall plan/programme development. Develop alternatives that are realistic (i.e. achieve the plan/programme's objectives), reasonable (i.e. based on socio-economic and environmental evidence), viable (technically and financially feasible) and implementable (realisable within plan/programme timeframe and resources). Consult with all relevant stakeholders extensively. Adopt a participatory approach to the development and assessment of alternatives, with statutory consultees, stakeholders and, ideally, the public. In the Environmental Report and the Non-Technical Summary, as well as in the SEA Statement, 'tell the story' of how alternatives were considered in the SEA (in the alternatives section of the respective reports). |
| Links To Other Related Resources |
| http://www.epa.ie/monitoringassessment/assessment/sea/ (Opens in a new window) |
Any links supplied by the resource owner are stored such that they will open in a new window. Following such a link may lead to a 3rd party website over which EPA has no control in regards to contents or suitability.
Go back to top of page
Top
The following is a list of similiar projects and resources on SAFER. Usually these resources share a similiar thematic area to the resource Development of a Methodology/Framework for generating and evaluating alternative spatial and non-spatial scenarios you are currently viewing. You can view the full description for these projects and resources by using the links supplied.
- Evaluating the Ecological Impacts of Cultivating Genetically Modified Herbicide-Tolerant (GMHT) Oilseed Rape and Maize View Full Metadata Description
- Irish SIS Final Technical Report 2: Interim classification and rationalisation of soil series in Ireland View Full Metadata Description
- Irish SIS Final Technical Report 13: Irish Soil Information System Legend View Full Metadata Description
- Turlough Database View Full Metadata Description
- How to do a soil survey? View Full Metadata Description
Go back to top of page
Top