Component 1: Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs)
Task Leader: Pavit Ramachandran

Aim: Ensure GMS development strategies and investment plans are environmentally sound, economically efficient and socially equitable.

Activities: Assess potential environmental impacts of GMS development strategies and investments.

Rationale for Component 1: Integrating Environment into GMS Development Plans

• Economic Corridors and Sectoral Framework
• Focus of Significant Investment – GMS RCSP, National Planning Frameworks
• Cumulative, multiplier and transboundary environmental impacts
• Local livelihood impacts
• SEA a tool for ensuring environmentally sound and socially equitable development

Road Map for SEA in the GMS

• Strengthening legal frameworks for SEA through:
  • Training of sector staff
  • Awareness raising
• Strengthening institutional frameworks in key target groups:
  • GMS sector working groups
  • National environmental agencies
  • National sectoral planning bodies
• Strengthening human capacity:
  • SEA training, training of trainers

Approaches to SEA: Two methodological variants

Progress to date (as of January 2008)

• SEA of Tourism Sector in Cambodia:
  • Scoping:
    • Final Workshop, 28^th August 2008, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
    • Scoping Workshop, 7^th June 2007, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
  • Environmental Baseline Assessment Report: [PDF: 1.71MB | 46 pages]
  • Scenario Development:
    • Joint SEA Training Workshop, 2-3 October 2007: Participants from Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and Ministry of Environment (MoE)
    • Round Table High Level Meeting with Scenario Report [PDF: 152KB | 23 pages] (January 2008): Participants from Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Ministry of Environment (MoE), Ministry of Land Use Planning (MLUP) and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)


• SEA of Energy (Hydropower) Plan (PDP VI) in Viet Nam:
  • Scoping:
    • Final Workshop, 17^th July 2008, Hanoi, Viet Nam
    • Inception/Scoping Workshop, 20^th June 2007, Hanoi, Viet Nam
    • Round Table High Level Meeting with Final Scoping Report [PDF: 2.19MB | 120 pages] (23^rd October 2007): Participants from Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)
  • Baseline Assessment:
    • Energy Baseline Report [PDF: 216KB | 19 pages]
    • Environment and Nature Resources Baseline Report [PDF: 732KB | 31 pages]


• SEA for North South Economic Corridor (NSEC): Implementation frameworks being finalized with national focals from PRC, Lao PDR and Thailand.
  • Scoping: (Upcoming)


• Cross-Sectoral coordination: Tourism, Transport and Energy
• SEA E-Forum: [First Issue PDF: 538KB | 2 pages]
• Implementation Status Report - Environment Assessment of Economic Corridors and Sectors [PDF: 1.67MB | 32 pages]

Participated Workshops

• 15-18 October 2007, Regional SEA training workshop, Beijing, PR China: [Agenda PDF: 53KB | 3 pages]