By Kristina Vilimate

This book is a practical guide to setting up strategic environmental assessment (SEA) systems. It focuses on the implementation of EU directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment and the UNECE Protocol on SEA.

The manual is based on the author’s experience implementing the SEA directive in Europe — two projects he was involved with in the United Kingdom — as well as on studies by other organisations. With a coherent “how to” approach and a number of practical examples, Part I presents an overview of SEA — including its aims, principles and problems — and looks at the SEA directive. Part II examines the process of SEA and discusses techniques, approaches and issues.

Freshwater in Europe: Facts, Figures and Maps

UNEP/DEWA-Europe, 2004. 92 pages

This report gives an overview of the state of freshwater in Europe with the help of several maps, graphs and other illustrations. It states that few Europeans suffer from serious shortages of water or poor water quality. However it does show that water resources are unevenly distributed between and within countries and that shortages, flooding, pollution and ecosystem change threaten water sources in many places in Europe.

The review continues with a description of freshwater consumption, including water supply, use, stress and sanitation-related issues. The chapter on freshwater quality discusses ecological quality, major pollution sources, wastewater treatment and water-borne diseases. Freshwater ecosystems, including wetlands, groundwater, lakes and reservoirs, are also covered.

Eighteen watersheds are presented as case studies, including the Danube, Oder and Vistula rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. The last chapter of the report discusses international, transboundary, European and national institutions and their initiatives on freshwater management.

Making EU Funds Work for People and the Environment:
Case Studies from Eastern and Central Europe

CEE Bankwatch and Friends of the Earth Europe, 2004. 30 pages

The European Union has a long way to go to make its financial aid to Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries the driving force for sustainable development in the region, according to this new publication.

The book’s case studies are based on NGO monitoring of the implementation of the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession (ISPA). Seven in-depth studies from as many countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia) are summarised. Long versions of the individual case studies are available online.

The report assesses the appraisal process of ISPA projects, with particular focus on environmental impact assessments (EIA) that, according to the authors, are often of sub-standard quality. Effective public participation is absent in the EIA processes, alternative possibilities for solving problems are often neglected and the appraisal process lacks transparency, the authors conclude. The report provides recommendations relevant to the current management of the ISPA programme and also indicates the need for urgent changes to the procedures and guidelines for the 2007-2013 EU aid programmes.