Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management

This paper explores the uninvestigated phenomenon of citizens' reasons for nonparticipation in EIA. By adopting a bottom-up approach, based on the assumption that citizens are rational actors who are able to provide reasons for their choice to participate or not to participate, it complements traditional public participation research focusing on structural barriers to and socio-economic predictors of participation. The reasons citizens provide for nonparticipation are described and it is discussed how the design and management of public participation schemes can be improved to better meet the high participatory ideals of EIA expressed by professionals and academics in standards of good practice.

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using quality of life assessments (QLA) to evaluate social sustainability and impacts of a hypothetical tourism development modelled after the currently-proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort. Results of this study indicated that there was a significant difference between the pre- and post-development scenarios on respondents' perceived quality of life: respondents perceived that their quality of life would be lower after the development of the resort. Also, respondents' general attitudes towards tourism development, and the specific Jumbo Glacier Resort project, had a statistically significant impact on their expected quality of life, and their interpretation of how tourism impacts their quality of life. The study suggests that quality of life assessment can make valuable contributions to the fields of social impact assessment and social sustainability analysis, and the results of such assessments can make valuable contributions to the fields of sustainable community development.

One of the challenges facing strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is finding ways to work in research and practice allowing critical interrogation and appropriate action to support sustainability. The point of departure for this article is the hypotheses that a certain kind of cooperative knowledge-production, called Mode 3, where SEA researchers interact with the societal milieu as change agents, provides a potential for SEA research and practice to further sustainability. Based on literature and three cases, this paper seeks to contribute to two questions: 'what does acting as a change agent within the field of SEA involve?' and 'what potentials does it have for research and practice?' The three cases illustrate how Mode 3 can support reflective SEA practice and practice-based SEA research. Theoretically the current understanding and discussion on change agents is sharpened through the focus on real-life linkages, putting forward the contextual influence and the unpredictability related hereto.

This paper addresses the problem of "fit" between strategic environmental assessment (SEA) aims and procedures, and the planning context in which SEA is implemented. The paper approaches this problem from a bottom-up perspective, examining existing planning practices, routines and institutions in order to illuminate prospects and barriers for effective SEA implementation. Using empirical results from studies of regional growth programmes and infrastructure plans in Sweden, the study focuses on SEA follow-up and how it can be integrated in existing planning and programming processes. Environmental follow-up is found to be largely absent from existing planning processes. Analytical, organisational and institutional issues are identified as important explanations for the lack of follow-up. Based on this analysis, the paper offers suggestions on how SEA follow-up can become a more effective part of regional planning.

The decline and restructuring of agriculture is particularly evident in mountain areas, leading to forest recolonisation on former mountain pastures threatening biodiversity and landscape qualities, and the appeal of the mountain landscape for recreation and tourism. Land use change scenarios based on different agri-environmental incentives were developed for the Jotunheimen mountains, Norway, in collaboration with local stakeholders. Sustainability assessments of the scenarios underscored the connections between landscape, biodiversity and local cultural heritage as the fundament for the development of local enterprises for tourism and niche production. Biodiversity values solely, were not considered to be of major importance by the stakeholders.

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is experiencing rapid urbanisation coupled with high economic growth rates. This situation is both a challenge and an opportunity for the upgrading of existing technical infrastructures. Regarding wastewater treatment, the situation in Hanoi today is characterised by a lack of wastewater treatment plants, processing only a small fraction of the accumulating wastewater. Prevalent means of sanitation are septic tanks installed under buildings for the collection of domestic wastewaters, with overflowing liquids draining into the groundwater in an uncontrolled manner. This decentralised means of sanitation is therefore currently not able to clean domestic wastewaters in an effective way. This paper explores circumstances under which a semi-centralised approach can offer a sustainable solution to cope with these challenges in Hanoi. The approach has been designed to meet the challenges of fast growing urban areas around the world.