A review of the quality of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) reports in Botswana

Abstract

Botswana recently introduced strategic environmental assessment (SEA) into her national environmental management framework and the SEA approach used in is anchored on the South African approach which is reported defective where it originates. Furthermore, there is a dearth of literature on the performance of SEA in Botswana. In response, this paper studies the quality of SEAs of three of Botswana’s development plans, prepared between 2011 and 2018. The study employs European SEA Directive-based SEA report quality review package. Findings demonstrate that SEA practice in Botswana is generally satisfactory albeit with some critical challenges. Shortcomings relate to the description of the baseline environment; the listing of baseline documents; the identification of problems relating to, and effects of proposed plan on areas of ecological significance; evaluation of secondary, cumulative, and synergistic effects; the elaboration of various properties of effects; consideration given to effects on various sustainability receptors and health implications; the conduct of SEA following applicable national SEA frameworks; the uncertain effects of public participation and SEA on proposed plan; and, the description of how developed monitoring arrangements can be used to reduce duplication of efforts between SEA and EIA.