Ivar Lyhne

BETWEEN POLICY-MAKING AND PLANNING SEA AND STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING IN THE DANISH ENERGY SECTOR

This article deals with the challenge of approaching decision-making processes through strategic environmental assessment (SEA). It is argued that the interaction between policy-making and planning in strategic decision-making processes is a neglected reason for problems with applying SEA, as legislation and guidance on SEA primarily approach either the policy or plan level. To substantiate the argument, the extent of interaction is empirically investigated. Four contemporary decision-making processes in the Danish energy sector are mapped as a series of choices. Fundamental changes with considerable environmental impacts are decided these years, often without preceding SEA processes. The mapping shows a profound interaction between policy-making and planning. In this interaction, public consultation, systematic environmental analyses, and transparency on alternatives are primarily related to choices of planning character. The findings lead to a discussion of the existing SEA guidance that is challenged in terms of adequacy of the guidance to approach the interaction.

Quality Control for Environmental Policy Appraisal Tools: An Empirical Investigation of Relations Between Quality, Quality Control and Effectiveness

Abstract The spectre of regulatory reform carried out in a range of Western countries has generated concern amongst parts of the environmental policy community. Quality and effectiveness are said to be at stake, but empirically there is a dearth of data on the relationship between provisions for quality control and the effects on quality and effectiveness. This research addresses this lacuna by analysing the effects of different quality control provisions in the Netherlands and Denmark for a globally institutionalized environmental appraisal tool—Environmental Assessment (EA). Extensive technical provisions for quality control in the Netherlands have led to it being described as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of EA systems, while in Denmark the polity is expected to take charge of quality control. The effects of quality control are investigated through surveys and in-depth interviews with actors centrally engaged with EA implementation. The results show that quality control provisions are poorly related to the perceived quality and effectiveness of EA. Only the appropriateness of the scope of EA reports is perceived to be strongly related to quality control provisions. The findings are relevant for environmental policy communities concerned with quality control systems and effectiveness of policy appraisal tools and policy-makers contemplating regulatory reforms.

Social Impact Assessment in Europe: A Study of Social Impacts in Three Danish Cases

Social impact assessment (SIA) is applied worldwide to assess social impacts of plans and projects. In Europe, directives on environmental assessment (EA) require attention to social impacts, however, there is a need to investigate the implementation in practise. To this end, we study three Danish cases, which are characterised by debates and conflicts on social issues. Analysis of the EA statements shows inclusion of a broad range of social impacts. However, the EAs do not fully match the concerns of the public, and social impacts are not always analysed in depth, mitigation measures are not suggested or are postponed and the geographical distribution of impacts assessed is biased towards including negative local impacts. We discuss the scope and handling of social impacts, and possible implications. Based on this, we conclude with the view that EA might do the job of handling social impacts in Europe, if practise is improved.

Adding action to the interview: Conceptualizing an interview approach inspired by action research elements

Inspired by action research traditions, this article argues for a need to strengthen the role of interviews as an arena for generating action through mutual reflection. The aim is to point out and conceptualize the unarticulated action-oriented elements that appear in action researchers’ interview practice. The article traces the development of the interview from hermeneutic toward critical utopian action research in order to identify core action-oriented elements of the interview. These elements are empirically studied in two cases of interview practices in research projects. Based on the findings, we outline elements of the action-oriented approach for doing interviews. The related ethical and practical implications are discussed and further research is outlined.

How strategic dynamics complicate the framing of alternatives in strategic environmental assessment: The case of the Danish natural gas planning

Unpredictable and complex developments challenge the application of strategic environmental assessment (SEA), for example, in terms of timing, prediction and relevance of assessments. In particular, multi-actor and unstructured strategic-level decision-making processes often seem to be characterised by unpredictable and complex changes. Despite the apparent implications, explorative investigations about how unpredictability influences SEA application in practice are rare. This article aims to shed light on contextual changes and reactions to such changes in practice by a case study of the specific SEA process of the Danish Natural Gas Security of Supply Plan. Special emphasis is given to the framing of alternatives in the SEA process, since alternatives are directly related to the contextual developments. Based on a participative approach, strategic dynamics are mapped and the reactions and concerns in the SEA team are outlined. The contribution of the article is enhanced empirical understanding of strategic dynamics and how it challenges SEA application.

What Determines the Substantive Influence of Public Participation? An Investigation of Planners’ Views on Conditions for Participatory Practices in Denmark

Abstract Conditions that enable successful public participation have received increased attention in research and practice. This paper contributes with an empirical study of the conditions that determine the substantive influence of public participation processes. We explore a list of conditions in a Danish context through a survey of practitioners’ perceptions of practice and through interviews with practitioners. The findings support the growing criticism of the widespread notion that the choice of methods is a fundamental determinant of the success of public participation. The findings lead us to propose a more prominent role of contextual conditions in practice.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF R&D PROGRAMMES: THE CASE OF THE DANISH ForskEL PROGRAMME

Despite their important role in shaping the technologies of the future, public research and development (R&D) programmes are rarely based on systematic assessments of the environmental effects. R&D programmes thus allocate a huge amount of financial resources to projects, which potentially may cause severe negative environmental impacts. This paper presents an innovative environmental assessment practice on R&D programmes in Denmark. It reports on the challenges and experiences of assessing the Danish R&D programme ForskEL, which promotes R&D projects within the electricity sector. The programme is characterised by uncertainty about impacts and incomparable project types and technologies. A methodology for dealing with these challenges is presented, and experiences from a testing of the methodology on the 2012 programme are reflected upon. Finally the assessment is discussed in terms of its potential for making a difference for the future development and deployment of renewable energy.

The use of social media in impact assessment: experiences among national infrastructure developers in Denmark

ABSTRACT Social media plays an increasingly prominent role in the interaction between impact assessments and society. Impact assessment is thus becoming part of social networks that are claimed to be able to improve interaction between actors in impact assessment processes. By investigating the use of social media in impact assessment and planning processes of national linear infrastructure development, we explore how social media impinge on participatory practices and how the potential of social media is realized in the current use related to public participation processes. The study focuses on experiences among national developers working in road, rail, electricity, gas, and metro infrastructures in Denmark. The article shows that the current use of social media in public participatory practices is limited to branding and on-way communication and that the increasing use of social media in linear infrastructure planning gives rise to a variety of concerns among developers that are related to especially organizational cultures, perception of the target groups, and prioritization of resources.