The consultation and monitoring of the likely impacts of any strategies on the environment. It is a key component of sustainable development, establishing important methods for protecting the environment, and extending opportunities for public participation in decision-making. ‘SEA has been promoted as a promising instrument expected to be able to provide better informed, more credible and more broadly beneficial strategic initiatives, as well as more timely and clearer guidance for subsequent undertakings’ (Kirchoff (2011) UWSpace). See environmental impact.