In the heart of the Blue Pacific, the island nation of Kiribati is taking bold steps to safeguard its environment while pursuing sustainable development. A recent workshop in Tarawa, marks a significant milestone in the country's journey towards integrating environmental and socio-economic considerations into high-level decision-making through Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).
Strategic Environmental Assessment is not a new concept globally, but its application in the Pacific Islands region is gaining momentum with interest from several countries. Unlike project-level environmental impact assessments, SEA operates at a higher level, evaluating the environmental and socio-economic implications of proposed policies, plans, and programs (PPP) before they're implemented.
