The Department of the Environment in Laos is considering applying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) guidelines to current legislation governing environmental protection.
Department official Khaykeo Chanthavisouk, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, addressed a workshop held in Vientiane on Tuesday on the subject.
The SEA guidelines are a support tool which can help to clarify environmental risks and opportunities and provide alternatives in the early stages of planning, she said.
Asian experts from various organisations and the Asian Development Bank, who had applied SEA guidelines to some of their own development plans, attended the workshop to share their experiences.
Khaykeo said: “We hope to include and implement SEA guidelines in our environmental laws and regulations. Everything is changing at such a fast pace in all sectors, including the population, industry and agriculture. We can no longer ignore the fact that this is creating a growing demand for energy and will have an impact on our environment.”
Laos may be rich in natural resources but these need to be protected.
The SEA guidelines provide a flexible assessment process which informs and supports planning and decision making, taking into account environmental opportunities and risks.
For example, when developing hydropower or mining projects, watershed management must be included in the plans. It is crucial that the social and environmental impacts related to the implementation of any development project be carefully assessed.
The government's policies related to water and hydropower planning provide a comprehensive framework for sustainable management in these sectors, but application of the SEA guidelines would offer further protection to the environment.
International agencies and NGOs also provide valuable assistance to the Lao government concerning environmental, development, research, management, biodiversity, and conservation policies.
Keobang A Keola, Director of the Lao Greater Mekong Sub-region Secretariat, said the SEA guidelines would be an invaluable tool that would further help in planning the country's energy development and protecting the environment.
"We would like all participants here today to share their thoughts concerning the adoption of SEA regulations and technical guidelines as part of our environmental legislation," she said.
SEA guidelines could also assist Laos by suggesting alternatives to controlling greenhouse effects due to deforestation.
