Strategic Environmental Assessment in World Bank Operations

This paper reviews the international state-of-the-art in using strategic environmental assessment as a tool for developmental planning, policymaking, and decision making. The World Bank's experience to date is analyzed and discussed against the international backdrop and in relation to the Namk's own policies and operational realities. Based on the Bank's recent decision to gradually broaden the use of SEA across a variety of sectors and operations, the paper identifies and discusses available options for main streaming SEAs. It recommends that the Bank work with external partners in pilotingpromising SEA approaches with interested clients, with the ultimate goals of managing environmental and social risks more effectively an improving development effectiveness of Bank operations.