Strategic Environmental Assessment of the River Basin Management Plans of Thessaly, Epirus and Western Greece Water Districts. Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Greece.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of the River Basin Management Plans of Thessaly, Epirus and Western Greece Water Districts

The aim of the project was the assessment of the significant environmental effects that are likely to result from the implementation of the River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) for three Water Districts of Greece, i.e. Thessaly, Epirus and Western Greece, based on the provisions of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. Three SEA Reports were prepared that examined in great analysis the measures proposed by each RBMP and ensured that measures are acceptable from a broader environmental perspective.

Client: Special Secretariat for Water Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change Greece subcontracted by the ENVECO S.A. (Greece)

Region: Cyprus

Type: Strategic Environmental Assessment, Water & Flood Management

Duration: 01/2012 – 10/2012

Other Partners: Consortium of “Karavokyris & Associates – V. Perleros – ENVECO S.A. – G. Antzoulatos – EPEM S.A. – Omikron – E. Constantinides – G. Tsekouras – G. Kotzageorgis – N. Gkargoulas” (Greece)

The aim of the project was the assessment of the significant environmental effects that are likely to result from the implementation of the River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) for three Water Districts of Greece, i.e. Thessaly, Epirus and Western Greece, based on the provisions of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. The RBMPs are the first RBMP -according to the provisions of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC- to be compiled in Greece and cover the period up to 2015. The Plans have clearly environmental oriented character, since the main objective is the integrated and sustainable management of water resources.

In this context, three Strategic Environmental Assessment Reports were prepared that examined in great analysis the measures proposed by each RBMP and ensured that measures are acceptable from a broader environmental perspective.

The tasks that were successfully completed and the services that were provided by I.A.CO in the frame of the Strategic Environmental Assessment were:

• Analysis and description of the context and objectives of the Plans
• Detailed description of the Plans with a focus on those aspects that have a potential environmental impact
• Developing and refining alternatives, assessing effects and assist in the refinement of the plan and in the selection of the ones to be further analysed
• Analysis and presentation of the current situation in the relevant environmental fields, as well as of the trends and expected developments
• Detailed assessment and evaluation of the significant environmental impacts of the Plan, also taking into account cumulative impacts
• Identification and proposal of appropriate mitigation in order to be incorporated into the plan-making process
• Formulation of appropriate Monitoring Programme for the impacts and the effectiveness of measures