The social reconciliation process of the environmental assessment of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development has been launched14 May 2007
In accordance with Government Decree No. 2/2005 (I.11.) (Decree), environmental assessment (SEA) in connection with the National Strategy for Sustainable Development needs to be undertaken. The Decree sets out reconciliation obligations for individuals carrying out, or involved in the environmental assessment. The National Development Agency is the body responsible for commissioning individuals carrying out environmental assessment, and the government body responsible for the social reconciliation of NSSD and the relevant SEA.
The main target of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD) is to facilitate placing all Hungarian social, economic and environmental processes, i.e. the middle distance and long-term development of the country on the path of sustainable development by taking account of national characteristics, as well as processes and conditions in a wider context.
Due to characteristics, by building on the concept of sustainable development and its value system, NSSD offers a long-term, comprehensive framework reviewed and revised on an on-going basis for strategies, programmes and plans engaging in development and other – more specific – horizontal issues, and consequently also takes account of connections and interaction amongst these, in addition to facilitating the harmony of these (coherence).
The implementation of the Strategy at the strategic planning level requires a wide-scope social reconciliation process and the active involvement of the representatives of social interest groups, whilst wide-scope cooperation amongst political, economic and social players is explicitly needed for its implementation.
The objective of the present bulletin is for organisations and social partners responsible for environmental protection to become acquainted with the aim, thematic and schedule of the strategic environmental assessment of NSSD. The documents have been developed in compliance with regulations on specific plans and programmes on environmental assessment set out in European Parliament and Council Directive (EC) No. 2001/42 and Government Decree No. 2/2005 (I.11.), taking account of international SEA practice and experiences.
The thematic of the SEA is accessible from 14 May through to 13 June by logging onto the websites www.nfu.gov.hu and www.smartportal.hu/respect. Please send opinion to: skv@respect-consulting.hu. Opinions received will be processed on anon-going basis, which is why we request that you send your remarks as soon as possible.