National Planning Agency
On the environmental assessment of plans
This website uses automatic translation for English content, which may not fully capture the original meaning. For complete accuracy, refer to the Icelandic version, which is the official source.
Environmental assessment of programmes involves assessing the impact of certain programmes on the environment and using the results of the assessment to reduce their negative environmental impact.
Environmental assessment is to be used as a part of the development of various programmes, such as the municipal planning framework programme and the transport programme.
The provisions on environmental assessment of programmes are both contained in the law and in Article 12 skipulagslaga.
Environmental assessment of programmes and environmental impact assessment of projects
Environmental assessment of projects is intended as a precursor to the environmental impact assessment of individual projects.
In evaluating the environmental impact of a plan, there is an opportunity to evaluate the wider environmental impact of the policy set out therein and the different options, for example on different location and leg options.
The environmental assessment of individual projects will then include a more detailed assessment of the environmental impact of the project and its further development.
The environmental assessment of the programmes includes:
Environmental assessment of the policy set out in the relevant programme. As part of such assessment, a comparison of the environmental impact of different options is carried out.
Publicity and consultation with the public and institutions on the relevant programme and its environmental impact, before the programme is finalised.
That environmental assessment is taken into account when approving a plan.
A plan for monitoring the environmental impact of the implementation of a plan.
Roles in the environmental assessment of programmes
Environmental assessments are carried out by a number of different actors, which play different roles:
The responsible person for a programme is also responsible for its environmental assessment. Examples of a responsible person may be the local authority responsible for the environmental assessment of a central organisation or the project manager for the creation of a framework programme responsible for the environmental assessment of that programme.
Public institutions and municipalities provide comments on the plans that are in the process of being developed and their environmental assessment.
The public can submit suggestions and comments on the advertised proposal for a plan and its environmental assessment.
The Agency shall implement the laws and regulations on environmental assessment of projects and programmes as well as the laws and regulations on planning which also contain provisions on environmental assessment of programmes. The Agency:
Provides an opinion on the evaluation protocol to the Programme Manager. (The Programme Manager prepares an evaluation protocol at the beginning of the planning process, where he/she explains how the environmental assessment of the Programme is intended to be carried out.)
Provides information in Skipulagsgátt on the proposed plans and environmental assessments that are being presented at each time (however, sub-structural proposals are generally presented only by the local authorities concerned).
Preserves and disseminates information on environmentally-evaluated programmes.