Comparative Study of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Legislative Systems in Different Countries with Comparison the Case in IRAN

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a new systematic procedure which considers distinguishes prediction and environmental impacts assessment at the highest levels of decision making and in strategic development of planning and programming process and policy seriously and efficiently.In various countries particularly in developed countries, there are clear examples of SEA laws and regulations.In fact the first regular document of SEA was prepared in the US in 1969, and afterwards other countries such as Canada, Hong Kong, Denmark published by laws and regulations as special requirements for scientific executive assessment.It is over a decade that the laws and regulations exist on EIA in Islamic Republic of Iran. They are implemented in recent years much more strongly but unfortunately despite of wide range of SEA scopes, any laws and regulations have not been ratified by the regular authorities up to now. Therefore, regarding conducted researches in the pioneer countries, the SEA related obligation has been clarified at two levels. The first level is legislative and the second one is policy and decision-making. The policy making would not be effective without observation of SEA obligation and legislative consideration.Consequently, it is suggested that an integrated management system which is required for and perquisite effective implementation, to be created in Iran can be helpful in effectiveness of SEA in decision and policy making principals