integral element of appraisal and decision-making for policies, plans and programmes, are much less developed.
Without a formal provision, SEA is already used in both sector and landuse planning in several countries. Others are in the process of adopting procedures for incorporating some form of environmental assessment into the early stages of the planning process. More are carrying out studies into the desirability and practicability of doing so. The need to articulate such principles in specific procedures and methodologies has emerged as countries have started to put this approach into practice.