Project Description
The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Power Development Master Plan evaluated the environmental, social, and economic implications of the regional energy strategy. Conducted through missions across all six GMS countries, the SEA examined alternative energy futures and their associated impacts. The assessment aimed to support more ecologically sustainable power development aligned with regional socio-economic goals. It also provided a structured process for capacity building, following OECD SEA best practices and aligning with national procedures in the GMS.
Objectives, Activities and Results
The SEA’s objective was to guide GMS countries in planning a reliable, socially equitable, and environmentally sustainable regional electricity system. Activities included stakeholder consultations, scenario analysis of energy mixes, and identification of strategies to avoid or mitigate negative impacts while enhancing benefits. The SEA offered a framework for integrating ecological sustainability into energy policy decisions and recommended energy technology mixes that minimize unplanned consequences. It also laid the groundwork for subsequent national and project-level assessments and strengthened the capacity of energy and environment ministries and utilities across the GMS to apply SEA in energy planning.
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