The role of environmental Strategic evaluation, as instruments for promoting sustainable planning
Author: Sherif Lushaj, Besnik Aliaj
Affiliation: Polis University
Abstract
This paper aims to analyze and draw conclusions from several ongoing reforms in Albania during the last decade, from a political, administrative and professional point of view, focused on issues such as spatial planning and development policies. The authors are researchers and practitioners of sustainable planning in Albania, and they have tried to summarize their own experience by analyzing: i) the contextual developments in Albania in the last 3 decades, reflecting on the transition from centrally planned towards market economy; ii) the bottom-up (and viceversa) processes of territorial planning and environmental protection in Albania; iii) the political reforms on territorial and administrative reorganization in Albania; iv) illustrate their real function on the ground based on two concrete case studies on territorial planning and environmental assessments in the respective processes in the Municipality of Shkodra (north) Albania.
Finally, conclusions are drawn from the case of drafting of GLP and SEA in the Shkodra Municipality and the progress of such reforms and their impact on people, communities, local and central authorities in Albania, leaving also room for recommendations and improvements. The article is also a good reference for academic and research purposes. It draws lessons from complex planning processes working from ground to government, including a lot of creative and innovative ideas on sustainable planning for Albania and Western Balkans.
