Environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental impact assessment and planning relationship: Çanakkale case study

In this thesis, to reveal the relationship between the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) practices and the upper-scale physical planning decisions are aimed. Scope of this thesis, Environmental Impact Assessment regulations were came into force in accordance with the Environmental Law are compared and the provisions relating to planning are investigated on these regulations. Historical development of EIA and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) methods and scientific stages of EIA and SEA are examined. EIA studies which have made entry into force of the Regulation on Environmental Impact Assessment from 1993 until 2011 have been analyzed as sectoral and spatial in Çanakkale Province where selected as the study area. The harmony between the EIA decisions and 1/25000 scale Environmental Structure Plans are investigated. In addition, the compliance between these decisions and Çanakkale SEA which was prepared in 2002 by the Environment Ministry are examined.At the end of the thesis, between project-based taken EIA decisions and the upper-scale planning decisions are found to be a discrepancy. There is a requirement the revision of the physical plans after the taken EIA decisions. Especially, there is no upper scale decision for the EIA decisions on unplanned areas. SEA method that will apply to upper scale planning which cover the whole province will contribute to compatible EIA studies with planning decisions and to the protection of the environment.Key words: Environmental Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Planning, Çanakkale