title: Research on the alternatives in a strategic environmental assessment based on the extension theory.
abstract: The main purpose of a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is to facilitate the early consideration of potential environmental impacts in decision-making processes. SEA alternative identification is a core issue within the SEA framework. However, the current methods of SEA alternative formulation and selection are constrained by the limited setting range and lack of scientific evaluation. Thus, the current paper attempts to provide a new methodology based on the extension theory to identify a range of alternatives and screen the best one. Extension planning is applied to formulate a set of alternatives that satisfy the reasonable interests of the stakeholders. Extension priority evaluation is used to assess and optimize the alternatives and present a scientific methodology for the SEA alternative study. Thereafter, the urban traffic plan of Dalian City is used as an example to demonstrate the feasibility of the new method. The traffic planning scheme and the environmental protection scheme are organically combined based on the extension theory, and the reliability and practicality of this approach are examined.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Linggong Road 2, Dalian 116024, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shushen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fenglin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003657:Decision Making; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D058735:Environmental Policy