Operationalising sustainability through planetary boundaries in strategic environmental assessment: regional raw material planning in Denmark

Abstract

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) aims to embed sustainability into planning but often does not include clear benchmarks for sustainability. This paper tests a model integrating planetary boundaries into an objectives-led SEA framework. The model is tested in Danish regional raw material planning and focussed on climate change, land-system change, and freshwater use. The model uses area-based, population-based, and resource-based allocation principles to downscale national environmental budgets to the regional level, then benchmarks a regional raw material plan against these boundaries. While the plan’s impacts are modest relative to regional budgets, the approach clarifies cumulative pressures and trade-offs. Results indicate how planetary boundaries can supplement the current approaches and provide benchmarks for SEA, improving transparency and strategic coherence while supporting a more systemic practice with improved links to sustainability objectives. Results also highlight the importance of careful consideration and transparency concerning methodology including allocation principles and that using planetary boundaries does not replace professional judgement.