became clear that realising some of the goals will have significant social, environmental or economic negative impacts, such as heavier traffic or changes in the landscape. The SEA conveys the impression that not all ambitions from the environmental strategy are attainable. There will be conflicts of interest, which will provide fundamental dilemmas for decision making. For example, the aspiration to be energy neutral in 2030 is unrealistic for Hillegom under the current conditions. If more rigorous measures need to be taken, this might possibly have an effect on other ambitions. Independent review of the SEA The NCEA noted appreciatively that the SEA had prominently addressed the energy transition. However, we also concluded that the information provided was inadequate. Even though the SEA report touched on several impacts and conflicting ambitions, it did not give the crucial information needed to be able to make the fundamental choices. For example, where the report mentioned that “rigorous measures might have an effect on other ambitions”, it did not identify what those effects might be. And exactly this information is needed to equip the local government with a basis for prioritising ambitions. For example energy neutrality in 2030 versus negative effects on nature and landscape. In our advisory report we therefore recommended a more thorough analysis of the important qualities of the municipality (for example cultural history, landscape, tourism) as well as of the bottlenecks caused by conflicting ambitions. With that, the environmental impacts of the ‘strategic direction’ and the consequences for each of the ambitions can be better assessed. In the Netherlands, an independent review of an SEA by the NCEA is mandatory. The NCEA evaluates whether the information in the SEA is complete and reliable, to ensure that the interests of the physical environment can be taken into account in the decision making. 29
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