Contextual challenges for implementing strategic environmental assessment in the Global South: insights from a case study in Mexico

An increasing number of countries are implementing strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to support the development of environmentally sustainable policies, plans and programs. However, some Global South countries are yet to legislate for SEA and research is needed to understand the contextual challenges to implementing SEA effectively in these jurisdictions. Here, we examine Mexico’s first attempt at applying SEA to assess the potential impacts of urban development plans on a city-wide scale, including those on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Using stakeholder interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, we identify and discuss key factors to consider when formally implementing SEA in Mexico for it to achieve its intended objectives. We relate our findings to existing studies on SEA in Global South countries and discuss contextual challenges that may be shared by these jurisdictions, namely: limited knowledge and experience with SEA, low trust in public institutions, and limited institutional capacity of environmental agencies. We then provide recommendations for addressing these shared challenges, which may also prove useful for countries experiencing difficulties with the application of SEA.