The sustainable territorial environmental/economic management approach to manage policy impacts and effects

In this time, the Impact Assessment is the best process to structure and support the development of global/local environmental policies. It identifies territorial/spatial problems and objectives (by several ex ante and ex post steps) and the main political/programming scenarios and project options measuring impacts on economic, environmental, cultural and social fields. It outlines advantages and disadvantages for each option and it examines all possible synergies and trade-offs on the base of territorial context. In order to obtain the integration of different tools (Territorial Impact Assessment - TIA, Strategic Environmental Assessment - SEA, Environmental Impact Assessment - EIA), it was necessary to work within a systemic vision (from Von Bertanlaffy General Theory, 1969; to Saaty analytical hierarchy process, 1980; to analytical planning, 1985), pursuing its application into economicterritorial analysis and planning choices (Prezioso, 1995, 2003 and 2007). To use Impact Assessment means to be able: i) to know effects of policies, programmes, planning on territorial status quo indicators before; ii) to measure the degree of risk of overtaking the carrying capacity threshold and the improvement in performance and competitiveness; iii) to build scenarios of funds allocations and management, according to indications provided by the Territorial Capability Framework.