Sustainability indicators (SI) are utilized to demonstrate the effects that human interventions have on the environment. In Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) processes, the use of SI has occurred in a desuniform and often inaccurate manner. Through Content Analysis, this research aimed to evaluate the utilization of SI in 28 SEA reports (related to 21 countries). It was investigated the framing of SI to the triple bottom line model and the level of observance to some predefined parameters. Only twelve reports (42.8%) present SI. In this subgroup, eight reports associate SI to goals and objectives and nine describe the function of the indicators in SEA, but only four reports describe the selection criteria of SI and two show the future trend of SI that are listed. It was observed the use of SI poorly designed, inadequately presented, and/or indicators that, in fact, are objectives or goals. The use of SI has serious quality deficiencies, and may not contribute to the SEA process or may lead to wrong decisions.
Environmental report; indicator; Strategic Environmental Assessment; sustainability
