“STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT” ORIENTED TO MARINE LITTER (SEAMARLITT): A NEW APPROACH TO DIAGNOSE MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN BRAZIL

Objective: Develop and present a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) approach focused on marine litter. Theoretical Framework: SEA is a set of analytical and participatory approaches designed to integrate environmental and sustainability considerations into public policy decision-making. The development of new SEA approaches has allowed its use in different sectors and geographic areas. The creation of the “United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development” contributed to the development of SEA focused on marine litter. Method: The methodology applied is qualitative and was developed from two analysis methods: composition of the conceptual model to select the Elements of the Methodological Structures; and conceptual modeling to construct the conceptual model of the new SEA approach. Results and Discussion: It was possible to develop a conceptual model of the SEA approach oriented to marine litter (SEAmarlitt) composed of three groups and 13 classes, where each class represents an element of the conceptual model. Research Implications: The next challenge is to operationalize SEAmarlitt by applying its conceptual model to coastal regions of Brazil. This phase is crucial to test its efficiency and validate the model. Originality/Value: This study presents SEAmarlitt, an unprecedented methodological approach to SEA in Brazil focused on marine litter.


INTRODUCTION
According to Souza, Barros and Bispo (2024), the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) presents itself as a set of analytical and participatory approaches aimed at integrating environmental and sustainability considerations at the public policy level.These approaches have evolved into a systematic decision support process, having multiple forms, becoming a tool that allows the use of different processes that vary according to the context to which it is applied.
One of the most recent approaches available in the literature is the "Strategic thinking for sustainability -ST4S"SEA developed by Partisan (2021) and applied by Partisan, Monteiro and Martins (2023).ST4S can be used in different institutional and governance contexts through multiple social actors to break boundaries and support public policy formulation (Partisan, Monteiro and Martins, 2023).
Another contemporary approach is the "SEA based on ecosystem services" developed by Partisans and Gomes (2013) and applied in different cases (Nijhum et al., 2021;Semeraro et al., 2021;Rozas-Vásquez-Vásquez-th et al., 2018;Geneletti, 2016).This approach was designed to be applied to the context of "ecosystem services"; therefore, it aims to integrate ecosystem services in the process of developing public policies to ensure the preservation of ecosystems and the provision of their services (Partisan e Gomes, 2013; Kumar et al., 2013).This Declaration identifies the priority areas for action for the "Decade of the Ocean" in the coming years.These include bold new policy frameworks, such as the "Cities with the Ocean Platform" launched during the conference to improve the use of science for policy making and decision making by coastal cities.The first "Decade of the Ocean" Coastal Cities Conference will be hosted by the city of Qingdao, China, in 2025 (IOC/UNESCO, 2024).
Therefore, motivated by all this engagement and endorsement by the "Ocean Decade", this work developed a new approach to SEA that was directly tied to this context.In Brazil, the

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"National Plan to Combat Waste at Sea" is the main public policy in force (Brazil, 2019); thus, the context of "combat waste at sea" has become the focus for the development of this new approach of SEA.
The construction of this innovative instrument required four stages of scientific deepening.
The first was directed to identify the key sectors linked to the context of "combating garbage at sea" verified by Souza et al. (2022).The second investigated the existing approaches of AAE, their functions and limitations (Souza, Barros and Bispo, 2024).Based on this information, it was possible to outline a methodological strategy to construct a new approach of SEAs directed at combating litter at sea.
The third stage, presented by Souza et al. (2024), sought to identify and analyze methodological elements and structures that were compatible and effective with the context and key sectors.The procedure followed all principles and main aspects related to content and the application of guidelines to develop an effective SEA approach (Montaño e Fischer, 2019;Souza, Barros and Bispo, 2024).
Thus, this paper presents the fourth and final stage of this process of methodological development and presents the new approach of SEA oriented to litter at sea.

METHODOLOGY
This methodology used the results of Souza et al. (2024), established on the basis of the Cross Comparison Analysis (CCA) of the Elements of Methodological Structures (MES) with the Participatory Criteria of the public policy priority actions.
From this data, this paper proposed two methodological strategies: (1) composition of the conceptual model to select MES, and (2) conceptual modeling to construct the conceptual model of the new approach of SEA.

COMPOSITION OF THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL
MES that were related to at least five criteria participating in the ACC (final weight ≥ 5), corresponding to at least 33.3% of the criteria, were included in the conceptual model.
This final weight was defined from the premise that the fifteen participatory criteria (Souza et al., 2024)

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(PNDCO) -(solid waste; planning, public policies and monitoring; oceanic culture and social engagement), where each theme of the PNDCO represents 33.3% of the participatory criteria.
Therefore, the MES were considered with significant final weight in the ACC, which related to at least one of the three themes of the PNDCO (significance level = 33.3%),representing five participatory criteria, thus: Conceptual modeling was based on the "multilevel governance diagnostic model" of Assis (2022) and Assis et al. (2020), and in the "systems model of marine ecosystem-based management", according to Lane (2021), where both references were used to induce and shape conceptual model modeling.This method allows to build a more holistic conceptual model, promoting the use of qualitative and quantitative information and analysis, and demonstrating all the concepts and methods of the system, as well as the relationships between these concepts, facilitating the understanding of the model elements.
The Unified Modeling Language (UML) was used to provide a graphical representation of the conceptual model, enabling the development of a UML class diagram, i.e. a system of interactive analysis and evaluation processes where all its elements are related (Chicombo, 2023).For modeling the UML diagram the MIRO software was used.
Figure 1 presents an overview of the methodology used in the third (Souza et al. (2024) and fourth step (this study).

Figure 1
General summary of the methodology used.

CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE NEW APPROACH TO SEA
The conceptual model was composed of the 13 elements of the methodological structures that were significantly related to the participatory criteria of the priority actions: i) Public policy for the coast; ii) Instruments and Strategies; iii) Information and Knowledge; iv) Decision-making mechanisms; v) Internal and external financial and human resources; vi) External governance influences; vii) Characterization; viii) Engagement; ix) Diagnosis; x) Infrastructure; xi) Environmental Sustainability; xii) Guiding issues: "how" and "where"; xiii) Guiding issues: "where" and "how".
Each element expresses the priority actions set out in the PNDCO and the PNCLM (Brazil, 2021;Brazil, 2019), ensuring participatory national representativeness for the new approach.Furthermore, the model was developed to be applied to the Brazilian political context.
Figure 2  7 combating waste at sea, in order to obtain as a product an environmental diagnosis on the ways of fighting waste at sea in a given coastal region.8 data collection and analysis should be selected by the researcher to reach this information (method 1; method 2; method 3; ...); therefore, the model presents itself as a methodological tool capable of being molded by the researcher adapting itself to the case study of the coastal region (geographical cut-off).This flexibility is one of the advantages of using SEA to target waste at sea (Souza, Barros and Bispo, 2024;Partisan, 2021).
Three groupings of classes (dashed boxes) were performed.The first grouping, named "Management and Governance Mechanisms", is formed by the classes "External Influences of Governance", "Information and Knowledge"; and "Internal and external financial and human resources".The second grouping, called "Coastal Governance Mechanisms", consists of the classes "Public Policy for the Coastal Region" and "Instruments and Strategies".The third grouping, called "Solid Waste Management Mechanisms", consists of the classes "Characterization", "Engagement", "Diagnosis", "How" and "Where", and "Where" and "How".
These groupings suggest the order of operationalization of the model, where the researcher should start first by the "Management and Governance Mechanism", due to the different types of relationships that this grouping has in the diagram with the other classes.
In addition, this grouping has internal relationships, where classes are associated with each other.External governance influences influence internal and external financial and human resources and can have effects on "Information and Knowledge" (solid line).On the other hand, "Information and Knowledge" has a dependence on "Internal and External Financial and Human Resources" (dashed arrow), while influencing them (solid line).Figure 3 presents an outline of the conceptual model to the grouping "Management and Governance Mechanism".It is recommended that the next grouping to be investigated be "Coastal Governance Mechanisms".This group has an internal relationship between its classes, where "Instruments and Strategies" make up public policy for the coast (arrow with black diamond), since the instruments and strategies of governance or management belong only to public policies, that is, they are part of its composition.
In addition, "Mechanisms of coastal governance" depend on "Mechanisms of management and governance" (dashed arrow), as their classes can influence, shape or even suggest public policy for the coast, as well as management tools and strategies.Figure 4 presents an outline of the conceptual model to the grouping "Mechanisms of coastal governance".The third grouping to be investigated is the "Solid Waste Management Mechanisms".It presents the most complex and extensive classes due to the amount of information needed to be analyzed and evaluated.This grouping also has an internal relationship between its classes, where Characterization, Engagement, How-to and Where-to questions, and where and how are aggregated to Diagnostics (white diamond arrow), i.e. these classes are part of the Diagnostics class through an aggregation.
In addition, "Solid waste management mechanisms" also depends on "Management and governance mechanisms" (dashed arrow), as they can mainly influence the methods of analysis to be chosen in each of the classes of this grouping.Figure 5 presents a cut-off from the conceptual model to the "Solid Waste Management Mechanisms" grouping.and analyzing these indicators should also be chosen by the researcher, adapting themselves to his case study.
Among the relationships in the ULM diagram, the class "Environmental Sustainability" is associated with the "Coastal Governance Mechanisms" (solid line), that is, the indicators of this class are considered to be complementary to the "Coastal Governance Mechanisms" due to the similarity of the information.On the other hand, the class "Infrastructure" is associated with the "Solid Waste Management Mechanisms" (solid line), since their indicators are also considered as complements of the "Solid Waste Management Mechanisms" due to the similarity 12 of the information.Both classes are dependent on the "Management and Governance Mechanisms", as obtaining these indicators is directly influenced by the classes of this grouping.
After obtaining all the necessary data available, two databases should be set up, one referring to the information of "Coastal Governance Mechanisms" + "Environmental Sustainability" + "Management and Governance Mechanisms", and another referring to the information of "Solid Waste Management Mechanisms" + "Infrastructure" + "Management and Governance Mechanisms".These databases are related to the class "Mechanisms for decisionmaking by a generalization" (white arrow), i.e. the refined data on coastal governance and solid waste management (subclasses) are used for decision-making refinement (superclass).
The two databases will be analyzed and evaluated from the objective of the "Mechanisms for decision-making" class, which aims at an interactive decision-making process of government institutions that involves: i) the use of tools and strategies in decision-making; ii) the participation of non-governmental institutions in decision-making; iii) the participation of the economic sector in decision-making; iv) the participation of society in decision-making; and v) the participation (leadership) of government institutions in decision-making (Scherer and Asmus, 2021).It is at this stage of the conceptual model that the researcher is going to arrive at his conclusions about management and governance, and is going to establish the current scenario for fighting waste in the sea of the coastal region under investigation.
All the methods and information used, results, conclusions and scenario from then should be documented in the form of a report in the "Environmental Diagnosis of Combating Waste at Sea" (black arrow).This document is the final product of AAElixmar and it is expected that it will provide evidence of an updated, real and reliable scenario of the fight against waste at sea in that coastal region.

AAELIXMAR VERSUS CLASSICAL AAE
From the classic SEA structure -composed of the screening, scoping, study and analysis of the environmental basis, description and analysis of scenarios and alternatives, evaluation of impacts of alternatives and description of mitigation measures (Lemos, 2011;Oppermann, 2017) -, only the first four steps are contemplated in the AAElixmar approach model, since its objective is to generate a diagnosis evidencing the current scenario of management and governance in the context of combating waste at sea. 13 Thus, AAElixmar follows the same process as the classical AAE, except in the stage of description and analysis of scenarios and alternatives, because the new approach will not generate different scenarios and alternatives, but rather a single scenario that demonstrates the reality of the fight against litter at sea of a coastal region.Figure 6 presents the classical structure of SEA and its comparison with the SEAlixmar approach.

Figure 6
Comparison between the four initial steps of the classic SEA structure (black boxes) and the steps of the sewage-oriented SEA approach (sanding) (blue boxes).
In the screening stage, the conceptual model already validates and justifies the need for the application of sandingAAE and also already establishes the level of detail of the information that is necessary for the Environmental Diagnosis of Combating Waste at Sea.In the scoping stage, the main focus is to define the coastal region to be studied (geographical cutting) and, from this, to establish what are the main key issues for this region, that is, questions and hypotheses.In addition, the scope also requires that the political scope and its tiering be defined, that is, the levels of governance and its hierarchy to be studied (federal, state and municipal).14 The stage of study and analysis of the environmental basis refers to the use of the conceptual model in practice.It is at this stage that AAElixmar should be applied by collecting and analyzing data from each of the model classes.With this, two databases will be built, to later be analyzed and evaluated under the "Mechanisms for decision making".The last step aims to document the whole process of AAElixmar (report), detailing and highlighting the current scenario (then) of the fight against litter in the coastal region sea.

CONCLUSION
The methodology used was effective in selecting the elements of the methodological structures and in modeling the conceptual model of the new approach.The use of the participatory criteria of the priority actions was presented as an effective strategy for participatory and representative construction of the AAElixmar.Therefore, the objective of the work was successfully achieved.Furthermore, this methodology could be adapted to take into account Brazil's 300 coastal municipalities, where the situation of their ecosystems is impacted by poor solid waste management.
The next challenge is to operationalize sanding by applying its conceptual model to Brazil's coastal regions.This phase is crucial to test the efficiency of the new approach, validate the conceptual model and suggest continuous improvement adaptations.Applying a new methodology in practice is an opportunity to advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the fight against marine litter.This opportunity also meets objective 4 of the PNCLM and aligns with the national and global initiatives of the Oceanic Science Decade, and can receive endorsement and resources from governmental institutions for operationalization and refinement of AAElixmar.
Since 2020, with the establishment of the "United Nations Decade of Oceanic Science for Sustainable Development" or "Decade of the Ocean" by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC/UNESCO, 2020), many scientific and government initiatives have received endorsement to meet the 10 challenges of the Decade of the Ocean.The 'Decade of the Ocean 2024' Conference, held in Barcelona (Spain) in April 2024, presented itself as a first relevant global milestone of the Decade culminating, as the main result, in the 'Barcelona Declaration' (IOC/UNESCO, 2024).

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Figure 2 Conceptual model of the Strategic Environmental Assessment approach oriented to waste at sea (AAElixmar) structured in UML (Unified Modeling Language) class diagram

Figure 3
Figure 3 Cutout of the grouping "Management and governance mechanism" of the conceptual model of the approach Strategic Environmental Assessment oriented to waste at sea (AAElixmar) structured in UML (Unified Modeling Language) class diagram

"Figure 4 "
Figure 4 "Coastal Governance Mechanisms" group cut from the conceptual model of the approach Strategic Environmental Assessment oriented to waste at sea (AAElixmar) structured in UML (Unified Modeling Language) class diagram

Figure 5
Figure 5 Cluster cut "Solid Waste Management Mechanisms" from the conceptual model of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Approach oriented to waste at sea (AAElixmar) structured in UML (Unified Modeling Language) class diagram
are categorized or divided equally between the three themes of the National Plan for the Implementation of the Decade of Oceanic Science for Sustainable Development "Strategic Environmental Assessment" Oriented to Marine Litter (SEAmarlitt): a New Approach to Diagnose Management and Governance in Brazil ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.9 | p.1-16 | e08230 | 2024.