Study on rapid policy-based strategic environmental assessment: Taking China’s regional development policy in Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone as an example

• A simple and rapid policy-based SEA framework was constructed. • The possible negative impacts of FTZ RDP proposal was analyzed. • Eco-environment sensitivity was evaluated from atmosphere, water, and ecology. • Construction activities should be restricted in the high eco-sensitivity areas. Strategic Environmental Assessment(SEA) is acknowledged to be an important decision support tool. SEA concerns potential environmental impacts of decisions made based on policy, plan and programs. At present, policy-based SEA is still in the exploratory stage in China. The development of policy-based SEA is extremely slow due to institutional and technical difficulties. In practice, the time from policy proposals to policy implementation is relatively short. So the corresponding policy-based SEA should reflect the characteristics of rapidity, centre on the seriously negative impact that may be caused by policy implementation, and provide early and initial warnings. A simple and rapid framework was designed for policy-based SEA in this study. The framework includes four parts, namely, policy analysis, eco-environmental impact identification, eco-environmental sensitivity assessment, policy recommendations. Following this framework, regional development policy of Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) was assessed. Results reveal that: 1) seriously negative environment impacts may arise from petroleum refining and chemical industry, oil and gas storage and transportation, iron ore transportation, liquid bulk commodities transportation. 2) Central Daishan area, Shengsi archipelago, Taohua Island, Liuheng island in Zhejiang FTZ is relatively of high eco-sensitivity, thus the fore-mentioned activities should be environmentally friendly or restricted in these areas. 3) In the future, continuous efforts should be made to promote sealing and automation of petroleum refining, chemical industry. Green petrochemical manufacturing technology utilization is recommended to reduce pollution from the source. Further, accelerating the construction of transportation pipelines is suggested in order to reduce air pollutants emissions caused by vehicle transportation activities. Fishery stock enhancement and releasing is recommended to counteract negative impact on fishery caused by iron and liquid bulk commodity marine transportation.