Staff Profile

Introduction

My research focuses on a range of overlapping interests. These include the assessment of evaluation practices, particularly strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment, within both, terrestrial and marine spatial planning processes in differing contexts; and the way in which understandings about the environment are constructed, and how these understandings are then used to inform a set of shared values that guide marine and terrestrial spatial planning practices and wider policy agendas. My teaching has both, a broad focus, as I lead and teach undergraduate and postgraduate modules aimed at reflecting on, as well as questioning, sustainability as a guiding discourse informing the philosophy and practice of policy and planning; and a more specialised focus where, building on significant work experience with cross-national comparative research and learning in the field of environmental planning and management, I teach the theory(ies) and practice of environmental assessment. I am an Associate Fellow of the UK Higher Education Authority. 

Qualifications

PhD: Adapting Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for integration in different planning systems, University of Liverpool

Masters degree: Evaluation of urban, territorial and environmental Policies, University Institute of Architecture of Venice (IUAV), Italy

Graduate degree: Urban, territorial and environmental planning, University Institute of Architecture of Venice (IUAV), Italy

Languages

Italian, English, Spanish (basic)

Google Scholar: Click here.

Undergraduate Teaching

TCP 1020 Environment and Sustainability

TCP3099 Dissertation (mentoring)

Postgraduate Teaching

TCP 8034 Planning and Sustainability

TCP8956 Environmental Assessment

TCP8099 Dissertation (mentoring)

Research Interests

Environmental assessment, particularly Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA), urban ecology, environmental planning and management, and the assessment of evaluation practices within marine and terrestrial spatial planning processes in differing contexts

Current Work

Developing a shared values system for informing marine spatial planning

Mapping power relations in SEA – the role of statutory environmental consultees

Mala-effectiveness in environmental assessment

Esteem Indicators

Director on the Board of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA), 2007-2010

• Articles

  • Gazzola P, Onyango V. The evolution of environmental assessment through storytelling – Stories from five decades of experience. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2024, 108, 107591.
  • Onyango VL, Gazzola P. Change-making in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): piloting changeology approach using England as a case study. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 2024, 42(3), 251-266.
  • Onyango V, Al Waer H, Gazzola P, Radfar M. Exploring austerity and planning reforms: insight from UK stakeholders. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning 2023, 176(3), 95-105.
  • Gazzola P. The bad, the abnormal and the inadequate. A new institutionalist perspective for exploring environmental assessment's evolutionary direction. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2022, 95, 106786.
  • Gonzalez Del Campo A, Gazzola P. Untapping the Potential of Technological Advancements in Strategic Environmental Assessment. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 2020, 63(4), 585-603.
  • Gonzalez A, Gazzola P, Onyango V. The Mutualism of Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainable Development Goals. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2020, 82, 106383.
  • Gazzola P, Bonifazi A, Rinaldi A. Mapping power relations in SEA – the role of statutory environmental consultees. An Italian case-study. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2020, 83, 106405.
  • Onyango V, Wood G, Gazzola P. The effects of recent austerity on environmental protection decisions: evidence and perspectives from Scotland. Management of Environmental Quality 2019, 30(5), 1218-1234.
  • Gazzola P, Gonzalez Del Campo A, Onyango V. Going green vs going smart for sustainable development: Quo vadis?. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 214, 881-892.
  • Gazzola P, Onyango V. Shared values for the marine environment – developing a culture of practice for marine spatial planning. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning 2018, 20(4), 468-481.
  • Gazzola P, Rinaldi A. Reflecting on SEA's usefulness. A case-study on Italy. Environmental Assessment Policy and Management 2016, 18(04), 1650021.
  • Gazzola P, Roe M, Cowie P. Marine spatial planning and terrestrial spatial planning: reflecting on new agendas. Environment & Planning C: Government & Policy 2015, 33(5), 1156-1172.
  • Gazzola P. Reflecting on mainstreaming through environmental appraisal in times of financial crisis - From 'greening' to 'pricing'?. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2013, 41, 21-28.
  • Bonifazi A, Rega C, Gazzola P. Strategic environmental assessment and the democratisation of spatial planning. Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management 2011, 13(1), 9-37.
  • Onyango V, Gazzola P. Regional spatial planning as a tool for addressing and injustices and mitigating land clashes: the case of Kenya. International Development Planning Review 2011, 33(2), 147-167.
  • Gazzola P, Jha-Thakur U, Kidd S, Peel D, Fischer TB. Enhancing environmental appraisal effectiveness: Towards an understanding of internal context conditions in organisational learning. Planning Theory and Practice 2011, 12(2), 183-204.
  • Gazzola P. Can environmental appraisal be truly interdisciplinary?. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 2011, 54(9), 1189-1208.
  • Jha-Thakur U, Fischer TB, Gazzola P, Kidd S, Peel D. Exploring relevant skills and knowledge areas for Strategic Environmental Assessment. The Environmentalist 2010, 92, 12-16.
  • Fischer TB, Gazzola P, Jha-Thakur U, Kidd S, Peel D. Learning through EC Directive based SEA in spatial planning? Evidence from the Brunswick Region in Germany. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2009, 29(6), 421-428.
  • Gazzola P, Jha-Thakur U. Internationalisation and Standardisation of European Environmental Assessment: Relevance to India. Environmental Education Research 2009, 15(6), 625-641.
  • Jha-Thakur P, Gazzola P, Peel D, Fischer TB, Kidd S. Effectiveness of strategic environmental assessment - the significance of learning. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 2009, 27(2), 133-144.
  • Jha-Thakur U, Gazzola P, Fischer TB, Peel D, Kidd S. Effectiveness of strategic environmental assessment - the significance of learning. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 2009, 27(2), 133-144.
  • Gazzola P. Trends in EA education: a comparative analysis of EA-related Master programmes. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 2008, 26(2), 148-158.
  • Gazzola P. Effective SEA in Italy and in the UK. Environmental Assessment Policy and Management 2008, 10(1), 1-24.
  • Fischer TB, Gazzola P. Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Town Planning Review 2007, 78(4), 531-537.
  • Gazzola P. Growth, Conservation and Responsibility. American Green Career Journal 2007, 2(3), 7-15.
  • Fischer TB, Gazzola P. SEA effectiveness criteria – equally valid in all countries? The case of Italy. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2006, 26(4), 396-409.
  • Gazzola P, Caramaschi M, Fischer TB. Implementing the SEA Directive in Italy: opportunities and barriers. European Environment 2004, 14(3), 188-199.
  • Gazzola P. Prospettive di recepimento della Direttiva UE 42/2001/CE in Italia. Archivio di Studi Urbani e Regionali 2002, 74, 77-92.

• Authored Book

  • Belčáková I, Gazzola P, Pauditšová E. Landscape Impact Assessment in Planning Processes. Warsaw; Berlin: De Gruyter Open Ltd, 2018.

• Book Chapters

  • Onyango V, Gazzola P. Problematizing the just energy transition from a Sub-Saharan Africa context: Insights from key developmental concepts. In: Wood, G; Onyango, V; Yenneti, K; Liakopoulou, MA, ed. The Palgrave Handbook of Zero Carbon Energy Systems and Energy Transitions. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2024.
  • Bonifazi A, Gazzola P. New challenges, old dilemmas? Building climate change adaptive capacity through evaluation and spatial planning . In: De Lucia, C; Borri, D; Kubursi, A; Khakee, A, ed. Economics and Engineering of Unpredictable Events - Modelling, Planning and Policies. London: Routledge, 2022, pp.408.
  • Gonzalez A, Gazzola P. The ICT-based face of Public Organizations. In: Sarlak, MA, ed. The New Faces of Organizations in the 21st Century: A Management and Business Reference Book. Canada: NAISIT Publishers, 2010, pp.57-89.
  • Gazzola P. Existing EA related master degree programmes in the EU: an analysis –concepts, principles and key modules. In: Fischer, TB; Gazzola, P; Jha Thakur, U; Belcakova, I; Aschemann, R, ed. EA Lecturers’ Handbook and Curriculum for EA related Master Programmes. Bratislava: ROAD Bratislava, 2008.
  • Gazzola P. Core Module 2 – Principles for environmental integration. In: Fischer, TB; Gazzola, P; Jha Thakur, U; Belcakova, I; Aschemann, R, ed. EA Lecturers’ Handbook and Curriculum for EA related Master Programmes. Bratislava: ROAD Bratislava, 2008.
  • Gazzola P, Fischer TB. Core Module 1 – EA. In: Fischer, TB; Gazzola, P; Jha Thakur, U; Belcakova, I; Aschemann, R, ed. EA Lecturers’ Handbook and Curriculum for EA related Master Programmes. Bratislava: ROAD Bratislava, 2008.
  • Gazzola P, Caramaschi M. Implementation Status of SEA in Italy: The Case of the Emilia Romagna Region. In: Schmidt, M., João, E., Albrecht, E, ed. Implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 2005, pp.117-136.
  • Gazzola P. La VAS nella pianificazione integrata per i parchi. In: Pace, F., Carbonara, S, ed. Progettare in area parco. Metodi e strumenti per trasformazioni compatibili. Foggia, Italy: Claudio Grenzi Editore, Collana Edizioni del Parco, 2003.
  • Gazzola P, Partidario MR. La Valutazione Ambientale Strategica. In: Bettini, V, ed. La Valutazione dell’Impatto Ambientale. Le frontiere della VIA. Turin, Italy: UTET Libreria, 2002.
  • Gazzola P, Bettini V. La valutazione in campo ambientale: da strumento ancillare a componente strategica. In: Stame, N, ed. Valutazione 2001-Lo sviluppo della valutazione in Italia. Milan, Italy: Franco Angeli, 2001.
  • Canter LW, Bettini V, Gazzola P. La Valutazione d’Impatto Ambientale Strategica. In: Bettini V., Canter L.W., Ortolano L, ed. Ecolgia dell’Impatto Ambientale. Turin, Italy: Utet, 2000.

• Edited Book

  • Fischer TB, Gazzola P, Jha-Thakur U, Belcakova I, Aschemann R, ed. EA Lecturers’ Handbook and Curriculum for EA related Master Programmes. Bratislava: ROAD Bratislava, 2008.

• Editorial

  • Gazzola P, Gopinath D, Jackson T. Special issue on Planning and Sustainability. International Journal of Sustainable Society 2011, 3(4).

• Reports

  • Schremmer C, Derszniak-Noirjean M, Davoudi S, Gazzola P, Cowie P. Territories and low-carbon economy (ESPON Locate) - Final Report. Luxembourgh: ESPON, 2018.
  • Machen R, Davoudi S, Cowie P, Gazzola P. Territories and Low-Carbon Economy Greater Manchester, United Kingdom Case Study Report. Luxembourg-Kirchberg: ESPON, 2017. LOCATE - Territories and Low-Carbon Economy.
  • Kidd S, Fischer TB, Gazzola P, Jha-Thakur U, Peel D. Developing the learning potential of appraisal in spatial planning. Swindon: ESRC, 2008. End of Project Report RES-182-25-0018.
  • Gazzola P. SEA for Policies. Washington, DC, USA: World Bank, 2003.

• Reviews

  • Gazzola P. Sustainable Development and Environmental Management-Experiences and Case-Studies. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning 2010, 12(1), 110-112.
  • Gazzola P. Strategic Environmental Assessment in International and European law; Marsden, S. Town Planning Review 2009, 80(6), 663-665.