Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is emerging as an important tool for sustainability transitions, yet there has been limited research conceptualizing transitions-based SEA. If SEA's primary goal is to facilitate strategic change and guide decision-processes toward sustainability, an assessment framework that accounts for the multi-dimensional factors and relationships influencing transition processes seems highly relevant. This paper advances the transitions-based SEA design – an approach to SEA that is focused on the institutional environment and policy context for the development of strategic initiatives including institutional commitments, supporting policies, and opportunities. We do so within the context of energy transitions, bridging strategic planning theories, decision making, and transition management. Building on existing SEA frameworks that advance strategic thinking, the paper presents the foundational principles and strategic questions to be asked in a transitions-based SEA design. The framework was developed based on a review of sustainability transitions and SEA literature supplemented by expert input. The SEA design focuses on the guiding vision for transitions, the institutional context and governance arrangements, opportunities and risks of proposed sustainability pathways, progress indicators for on-going transition management, and impacts of the exogenous landscape. The framework defines a new functionality for SEA, pushing the boundaries of what SEA can achieve, and should accomplish, as a strategic assessment tool while also challenging conventional thinking and practice beyond its application to policies, plans and programs.

战略环境评估 (SEA) 正在成为可持续转型的重要工具，但对基于转型的 SEA 概念化的研究还很有限。如果 SEA 的主要目标是促进战略变革并引导决策过程朝着可持续性发展，那么考虑影响转型过程的多维因素和关系的评估框架似乎非常相关。本文推进了基于转型的 SEA 设计——一种 SEA 方法，专注于制定战略举措的制度环境和政策背景，包括制度承诺、支持政策和机会。我们在能源转型、桥接战略规划理论、决策和转型管理的背景下这样做。基于推进战略思维的现有 SEA 框架，本文提出了在基于转型的 SEA 设计中要提出的基本原则和战略问题。该框架是在对可持续性转型和 SEA 文献的审查的基础上制定的，并辅以专家意见。SEA 设计侧重于转型的指导愿景、制度背景和治理安排、拟议可持续性途径的机会和风险、正在进行的转型管理的进度指标以及外生景观的影响。该框架定义了 SEA 的新功能，推动 SEA 作为战略评估工具可以实现和应该实现的边界，同时也挑战传统思维和实践，超越其应用于政策、计划和项目。