Categories of Membership

EAPAN recognises the following categories of Environmental Professionals:

 

Membership

CategoryDescriptionMinimum qualifications[1] and experience1Competencies and/or attributes
Ordinary Member

Reviewer

Undertakes independent reviews of  completed Scoping, EA and/or EMP reports.

Qualification:

Masters degree in Environmental Practice, and

 

Experience:

Evidence of successfully leading at least 5 major EAs for the past 10 years, and

 

Demonstrated ability of being able to act independently and objectively in the reviewing of major EAs.

  • Broad knowledge of different sectors (covering both the natural and human environment) and how they integrate in the context of sustainable development – as well as specific knowledge about the sector and area being reviewed, and
  • Detailed knowledge of Namibian legislation and policies, particularly relating to EA and other relevant sectors.

 

Lead Practitioner

Co-ordinates, leads, manages and integrates components of the EA[2] throughout the process. 

Qualification:

Honours degree in Environmental Practice[3], and

 

Experience:

Evidence of successfully leading or playing a prominent role in > 3 major[4] EAs or broad environmental management projects in the past 5 years, and

 

Evidence of having attended > 3 relevant short courses and/or conferences over the past 5 years.

  • Demonstrated ability to lead interdisciplinary teams (both natural and human environment) and to integrate sector/thematic inputs into a cohesive report, and
  • Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholder engagement processes without bias, and
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain independence (from Client, GRN and lobbyists), and
  • Good knowledge of Namibia’s EA legislation and other laws and regulations pertaining to Environmental Practice.

Practitioner

Sector specialist or general EA consultant. Gives input to particular stages of an EA according to his/her expertise.

Qualification:

Degree and/or diploma in any discipline commonly required in an EA, and/or

 

Professional registration with a recognized body[5] that governs his/her sector, and

 

Experience:

Evidence of successfully participating (substantially) in >3 major EAs in past 5 years.

  • Demonstrated ability to work in interdisciplinary teams and to provide well researched and written sector/thematic input[6] that is later integrated into a cohesive report, and
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain independence (from Client, GRN and lobbyists).

Environ-

mental Manager

Works as the “Environmental Officer” or equivalent in a corporate, parastatal or GRN agency – not doing EIAs, but involved in commissioning and/or managing them, implementing and updating EMPs and running EMSs.

Qualification:

Degree and/or diploma in any discipline commonly required in an EA, and

 

Experience:

Evidence of prominent[7] involvement in >3 major EAs /EMPs/EMSs in past 5 years.

 
  • Willingness and demonstrated ability to be the “EA Champion” within the corporate environment, especially providing information and support to contracted EA teams and processes, and
  • Demonstrated ability to obtain sustained commitment from management to implement EAs and maintain transparent and honest relationships with key I&APs.
Apprentice Member

Emerging Practitioner

Emerging Specialists and/or Practitioner. Provides technical assistance in EAs.

Qualification:

Degree and/or diploma in any discipline commonly required in an EA.

 

Experience:

None yet – this person would have recently qualified but not yet had the opportunity to gain experience.

  • Willingness to work in interdisciplinary teams and to provide technical support to more senior team members. This category of practitioner would initially have a junior role, but this increases as s/he gains experience.

 

Emerging Environmental Manager

Working with an established Environmental Manager. Provides technical support on inspections, monitoring, implementing EMPs and EMSs, training, etc.

Qualification:

Degree and/or diploma in any discipline commonly required for Environmental Managers.

 

Experience:

None yet – this person would have recently qualified but not yet had the opportunity to gain experience.

  • Willingness to work in interdisciplinary teams and to provide technical support to more senior team members. This category of environmental manager would initially have a junior role, but this increases as s/he gains experience.

 

Student MemberLearner Practitioner

A student studying for a degree/

diploma in a field commonly part of EAs

Qualification:

Successfully completed at least 2 years in a recognized tertiary learning institution and currently registered as a full or part time student for year 3 or more

 

Experience:

None

  • None required

 

Special Cases

In “special cases” the Executive Committee may request additional material/information deemed necessary to consider applications, or ask for an interview with the applicant. Practitioners who do not meet the certification criteria in terms of academic qualifications, but who have been successfully undertaking EAs in Namibia, may be certified if their work is judged to be of sufficient standard and they have demonstrated high ethics/competencies.


[1] The qualification must be recognised by the Namibian Qualifications Authority

[2] EA includes Environmental Assessment at either Strategic or Project levels

[3]  'Environmental Practice' is defined as interdisciplinary study (and/or demonstrated practical track record) covering the fields of both the biophysical and socio-economic environment, including an environmental assessment component.

[4] Major means an EA that includes a full Scoping Exercise, and EA itself and an EMP. Also, the EA must have passed scrutiny and been deemed “good” or better by the relevant authority.

[5] e.g. Southern African Institute of Ecologists and Environmental Scientists, Law Society, Medical Council, etc. – the organisation may be Namibian, regional or global, voluntarily established or statutory. Not applicable if there is no relevant institution.

[6] Also commonly referred to as ‘Specialist Reports” – e.g. biodiversity, archaeology, health, groundwater – etc.

[7] “Prominent” means the person leads or takes a senior role in compiling the ToRs for the EIA/EMP, participating in a technical and/or management role during the EIA/EMP process – usually interfacing with the independent EIA consultants – provides input in the internal review of the EIA/EMP, and has a lead or senior role in implementing the outcome of the EIA (i.e. the EMP and/or EMS).