A joint workshop organised by The Environmental Commissioner, Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), and The Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of Namibia (EAPAN) to Review the legislation and implementation of environmental assessments in Namibia and discuss how these could be improved.
Date: 30th May 2013
Time: 08h30 to 17h00
Venue: Hilton Hotel
Background
The Environmental Management Act (EMA) became operational in February 2012, together with the Regulations. Over the past 15 months the regulators and administrators in the DEA, and the practitioners carrying out environmental assessments (EAs) and implementing environmental management plans (EMPs) have experienced some constraints in their respective areas of work. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together the key players to identify the constraints and challenges that they face and to jointly explore solutions. These challenges fall into three main categories:
- the legislation
- the administration
- the EA process and implementation
Objective
To improve the implementation of the EMA and Regulations.
Spirit of the workshop
Regulators, administrators, practitioners and proponents need to work together to improve EA policy and practice so that EA genuinely influences decision making for sustainable development. We’re all in this together, so let’s work positively and constructively to make EAs and EMPs better, and help make the whole process work smoothly and efficiently.
Agenda
1. DEA Perspective on the implementation of EMA and its regulations
2. Identifying shortfalls in the implementation of EMA and Regulations from the perspectives of:
2.1 Competent Authorities:
- Ministry of Mines and Energy;
- Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry;
- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources;
- Ministry of Lands and Resettlement;
- Ministry of Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development; and
- Ministry of Works and Transport.
2.2 Others
- Planners perspective (Institute for Town & Regional Planners)
- EAPAN perspective (Simon Charter)
- Legal perspective (Alet Greef, Engling Stritter & Partners)
After the above presentations there will be a facilitated discussion. This will involve:
- Brainstorm to ensure all concerns and challenges wrt the legislation are brought out and some consensus is achieved on what needs to be done to improve the Act and especially the Regulations, and the alignment between the two, and with other laws;
- Prioritise the issues and develop actions to resolve them.
3. Improving EA practice and implementation (Practitioners and proponents could do things better):
- Practitioners Perspective (? and ?)
The presentations will be followed by a facilitated discussion to:
- Brainstorm to ensure all concerns and challenges wrt EA practice and implementation are brought out and some consensus is achieved on what needs to be done to improve the situation;
- Prioritise and develop actions to address and resolve problems.
4. Conclusions and way forward : DEA
Teas and lunch will be provided
