Capacity Building in Biodiversity and Impact Assessment on a Local

Capacity Building in
Biodiversity and Impact
Assessment on a Local
Authority level
South African perspective
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan
Municipality
Dikhololo Strategic Session - 3 to 5
October 2003
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Brief background on
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan
Municipality
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LOCALITY
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KEY IMPACTS
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BIOPHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT
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Analysis of IDP
• Recent analysis of all departmental
strategies and plans found that though
some of the sustainable development
issues i.t.o. Agenda 21 and JPI are
addressed, but:
• Major shortcomings with regards to the
biophysical aspects especially
conservation of biodiversity.
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Analysis of IDP
• Only the department dealing with parks
addressed a biodiversity issue
– the eradication of alien and invasive species.
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State of the Environment Report
• Finalised in April 2004 – adoption by
Council June 2004
• Identified as strategic priority:
– Urgent need for increase in area reserved/
protected for conservation
– A holistic approach to the conservation on
biodiversity
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Increase in area reserved/
protected for conservation
• One or two specific areas are identified
• Aquatic habitats require urgent attention
with the following priorities:
– Focused management plan based on
thorough analysis;
– Functional corridors between pans and
wetlands
– Long term strategies to fund the management
of the protected areas
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Holistic approach to the
conservation on biodiversity
• Consider all components and levels of
biodiversity
• Full habitat and biodiversity status
assessment, to establish:
– Conservation value and habitat status of
grasslands & open space
– Ecological integrity and conservation
importance of wetlands, pans and rivers
– Conservation value of agricultural zones
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Environmental Management
Framework
• Currently in the process of development
• Combined effort with Development Planning
Dept and Provincial Environmental Dept.
• Aim to have a guideline document that will
address environmental and developmental issue
• Main component is the establishment of the
economic value of environment vs. value of
development
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Needs for capacity building
• The EMM was established in 2000
• Amalgamation of 9 local authorities
• Environment and Tourism Department
established November 2001
• Four sections in Environment:
–
–
–
–
Environmental Planning and Coordination
Environmental Impact Management
Environmental Education and Awareness
Environmental Quality Control & Law enforcement
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Needs, cont.
• Sectional heads appointed in March 2003
• Bulk of officers appointed in September 2003
• Appointments had to be made from staff already
employed by the EMM
• Majority of staff have Environmental Health
background, with little environmental
management knowledge
• Must comment on EIAs with limited knowledge
and capacity
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Needs, cont.
• Furthermore other depts. policies and
strategies must be assessed – SEA – also
with limited knowledge
• The SOER, plans and strategies resulting
from it and the EMF will assist with the
assessment of the EIAs and the policies
and strategies, however, further working
knowledge needs to be entrenched
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Conclusion
• Recommended areas for project involvement:
• The officials of the Environmental Department
needs to be capacitated re. biodiversity
• Capacity, in the form of specialised knowledge is
also needed. This can take the form of:
– consultants, or
– creating a new position – preferred as will build
capacity in Metro.
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• Funds areDikhololo
not Strategic
presently
for
such
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position
Conclusion, cont.
• Education and awareness will
disseminate the knowledge re.
biodiversity further to the other
departments, as well as to the
community
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