Many conservancies – including the Rhenosterspruit Nature Conservancy – have been beleaguered with applications for development, and the onerous task of responding to the assertions contained in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) documents.

Yet the EIA process and specifically public participation, is often felt to be inadequate, flawed or skewed by those who will see the “sense of place” changed by a development.  The question arises: is the EIA process working?
In 2008 South Africa had been using EIA for 10 years, and the Department of Environmental Affairs embarked on an assessment of its own – how efficient and effective are EIAs?
The result of that study was revealed in November 2008 to a wide audience representing all the sectors dealing with EIAs.  The sectors included NGOs, Academia, Environmental Impact Practitioners, Government, ESCOM, Lawyers, and Business.
In February this year, the Department convened of a Steering Committee appointed to develop a strategy to “rationalise the EIA as a tool and investigate the use of alternative tools for assessing and managing environmental impacts to either replace or compliment EIA”.

The approach of this committee is to work within three themes: Governance, new tools, and Competence.  A myriad of sub-themes have been identified, and arise from the comments, feedback and input given in 2008.
Our interests - and those of private land owners, conservationists, civil society and other communities - are represented by the Federation for a Sustainable Environment’s CEO, Mariette Liefferink, and local resident, Mercia Komen. The NGO/civil society sector is also represented by Rico Euripidou of Groundwork, WESSA’s Chris Galliers and Ted Holden of South Durban Community Environmental Alliance. The Legal Resource Centre provided the resources for legal input to the sector.

Over the next three years, the approach to shortfalls in the EIA, and the strategy for more sustainable environmental impact management, will be communicated, and Mercia invites your feedback and input on the way forward.  A summary of the results of the 10 Year of EIA study is posted on www.custodianproject.co.za, and you may also direct your opinions to her through this site.   Additionally, the Department of Environmental Affairs is establishing a website where everyone interested in the strategy may monitor progress, and comment.

“The democratic process the department is following allows for all sectors to have a voice.  And ultimately, the responsibility is ours – as interested and affected parties – to contribute to the formulation of a strategy that will focus on sustainability of the environment. Each sector brings its own niche needs and concerns, but there is also a depth of understanding and appreciation for the natural world”, say Mercia.