10th Air Quality Governance Lekgotla Session: 7.3 Offsets Guideline for Air Quality Management: Principles and Applications – Fezile Dabi District Municipality Case Study 10th Air Quality Governance Lekgotla Session: 7.3 Climate Change and Air Quality Ms Elizabeth Masekoameng 10th Air Quality Governance Lekgotla President Hotel, Bloemfontein 29 September 2015

Presentation Outline Purpose of the guideline Definitions Legislative provisions Principles Applications of the guideline Roles and responsibilities Public participation

Purpose of the Guideline The Air Quality Management Offset Guideline is aimed at providing a framework to the industry or proponents, government entities, consultants, the general public and other key stakeholders regarding appropriate principles to be adhered to in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of air quality offsets.

Definitions (cont..) Air Quality Offsets “An intervention/s specifically implemented to counterbalance the adverse impacts of atmospheric emissions to deliver a net ambient air quality benefit within the affected airshed/s.” Examples: Interventions that reduces emissions from : domestic fuel burning , waste burning, vehicles etc

Legislative provisions To protect the environment – reasonable measures for: the protection and enhancement of the quality of air in the Republic; the prevention of air pollution and ecological degradation; and securing ecologically sustainable development while promoting justifiable economic and social development

Legislative provisions Section 43 (m) of the AQA stipulates that “An atmospheric emission license must specify, among other things, any other matters which are necessary for the protection or enforcement of air quality. Section 39(i) of the AQA: “When considering an application for an atmospheric emission license, the licensing authority must take into account all relevant matters including any other guideline issued by the minister or MEC relating to the performance by licensing authorities of their functions”

Principles The offset must complement and not substitute legislative requirements. Facilities must be committed to reducing point emissions and achieving emission limits.

Principles Acceptability Licensing Authority(ies) and the Community must be in support for the interventions.

Principles Sustainability The offset should be based on long term air quality improvement without impeding on other socioeconomic and environmental objectives.

Principles Measurable IF approved, an offset must have measurable air quality outcomes. AQ monitoring should be a requirement. No “green washing”

Principles No Like for like The proposed offset project(s) should address pollutant(s) whose ambient concentrations is/are of concern in a particular area and not necessarily the pollutant(s) whose emissions from a specific facility is/are of concern

How do we measure the success of offsets KISS Approach The implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the offset should be based on the outcome, which is the improvement in ambient air quality within the airshed

Applications The case of Section 21 Postponement application. Provides for applications for postponement of compliance timeframes for existing plants The NAQO in concurrence with AELA may grant or refuse the application Offsets as conditions for positively considered postponement applications: condition to be incorporated into the AEL

Applications (Cont…) The case of Variation of a license According to Section 46(1)(d) of AQA, the licensing authority may vary a license or a provisional license upon request by the license holder. If the request will result in an increase in atmospheric emissions S.14(3)(b), Offsets as a condition to a positive variation application

Set stricter emission limits Applications (cont…) The case of new AEL applications in areas with poor or potentially poor air quality This includes all national and provincial priority areas (section 18 of AQA) Also includes areas that are in the alert/transitional compliant/non-compliant zones in terms of the National Framework Offset emissions Set stricter emission limits Avoid new facilities

Roles and responsibilities Applicant Identify & assess impact Funding & implementation logistics for public meetings Authorities Monitor and review Support public meetings (not identify project) Communities Support Implementation

Public participation Considerations The manner in which the public was invited Information sent to the participants Measures to ensure effective participation by people with disabilities Measures to ensure effective participation by people limited in terms of the level of literacy Minutes of the meeting reflecting what people agreed and disagreed to.

THE CASE OF FEZILE DABI…………

Ms. Elizabeth Masekoameng Tel: 012 399 9202/1 Email: emasekoameng@environment.gov.za

Environmental offsetting Definitions Environmental offsetting “An environmental offset is an intervention, or interventions, specifically implemented to counterbalance an adverse environmental impact of land-use change, resource use, discharge, emission or other activity at one location that is implemented at another location to deliver a net environmental benefit”. Carbon offsets Biodiversity offsets Air quality offsets Water quality offsets Heritage offsets (etc)

Why offsets Every activity licensed means addition to pollution load in the airshed even if the activity complies with limits Section 21 and AEL system Option 1: stricter emission limits are set by licensing authorities Option 2: Unless emissions are offset by another intervention 2 1

Why offsets(1) Industrial emissions Domestic fuel burning AQA: Ambient air quality that is not harmful Industrial emissions Domestic fuel burning Vehicle emissions Emissions from abandoned mine dumps Section 21 and AEL system Challenges: Mandate, accountability.