1. Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Presentation
Dr. Bridget A Johnsen
31 July 2013
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Presentation
CALL FOR COMMENT
“THE EFFICACY OF
THE EIA REGIME IN SA”

2. Where is the Paardeberg?

3. Twinstreams Blue People Advocacy Group TBPAG
Constituted to address environmental and social threats of mining in South Africa, especially on the coastline
Fairbreeze, Mtunzini
24km along both sides of N2 to be impacted!
Water supply?? Municipal Approval??
Hillendale, KZN
2km east of N2 impacted! Rehabilitated??

5. Fire Protection Association
Western Cape
Fire Protection Association

6. Sustainability
Environment
Sociopolitical
Economy
Governance

7. Floral Kingdoms of the World

8. RELIANCE COMPOST

9. RECOMMENDATIONS A. Rand Value Approach
To ensure that applications are bona fide proposals, well-conceived and carefully interrogated financially before costs to the authorities and public are implicated.
Describe cost of the development with application, including
job creation
physical costs
contribution to the economy
Establish context of ecosystem services value
Categorise the application to respond to the “one size fits all” criticism of the current EIA process.
Include more options
Norms and Standards
Environmental Emergencies
Research and Development

10. RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont) A. Rand Value Approach (cont)
Applicant pays deposit based on the cost estimate
payable by the applicant or his agency
to a government trust account,
ring-fenced for each project,
to fund EIA and public inputs
Competent authority allocates suitable EAP and specialist consultants
improve independence of the EAP
enhance professionalism
appropriate match
Public appoint representative EAP&legal advisors
Remaining funds for unforeseen consequences

11. RECOMMENDATIONS (cont) B. Government to take responsibility
Legislate that departments MUST apply their minds and make decisions
Establish regular sittings of departmental committees
Scale of legislation must be adapted
Speed up responsive legislation

12. RESOLVE ABSENT LEGISLATION
AEROPLANES
RESOLVE ABSENT LEGISLATION
for receiving environment
Noise
Visual
Nuisance
Land Value
Other impacts

13. RECOMMENDATIONS (cont) C. Improve Public Participation
Establish Sustainable Resource Committees
Appoint SRC personnel to oversee practical, sustainable use of natural resources in the rural districts.
Provide one Extension Officer per 30 landusers
Prescribe reporting and escalation protocols to equivalent structures at District, Provincial and National level.
Legislate/Delegate lead Departments to urgently implement degradation prevention

14. RECOMMENDATIONS (cont) C. Improve Public Participation (Cont)
Sustainable Resource Committees should become the single appropriate forum for interaction between Applicants, I&AP’s, Authorities, Specialists and EAPs.
A similar structure to the SRC should be developed for urban / non-rural settings.
Empower SRC’s to address fine scale deficiencies of the current EIA process
simplify complex aspects of need&desirability
address cumulative impacts
authorise urgent permissable, prescribed interventions
Solicit comment from poor and marginalised
Use SRC’s as an initial screen and escalating agency if NEMA adopts a coarser scale

15. Thank you