adminTHE Environmental Management Agency is a government parastatal under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate whose mandate is to “provide for the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the environment; the prevention of pollution and environmental degradation; the preparation of a National Environmental Plan and other plans for the management and protection of the environment.” The Agency therefore works closely with stakeholders in fulfilling its mandate; Local Authorities are one of these stakeholders. With a view of ensuring sustainable utilization of resources the Agency works with local authorities in the preparation of Local Environmental Action Plans (LEAPS).
What is a LEAP?
LEAP stands for Local Environmental Action Plan. A LEAP is a process which addresses an area’s environmental threats or problems. It involves all relevant sectors of the local community coming together, identifying their problems and concerns and working together to solve these problems. These include NGOs, government, institutions, business people, CBOs and councillors. Maintaining and sustainably utilizing natural resources cannot be achieved without community involvement. Local authorities develop LEAPS for the management of the environment within areas under their jurisdiction. These plans are based on the idea of “thinking globally but acting locally.”
Background to LEAP
The early 1980s saw the evolution of the concept of sustainable development worldwide. The World Conservation Union sought to develop this concept through encouraging nations to develop National Conservation Strategies that would ensure that development planning would take into consideration the need to balance socio-economic development with environmental protection. Thus, the World Conservation Strategy (WCS) that was produced by the World Conservation Union became a model for development of national conservation strategies worldwide.
The idea of LEAP originated from Zimbabwe’s National Conservation Strategy (NCS) which was launched by the then Prime Minister, and now President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Cde R.G. Mugabe in 1987. The NCS was Zimbabwe’s response to the call by International Union of Conservation of Nature (ICUN) to all governments to produce conservation strategies.
The NCS heralded attempts by government to consult all stakeholders in the development of environmental programmes and brought about the consideration of both development and the environment as two sides of the same coin.
The strategy called for the development of a comprehensive land use planning process based on a holistic and integrated resources management model.
The government therefore developed implementable plans of action with the participation of communities and stakeholders. The idea of environmental action planning involving the communities was first introduced in the rural areas under the District Environmental Action Planning (DEAP) process, because it was originally believed that environmental problems were concentrated there.
Urban areas have also been experiencing increasing environmental problems, because of the increase in urbanization and industrialization. The concept of the environmental action planning has thus spread to urban areas to assist urban local authorities to manage their environments in a sustainable manner.
The Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27) was enacted in 2002 providing for the preparation of LEAPs by all local authorities. The Agency has been working with local authorities on the production of Local Environmental Action Plans since 2003, capacitating 76 local authorities to date. The Act provided for the preparation of a National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) by the Minister of Environment for the “purpose of promoting and facilitating the co-ordination of strategies, plans and activities relating to the environment and ensuring the protection and sustainable management of Zimbabwe’s environment.” The preparation of this plan is in advanced stages.
What does the Process entail?
- Identification of environmental challenges in an area.
- Assessment (Cause-effect) and prioritisation of environmental issues
- Development of an Action Plan (Solutions)
- Development of a Monitoring Plan
Who spearheads the process?
The LEAP process is spearheaded by the local authority, environmental action planning is done at different levels; the Local Environmental Action Plans feed into the National Environmental Action Plan, an environmental plan for the management of the country’s environment.
Why do Environmental Action Plans?
Once the right actions are prescribed and implemented, Environmental Action Plans ensures sustainable environmental management as well as safe, clean and healthy environments. Sustainable development has been defined by the Brundtland Commission as “Development which meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
LEAPS are important for achieving sustainable development, since by their nature, they involve the community such that the action plan done is by the community, for the community and is likely to be highly sustainable.
Sustainable management starts with correct planning.
• Communities derive a lot of benefits from the environment hence the need to manage it sustainably.
• These plans result in systematic and coordinated ways of doing things within an area.
• If properly compiled, the Environment Action Plan serves as a blue print for future investment.
• The participatory nature of the process ensures the involvement of every stakeholder; this makes project implementation easier as it becomes a shared responsibility. It enables the community to identify with the projects and have a sense of ownership.
Importance of an Environmental Action Plan
• It provides the starting point for developing sustainable communities.
• It helps to ensure that the community adequately examines and addresses the major environmental issues such as minimising pollution and waste, efficient use of natural resources, reclaiming degraded areas, gullies and wetlands, promoting pollution prevention and ensuring sustainable resource use.
• Gives local authorities autonomy thus fulfilling the government policy of decentralisation.
• LEAPs are a forum for bringing diverse groups, individuals with different interests, values and perspectives together for a shared vision.
• The participatory nature of the programme enables the community identify with the projects and to have a sense of ownership.
Elements of an Environmental Action Plan
• Active participation
• Community vision
• Action plan
• Implementation
Goals of the LEAP
• To improve environmental conditions.
• To strengthen the capacity of local government, NGOs and stakeholder groups to manage and implement environmental programmes.
• To strengthen the capacity to negotiate for funding.
• To promote partnerships.
• To identify and assess the local environmental issues and produce action plans to solve identified problems.
• To rank and prioritise environmental problems.
• To prepare environmental action plans at local level
• To fulfil sustainable development requirements.
• To develop mechanisms for integrating environmental issues into development plans and programmes.
Outcomes of Environment Action Plans Training
• Improved knowledge on environmental action planning.
• Establishment of partnerships between stakeholders.
• Resource Mobilisation within stakeholders for Environment Action Plan Implementation.
• Delegation of duties to all stakeholders involved in the process.
• Shared vision between stakeholders.
Upon realisation that the LEAP is a district plan which might not be fully representative of environmental issues at ward and village levels, the Agency has seen the need to develop ward and village plans; Ward Environmental Action Plans (WEAPs) and Village Environment Action Plans (VEAPs) respectively.
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derick.khumalo