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NEAF Annual Report 2006/2007: Achievements and Recommendations

This report highlights the accomplishments and recommendations of the National Environmental Advisory Forum (NEAF) for the year 2006/2007. It outlines NEAF's mandate, composition, meetings, functioning, and work plan for the next year. NEAF's role is to advise the Minister on environmental management and governance, inform the Minister of stakeholder views, respond to ad hoc requests, and draw attention to environmental management matters. NEAF's current focus areas include biodiversity and biosafety, marine and coastal management, energy and climate change, and pollution and waste management.

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NEAF Annual Report 2006/2007: Achievements and Recommendations

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  1. REPORT TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY FORUM (NEAF) ANNUAL REPORT 2006/2007 16 OCTOBER 2007

  2. NEAF ANNUAL REPORT • NEAF is required to submit its work plan for the next year, according to NEMA, Section 6(3) • 2006/2007 NEAF Annual Report was tabled in parliament end of Aug 2007

  3. NEAF MANDATE The establishment, composition and functioning of the National Environmental Advisory Forum (NEAF) is a requirement in terms of Chapter 2, Institutions of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), 107 of 1998

  4. NEAF ROLE NEAF’s role is defined in NEMA to: • Advise the Minister on any matter concerning environmental management and governance [specifically the setting and achievement of objectives and priorities for environmental governance, and appropriate methods of monitoring compliance with the principles as set out in Section 2 of NEMA] • Inform the Minister of the views of the stakeholders regarding the application of the principles set out in Section 2 of NEMA • Respond to ad hoc requests by the Minister  • Draw the Minister’s attention, on own initiative and after consultation with the DG, to any matter concerning environmental management that requires attention

  5. NEAF COMPOSITION NEAF is composed according to NEMA, Sections 4 & 5 • Membersshouldbe 15 and not lessthan 12 in number • Members are appointed by the Ministerthrough nominations in the Government Gazette and public media. Comments on nominations by MECs of the nine provinces, committees of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces • Current NEAF members are fourteen in number

  6. NEAF COMPOSITION NEAF represents the following stakeholder groups: • Organisedlabour • Organised business • Non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations • Youth • Persons that have specialised expertise and skills necessary to enable the Forum to carry out its functions • Consideration was also given to the appointment of women and youth, and ensuring representation of vulnerable and disadvantaged persons

  7. NEAF MEMBERS

  8. NEAF TERM OF OFFICE NEAF’s Term of Office is defined in NEMA, Section 5, stipulating • Conditions of Appointment of the Forum • Member of the Forum holds office for a period of two years • Term of office of a member may be re-appointed for one further term Current term [NEAF’s first term since inception in 2005] NEAF’s first term: 2005 – 2007 NEAF’s first term extended with one year: Until July 2008 [to complete activities as part of the original work plan ]

  9. NEAF MEETINGS • The NEAF constitution requires at least 1 meeting per quarter • NEAF held six meetings during 2006/2007 - this included 2 subcommittee workshops

  10. NEAF MEETINGS

  11. NEAF FUNCTIONING As required by NEMA, NEAF developed the following: • NEAF Constitution (Gazette 29999) dated 20 June 2007 • NEAF’s Operational Guidelines • Work plan to Parliament (2007/2008) – developed as part of a larger process of consultation

  12. NEAF’S APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTNIG ITS MANDATE • July 2005 – NEAF defined, in consultation with DEAT and based on the Minister’s priority areas, previously defined with him in May 2005, key areas that required advice • These key areas were captured in a work plan 2006/2007 where NEAF developed projects to formulate recommendations to the Minister which is based on addressing gaps in policy frameworks and implementation • In order to ensure that advice given to the Minister is sound and sustainable, the sourcing of additional experts to support NEAF to formulate recommendations to the Minister was necessary

  13. NEAF PROGRESS 2005-2006 [Establishment of NEAF] Establishment of NEAF announced in Parliament 24 February 2005 • Establishing Subcommittees • Subcommittee: Biodiversity and Biosafety • Subcommittee: Coastal and Marine Management • Subcommittee: Energy and Climate Change • Subcommittee: Pollution and Waste Management • Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA • Draft NEAF Constitution • Draft NEAF Operational Guidelines

  14. NEAF PROGRESS 2006-2007 • Developed work plan • Tabled first Annual Report and work plan to parliament • Workshop on AsgiSA and Mainstreaming of the Environment • Workshop on Pollution and Waste Management 2007-2008 [Currently in process] • Implementation of work plan to formulate advise to the Minister • Constitution Gazetted

  15. NEAF WORK PLAN 2007/2008 The current work plan for 2007/2008 builds on the projects contained in the work plan for 2006/2007 which was formulated based on the areas of focus as influenced by the Minister’s priorities and key focus areas: • Biodiversity and Biosafety • Marine and Coastal • Energy and Climate Change • Pollution and Waste and • NEAF support to the Minister in terms of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) addressing the mainstreaming of the environment

  16. NEAF WORK PLAN 2007/2008 The projects of these focus areas have been further refined, taking cognisance of: • Inputs from the Minister, Deputy Minister and Senior DEAT Officials at the NEAF meeting - 27 June 2006 • Terms of References (TOR) and responses from the various consultants were circulated to each of the DDGs in the Department to ensure that no duplication exists

  17. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Subcommittee: Biodiversity and Biosafety Focus of the work plan include: • Develop recommendations to the Minister on: Public participation in the context of the of the regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms in SA [investigating the effective, fair, transparent, practical and cost effective public participation mechanisms ] • This will be done through the development of a discussion document + national workshop on 5 November 2007 Status: Discussion document in process to be drafted. Discussion document workshopped 5 Nov 2007. Recommendations to be concluded end of the current NEAF term

  18. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Subcommittee: Coastal and Marine Management Focus of the work plan include: Formulate recommendations to the Minister on: Effective alternatives for small scale fishers, focusing on sites in the following three specific areas: West Coast. Southern Cape and Wild Coast, to serve as case studies for the development of recommendations for the rest of the coastline Status: Tender process. Recommendations to be concluded end of the current NEAF term

  19. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Subcommittee: Energy and Climate Change Focus of the work plan include: Development of Recommendations to the Minister : Obstacles and Barriers to Renewable Energy - Framework to prioritise renewable energy and address barriers Status: First draft circulated for comments. Recommendations to be concluded end of the current NEAF term

  20. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Subcommittee: Pollution and Waste Management Focus of the work plan include: Workshop was held on Monday, 23 October 2006 at the Premier Conference Centre, Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg which addressed: • Critical challenges and creative strategies in the implementation of the National Environmental Management NEM Air Quality Act • Review of hazardous waste in South Africa in the context of the proposed Hazardous Waste Bill

  21. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Subcommittee: Pollution and Waste Management [continue] Recommendations from the workshop covered the following broad issues: • Methodology and criteria for decision-making in setting emission standards • Public participation in the setting of emission standards • Role of consideration of technology in the setting of emission standards • Use of domestic polluting fuels • Climate change • National technical capacity building unit • Amendments to provisions of NEMA Sections 25, 26 and 28 Status: Feedback on the recommendations put forward from the above workshop, will inform the current work plan

  22. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA Focus of the work plan include: • Facilitate South Africa’s sustainable development by mainstreaming environmental considerations into AsgiSA • Compile a discussion document, based on the outcomes of the workshop Addressing the Mainstreaming of the Environment into Development: Issues & Opportunities Relating to AsgiSA (Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative South Africa) held on Tuesday 3 October 2006 at the Twin Rivers Lodge in Irene, Pretoria, which will form the basis for engagement between key economic and environmental experts and stakeholders with respect to sustainable economic development

  23. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA Specific recommendations include: Follow up partnership dialogue initiative between the Deputy President’s Office, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), DEAT, NEAF and a selected panel of sustainable development experts. These discussion will include: •  The key environmental issues in relation to AsgiSA to include macro level linkages with the environment • Concrete interventions from an environmental perspective in each AsgiSA programme and project • Requirements in terms of environmental skills development in the context of AsgiSA taking the JIPSA initiative into account • Macro level linkage to include AsgiSA, SEA ,EIA, sustainable development and infrastructure and investment in natural capital • More detailed interventions will include the sectoral interventions linked to issues such as water, soils and biodiversity and should include concrete proposals on the sector plans and the projects

  24. NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008 Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA General recommendations include: •  Need for dialogue, between the environmental and scientific community to assist with knowledge and technology for sustainable solutions in the context of AsgiSA • Conduct environmental/economic risk analysis for AsgiSA’s development projects • Government up-scaling investments in natural capital • Apply environmental planning and sustainable project design tools, such as Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) in AsgiSA process • Attract and retain specialised skills in the areas of restorative environmental science and planning, and resource economics , specifically tailored to deal with the management of environmental impacts arising from large infrastructure programmes Status: First draft of discussion document circulated for comments. Letter from the Minister, sent to the Deputy President’s Office to pursue negotiations

  25. NEAF INFO SUBMITTED TO THE MINISTER 2006/2007 • NEAF Annual Report + work plan 2005/2006 • Report on the Summary of the Proceedings: ‘Critical Challenges in the Implementation of the NEM Air Quality Act’ held by the National Environmental Advisory Forum Subcommittee on Pollution & Waste, on 23 October 2006 • Summary Report of the Proceedings: Mainstreaming of the Environment into Development Issues and Opportunities relating to AsgiSA (Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative South Africa) , held on 3 October 2006

  26. NEAF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MINISTER 2006/2007 Memorandum submitted to the Minister by NEAF, dated 4 December 2006, with the following recommendations to the Minister for consideration and noting: • The work currently under way with respect to the key focus areas of the Subcommittees: Energy and Climate Change, Biodiversity and Biosafety, Coastal and Marine Management • The Subcommittee on Pollution and Waste Management submitted overarching issues containing recommendations to the Minister • The Minister to endorse further engagement with the Deputy Presidents Office regarding the Mainstreaming of the Environment into the AsgiSA

  27. NEAF BUDGET REPORT 2006/2007 NEAF functions in terms of budget according to NEMA, Sections 5 & 6 NEAF budget provided by DEAT : TOTAL BUDGET FOR 2006/07 : R 1 200 000.00 TOTAL EXPENDITURE: R 310 307.00 BUDGET NOT ALLOCATED: R 889 693.00 The following annual expenditures included: • Logistical support for meetings (including venue, flights, shuttle, etc) R 70 179.00 • Remuneration of the NEAF members R 69 454.00 • Further research and support that the NEAF may require (consultants) R 135 674.00 • Communication costs expenses (telephone conferencing, courier etc) R 35 000.00

  28. NEAF BUDGET 2007/2008 Overall operational budget •  Remuneration for NEAF members for the annual meetings + logistic support for the meetings including flights and venues •  R 192 920.00 Subcommittees budget •  Remuneration for NEAF members for the subcommittee meetings + logistic support for national workshops (if applicable) + including flights and venues + printing of publications + appointment of experts •  R 846 820.00 Contingency •  R 150 000.00 Total budget 2007/2008 (excl vat) =  R 1 189 740.00

  29. CONCLUSION - CHALLENGES Key Challenges of NEAF: • 2005/ 2006 this was mainly dedicated to the setting up and establishing of NEAF – a challenging task • Much time devoted to finalising work plan and implementing projects • 2006/2007 the appointment of additional experts for the subcommittee work could not be approved within the financial year • Lack of understanding of the role of NEAF at various levels • NEAF members devote their time to NEAF only on a part time basis • Lack of clarity of how roles and responsibilities are shared with the DEAT

  30. CONCLUSION - VALUE Value of NEAF: • NEAF is a valuable component of the national environmental governance system • Much expertise and experience resides in the members of NEAF • The success of NEAF depends on the effectiveness of the link between NEAF and DEAT and the Minister • The success of the relationship depends on the utilisation of the skills in NEAF by DEAT and the Minister

  31. NEAF CONTACTS

  32. NEAF CONTACTS NEAF CHAIR: Khungeka Njobe NEAF DEPUTY CHAIR: Dr John Ledger NEAF SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS: Biodiversity and Biosafety : MariamMayet Coastal and Marine Management : Tony Frost Energy and Climate Change: Andre Fourie Pollution and Waste Management: Angela Andrews Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA: Khungeka Njobe

  33. NEAF CONTACT NEAF SECRETARIAT: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) Office of the Chief Operating Officer Email: emmarieotto@mweb.co.za Fax: 086 617 8036 Enquiries: Emmarie Otto Graphics : Source Annual Report Profit Creative

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