Enhancing Tanzanian Environmental Assessment Capacity

1. CAPACITY BUILDING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN TANZANIA H. Sosovele Institute of Resource Assessment University of Dar es Salaam

2. Outline • Introduction • Environmental Challenges • EA in Tanzania – trends and issues • Capacity building programmes • Challenges

3. Introduction • Tanzania – a land of many contrasts: • Experiences a variety of weather conditions • Can produce all basic crops for human and export needs • Land area: Over 886,040 sq km • Population: 37.4 Million

4. An Overview of NR in Tanzania • TZ is one of world’s mega-biodiversity countries • About 38% of total land area is under some form of protection (e.g. N/Parks, G/ Reserves and Forest Reserves

5. An overview …2 • TZ has abundant mineral resources and fertile land • large water bodies in Africa (Victoria, Tanganyika, River Nile, Indian ocean) • Several endemic species of flora and fauna found in TZ

6. Environmental Challenges…1 • Tanzania is facing numerous Environmental challenges that includes: • Loss of wildlife habitats and biodiversity, • Deforestation and • Inadequate of clean and safe drinking water

7. Environmental Challenges…2 • Pollution, • Land degradation. • Most challenges are often associated with pursuit of short term gains

8. EnvironmentalAssessment in Tanzania • EA in Tanzania is less than 30 years old • Concerted efforts started seriously in early 1990s • Most of the EA – then were: • Project EIAs • Largely donor driven • Done by external experts with little involvement of local experts • Received little support from Government and private sector

9. EA in Tanzania ..2 • A study carried out in 1998 showed that: • EIA has had little impact on decision making • Late in starting; under-resourced; omitted other stakeholders • Focused on output and ignored process • Did not define, cost and integrate environmental management into project designs • Private sector and some government tiers viewed EIA as impediment

10. EA in Tanzania..3 • Even donor driven EIA were not effective – much as they marshaled external experts and used external guidelines • Donor interests in EIA dropped after EIS had been prepared and no effort to use the EIS in decision was made by the donors • Inadequate capacities were identified as critical bottleneck

11. Capacity building issues..1 • Five areas that needed capacity building were identified: • Legal framework • Institutional set up – with clear mandates • Technical capacity to carry out EA • Financial resources to manage the system • Knowledge and awareness of EA among various segments of the stakeholders (private sector, government – was critical)

12. Capacity building issues…2 • Recommendations to strengthen the capacity to carry EIA and use EIS were given to Government. • However, there was neither a comprehensive CBP nor a clear understanding of what constituted CBP or whose capacity was the priority ?

13. CB Programmes • CBP of the 1990s were • Unguided due to lack of clear programmes and strategies • Some CBP came in the form of problem solving – the Prawn Farming project raised awareness among stakeholders • Several EIA were undertaken using variety of policies and sector laws – often conflicting

14. CBP ..2 • Various institutions undertook their own CBP -TANAPA • Universities started formal and informal training programmes • GOT initiated preparation of draft EIA Guidelines

15. Legal and Institutional CB…1 • Government embarked on institutional reform for EA in 1998 – • By 2004 – Environmental Management Act (EMA No. 20) was passed (6 years long) • EMA outlines mandates and requirements for EA • Outlines various institutions for EMA implementation • Stressed need for EIA, SEA and other assessments • Stated stakeholder involvement as requirement

16. CBP under EMA..1 • Government initiated CBP for EMA • The GBP identified broad capacity building areas vital for EMA implementation • The GBP had wider focus, targeted stakeholders at government, private sector, NGOs • Detailed outputs and activities in CB necessary for EMA

17. CBP under EMA..2 • Government developed EMA Implementation Support Programme (EISP) • Its objectives: • Set priorities, cost, timeframe, outputs and actions necessary for scaling up environmental mandates • Effective implementation of EMA mandates will contribute to poverty reduction and improved environment

18. CBP issues under EISP CBP issues relevant for EA in the programme include • Environmental policy and planning • Carrying and monitoring compliance to EIAs, SEA, reporting, monitoring, enforcement and information • Institutional set up and reorganization to take up EMA roles – environmental officers at sector level • Awareness raising and research • Funding for management of EA

19. CBP issues under EISP • The EISP targets national level Government institutions – such as • Office of the Vice President, • Sector Ministries, • Government Agencies (NEMC) • Local Government • These have mandates such as preparation of laws, and guidelines for EIA, SEA, Review, Monitoring, and Compliance,

20. Challenges • EISP says little about CB for private sector, CSOs, ordinary people • CBP include increasing staff in government departments to handle EA issues – cost implications • Large part of the cost will be from outside – Will it be a sustainable EISP? • Slow development and adaptation of EMA requirements in various sectors