Ministry ‘unable’ to measure environmental damage
News in short
An audit exercise into the activities of the environment ministry’s department of environmental affairs (DEA) found that it is unable to measure whether the environmental clearance certificates (ECCs) and environmental impact assessments (EIAs) it issues cause damage to the environment.
The audit also found that the DEA was not properly funded to ensure there is compliance to EIAs, ECCs and environmental management plans (EMPs), leaving proponents of these certificates to carry out environmental management themselves.
The findings are contained in a report by the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) into the ministry’s activities for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
“The audit concludes that the DEA does not have an evidenced-based measuring criterion to determine the extent of compliance by proponents to the Environmental Management Act,” it read.
The AG also found that the money put aside to fund the ministry’s environmental compliance obligations was insufficient.
The audit also found that the DEA was not properly funded to ensure there is compliance to EIAs, ECCs and environmental management plans (EMPs), leaving proponents of these certificates to carry out environmental management themselves.
The findings are contained in a report by the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) into the ministry’s activities for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
“The audit concludes that the DEA does not have an evidenced-based measuring criterion to determine the extent of compliance by proponents to the Environmental Management Act,” it read.
The AG also found that the money put aside to fund the ministry’s environmental compliance obligations was insufficient.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article