Context

The Strategy was developed within the context of existing legislation, policies, NEMA, plans including National, Provincial, Local Integrated Development plans. The Strategy will need to respond to the current legislative context but should also influence it.

Mandate

The Mandate of the Strategy stems from NEMA chapter 5 with specific reference to:

i. Section 23: General objectives:

The purpose of this Chapter is to promote the application of appropriate environmental management tools in order to ensure the integrated environmental management of activities. Activities in this instance mean policies, programmes, processes, plans and projects. Section 24 gives effect to the objectives contained in Section 23 of NEMA only through environmental authorizations. Environmental Authorizations include mainly 3 themes:

• Identification of activities which require authorization.
• Process/procedures for authorization (including instruments)
• Implementation of authorization.

Section 24 however fails to allow for usage of instruments such as norms and standards that do not fall within the scope of the definition of “norms and standards” as provided for in section 1 of the Act.

Document

Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Strategy (EIAMS) - 2014

The EIAMS has been informed by, and provides a summary of, clear national directives that should inform the sustainability pathway for the country, drawn from inter alia the National Development Plan (NDP), the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), Presidential Outcome 10 and the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD).

download document [PDF - 4.1 MB]

Context

These documents present a series of overview information reports on the concepts of, and approaches to integrated environmental management (IEM). IEM is a key instrument of South Africa's National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). South Africa's NEMA promotes the integrated environmental management of activities that may have a significant effect (positive or negative) on the environment. IEM provides the overarching framework for the integration of environmental assessment and management principles into environmental decision-making. It includes the use of several environmental assessment and management tools that are appropriate for the various levels of decision-making.

• Information series 0: overview of integrated environmental management [1.81 mb]
• Information series 1: screening [23.1 mb]
• Information series 2: scoping [1.64 mb]
• Information series 3: stakeholder engagement [33.74 mb]
• Information series 4: specialist studies [16.67 mb]
• Information series 5: impact significance [4.94 mb]
• Information series 6: ecological risk assessment [14.5 mb]
• Information series 7: cumulative effects assessment [1.82 mb]
• Information series 8: cost benefit analysis [1.78 mb]
• Information series 9: life cycle assessment [1.8 mb]
• Information series 10: strategic environmental assessment [1.78 mb]
• Information series 11: criteria for determining alternatives in EIA [1.76 mb]
• Information series 12: environmental management plans [1.78 mb]
• Information series 13: review in environmental impact assessment [1.81 mb]
• Information series 14: environmental auditing [1.78 mb]
• Information series 15: environmental impact reporting [1.83 mb]
• Information series 16: environmental economics [1.79 mb]
• Information series 17: environmental reporting [2.44 mb]
• Information series 18: environmental assessment of trade related agreements and policies in South Africa [2.32 mb]
• Information series 19: environmental assessment of international agreements [1.54 mb]
• Information series 20: linking EIA and EMS [2.39 mb]
• Information series 21: environmental monitoring committees [1.62 mb]
• Information series 22: socio-economic impact assessment [1.91 mb]
• Information series 23: risk management [1.87 mb]