Browsing by Author "Nangombe, Lovisa Ruth"
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- ItemEvaluation of environmental impact assessments in coastal management : a case of the Erongo region in Namibia(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03) Nangombe, Lovisa Ruth; Fortuin, Henri; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.ENGLISH SUMMARY : The world is currently faced with many environmental issues like land degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss as well as the overutilisation of natural resources as a result of unsustainable human activities. To address these challenges, many countries have enacted environmental laws and developed management tools to aid in minimising environmental damage. These tools range from sustainability assessments and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) to environmental impact assessments (EIAs), amongst many others. EIA has been adopted by many countries to assist institutions responsible for environmental governance to identify potential environmental threats resulting from human activities at a project level. The Namibian Constitution as overall legislation that supersedes all the other laws in the country, stipulates that the state shall ensure the welfare of its people by maintaining ecosystems and sustainable use of natural resources. Other laws relating to environmental management that must adhere to the constitution have also been enacted. Some of these laws have specifically referred to EIA to provide details and guidance for conducting such assessments. This study evaluates how EIAs comply with Namibian laws and guidelines, and whether they are effective as an environmental management tool in coastal management as per the case studies of developmental projects from the Erongo Region, a coastal region in Namibia. The study was also aimed at determining whether EIAs contribute to the achievement of national development goals and sustainable development. The study utilised both qualitative and quantitative designs. The research objectives were achieved with a desktop study to review EIA reports, and a survey that collected information from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Sixteen (16) EIA reports of some projects that have been conducted in the Erongo Region between 2010 and 2019 were reviewed. A questionnaire was also prepared and distributed to all employees within the Directorate of Environmental Affairs who directly deal with processing EIAs. The study found that the EIA as an environmental management tool in coastal management complies with Namibian environmental laws and regulations. The study also revealed that the EIA process is effective to a certain extent, although there are weaknesses regarding aspects such as administration, access to EIA-related information and monitoring that need to be strengthened to ensure complete effectiveness.