Programme facilitator
Members of the Interim Certification Board
Members of the Working Group
Director- General of Environmental Affairs
Environmental Assessment Practitioners from consulting, government and parastatals
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
I am joyful to join you here today in celebration of an important milestone in a five-year process that demonstrates the commitment of our government, through the Department of Environmental Affairs, in partnership with the Working Group on the Establishment of a Registration Authority for Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs), the Interim Certification Board (ICB) and all other stakeholders within the industry to work together in promoting the public interest, and the interest of the environment through the advancement of the quality of environmental assessment practice and informed decision-making towards sustainable development in South Africa.
Introduction and background
The Department of Environmental Affairs, as custodian of the environment has committed itself to put in place a system for integrated environmental impact management and assessment within the context of the principles of sustainable development. This system will introduce a combination of initiatives and interventions which includes introducing a framework of alternative tools and systems to enhance and compliment the current Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system, developing and maintaining capacity, law reform and the integration of regulatory processes and coordination between organs of state.
It is our vision that this new system will address the shortcomings of the current system and optimise those aspects of efficiency and effectiveness already achieved, through both voluntary and regulated instruments being applied in the most effective and efficient manner. It is our vision that this system will be supported by sufficiently capacitated, skilled and experienced practitioners in all the relevant sectors and that all stakeholders are equally committed to make it work - not only government, but also environmental assessment practitioners, developers and communities.
Environmental Assessment Practitioners play a significant role in enabling integrated environmental management and sustainable development. This set of practitioners in consulting, government and parastatals carry a major professional responsibility on behalf of the environment and society through providing information and applying their objective professional judgement. Their ethics and competence is thus the bedrock on which good environmental decision-making needs to be founded. Regardless of future changes to how we implement integrated environmental management in South Africa, this pivotal role will remain one which is undertaken in the interests of society and the environment.
I would like to commend the industry for environmental assessment practitioners for making a valuable contribution towards achieving this vision. The willingness of the industry towards addressing concerns around institutional capacity, professional challenges and legal matters deserves to be mentioned and the establishment of a registration authority will certainly play an enormous role in addressing these concerns. I further value the initiative taken by environmental practitioners and your commitment towards improving the quality of work undertaken by practitioners in this industry.
I also understand that government officials responsible for environmental assessments and the work conducted by them will also be required to meet the same criteria as those of environmental assessment practitioners in private practice as will those working in parastatals. I do believe that this is a positive step taken in ensuring quality in environmental assessment practice in South Africa and in building quality in practice that is based on competence, ethics and mutual respect.
Due to the varied fields of background of those involved in the profession like landscape architects, planners, engineers etc. it has been difficult to regulate the sector as the profession lacked a benchmark for the profession. The commitment and hard work by the Working Group and perseverance of nominated subject matter experts has culminated in the registration of the National Certificate for Environmental Assessment Practice on the National Qualifications Framework in 2008.
The qualification contributes to levelling the playing field among environmental assessment practitioners and reviewers of EIAs, as well as contributes to a system for regulating the industry. It also enables important systems for recognition of prior learning, which further ensures that the future registration authority is able to formally acknowledge the many varied qualifications and experiences of environmental assessment practitioners.
It is reassuring that the approach taken so far has attempted to address the historical inequality in access to opportunities in education and training and professional work in South Africa and that attention will be given to ensuring representation and an equitable and accessible registration system.
The proposed system for registration for environmental assessment practitioners has been modelled on international best practice, not only will professionals need to meet criteria for competence, experience and ethics, they will also need to commit to continuing professional development.
Having mentioned the initiatives taken so far, including work done in terms of clarifying the purpose, function and structure of the proposed future registration authority, its constitution, code of ethical conduct and practice, the registration criteria and process, and the sanction processes, I want to acknowledge that much work still lies ahead and that this will require collaboration between all stakeholders- environmental assessment practitioners and government.
The launch of the Association for Environmental Assessment Practitioners marks the next step in the process towards the establishment of a registration authority for environmental assessment practitioners. Let us work together so that our collective efforts can make a difference to improved quality assurance and better decision-making towards integrated environmental management and sustainable development.
I thank you.
