GREEN PAPER FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION

An Environmental Policy for South Africa

Contents

Foreword

Preface

How to Respond to the Environmental Policy Green Paper

1. Introduction
2. Issues
3. Principles
4. Objectives
5. Governance ­ institutional structures
6. Governance ­ regulatory mechanisms

Appendix 1

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Foreword

Environmental policy has a major part to play in meeting the development needs of people in the new democratic South Africa. Our country is currently undergoing a major process of socio-economic transformation as it attempts to correct the negative impacts caused by previous political regimes. The colonial and apartheid systems, in operation for more than 300 years, denied the majority of South Africans the right to participate in democratic decision-making and access to the country's natural resources. There is a wide array of social, economic, legal and environmental ills whose legacy needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Hunger, poverty, disease, illiteracy, unemployment, powerlessness, inequity with regard to access to resources, lack of services, and environmental degradation are to name but a few.

The new democratic government through its Reconstruction and Development Programme has created a development vision for the country which corrects many of these previous injustices. Central to the RDP is the concept of achieving sustainable development. This means that we wish to ensure that today's development is aimed at improving the quality of life of all the country's people, without adversely affecting the options for future generations of South Africans. Clauses dealing with protection of the environment are enshrined in our country's Draft Constitution. Sustainable development requires that there is participation, equity and sustainable use of natural resources. It includes protection of the environment in which we live and work. It is thus important to ensure that management of development conforms to recommended principles which have been outlined in Agenda 21, the United Nations programme for global sustainable development.

This Green Paper indicates that there are many areas which the government needs to address in its environmental policy. These include, amongst others: improved pollution and waste control, focusing on people and their participation in environmental decision making, developing an improved system of governance, and ensuring that environmental decision making employs an integrated and macroeconomic perspective.

The purpose of this Green Paper is to provide a basis for developing an environmental policy which will lead us along the path of sustainable development and ensure that all South Africans, both now and in the future, will have an environment which always caters for their wellbeing. We therefore request you to assist us by studying this document and contributing your comments and opinions to CONNEPP.

The development of environmental policy needs to be a combined effort which reflects the inputs of the public and all interested and affected parties. All South Africans have a role to play in the national efforts to achieve sustainable development and sound environmental management. The participation of every South African - through all levels of government, business, industry, trade unions, community organisations and NGOs ­ is central to the effective development of environmental policy and its implementation.

_______________________________________ Z Pallo Jordan Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism	_______________________________________ Peter Mokaba Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

Preface

What is National Policy?

A national policy is designed to be a statement of the government's guiding principles and intentions with regards to dealing with an important public issue. The policy provides the means by which government prioritises problems which need to be addressed, sets objectives and allocates resources in order for these to be achieved. As the resources are initially derived from taxpayers' contributions, it is important that government policy should reflect the wishes of the general public. Policy provides a means for citizens to hold government to account for its actions and omissions.

The Consultative National Environmental Policy Process (CONNEPP)

South Africa is developing its national environmental policy through a consultative process known as the Consultative National Environmental Policy Process (CONNEPP). The process is designed to give all stakeholders in South Africa an opportunity to contribute to the development of a new environmental policy. In developing this Green Paper the CONNEPP process has passed through the following stages:

Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Major General Bantu Holomisa launched the Consultative National Environmental Policy (CONNEP) early in 1995.

CONNEP convened a national forum at NASREC in August 1995. This forum agreed on a consultative process to develop environmental policy, naming it the Consultative National Environmental Policy Process (CONNEPP)

a drafting team composed of environmental experts drew up a discussion document Towards a New Environmental Policy for South Africa in April 1996. The discussion document generated many comments from organisations, enterprises and individuals and was widely discussed at meetings in all the provinces. All comments were entered into an electronic database housed at the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The database is a valuable information resource on South African society's environmental concerns and opinions.

a drafting team, composed of sectoral representatives, was convened to consider and evaluate several thousand pages of comments on the discussion document and draft a Green Paper focusing on policy options.

The drafting team

The CONNEPP management team appointed the following people to draft the Green Paper:

This Green Paper will be distributed in October 1996 for public consideration and comment. A CONNEPP 2 conference early in December 1996 will give all interested and affected parties an opportunity to present views to government and debate the issues.

Following this, government will draft a White Paper setting out the national environmental policy. The White paper is scheduled to go to the cabinet for approval at the end of March 1997. Thereafter it will go to Parliament for debate. Once Parliament has sanctioned the policy, government will take the necessary action to put it into effect.

How to Respond to the Environmental Policy Green Paper

The Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism invites written submissions from the public and interested and affected parties (individuals and organisations) on the contents of this Green Paper.

The Green Paper has attempted to identify the issues which need to be addressed when the White Paper is formulated. However, if you think that there are issues or questions which have been left out of the Green Paper or that certain issues require further refinement or debate, please send your written comments to:

CONNEPP Secretariat
P O Box 477
Wits 2050

Fax 011-3392382
E-mail: christel@wn.apc.org

Comments should reach the secretariat before 16 December 1996.