Swaziland Environmental Authority
This is one of the three pillars of a sustainable
future, as the economic and social activity
of the nation relies on maintaining an
ecological balance to ensure the constant supply
of the natural resources that provide inputs for
production processes and a base for culture and
livelihood. To achieve this, Government has
integrated environmental concerns into her
planning process and the Swaziland
Environment Authority is the custodian of this
important policy goal.
SEA’s objective is to ensure that Swaziland is
environmentally, economically and socially
sustainable by meeting the appropriate national
and international standards, as well as achieving
the aims of the National Development Strategy.
Some of its key functions are to:
Institute measures for the implementation and
monitoring of the Environmental Management
Act, 2002, and assess its effectiveness;
Assist
the Minister in formulating relevant policies;
Develop, in cooperation with other Government
organs, economic measures that encourage the
sustainable management and use of natural
resources;
Administer the Swaziland
Environment Fund and licences issued under
the Act, as well as prepare national strategies;
Direct local authorities regarding the collection
and disposal of waste in urban areas and to
perform the waste management regulatory
functions;
Liaise with bodies concerned with the
protection, conservation and enhancement of
the environment and the management of natural
resources;
Monitor environments trends and
prepare reports;
Prepare National Environmental
Action Plans;
Review Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental
Assessments (StrEA) reports;
Undertake and
promote research into the protection,
conservation and enhancement of the
environment and the sustainable management
of natural resources, and promote relevant
training, education and public awareness
programmes;
Disseminate and facilitate public
access to environmental information, including
creating and maintaining an environmental
registry;
Facilitate public involvement on
environmental decision making; Inspect and take
other measures to monitor compliance with the
Act and investigate alleged contraventions of
environmental laws;
Take all reasonable practical
measures to enforce the laws.
SEA has grown as a public enterprise and is a
key player in developmental issues, as is evident
in its role on policy initiatives. Projects subjected
to the EIA process have doubled in the past two
years and the regulation of activities that adversely
affect the environment has been intensified
through scheduled weekly inspections.
Multimedia sensitization and road shows are part
of SEA’s awareness activities.
A low level of awareness and social responsibility
on environmental matters is the greatest
challenge SEA faces and a reactionary approach
is the main threat to sustainable development.
There is a need to help corporate entities take a
more integrated approach in dealing with these
issues.
SEA is meeting its mandate of coordinating all
environmental activities and ensuring that all
development contributes to sustainable
development. The drafting of a suitable policy
and legal framework is advancing but it is
necessary to build capacity to ensure compliance
and enforcement.
A programme is being
developed to enhance advocacy and awareness
and to use the National Environment Fund as
an instrument to effect and demonstrate positive
results.
SEA works with international partners to tackle
emerging environmental issues which it cannot
tackle alone. These include climate change,
biotechnology and its safety, and water and air
pollution.