Multiple Series of Workshops set a foundation in Environmental Management for Local Government

June 5, 2016, will mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fast approaching this juncture, the EPA reflects on its efforts over the years, beginning this week with a look at its work with local government.

Why should we engage the local government in environmental management? Here in Guyana, Local Government has a critical role to play in the management of the environment. As organs of Local Government, Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) and Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), regularly make decisions about what construction, and manufacturing and processing facilities etc. are allowed to operate in their particular jurisdictions. The RDCs and NDCs also have responsibility for waste collection and disposal. These responsibilities fit with the role of local government as advocated in Agenda 21 – an
Action Plan that emerged out of the famous Earth Summit held in 1992. Agenda 21 recognizes that environmental problems and their solutions have their roots in local activities, and as such, the participation and cooperation of Local Authorities will be a determining factor in realizing the objectives of the management, conservation and sustainable use of the environment.

First Steps
When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) became equipped and functional in 1998, with support under an International Development Bank (IDB) funded Environmental Management Project (Phase I)), it immediately recognized the value of building a strong partnership with the Local Government. A year later, the opportunity came to begin in earnest to build this partnership, with support under a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded Education and Awareness Project.

Identification of Landfill Sites
As a first step in the partnership, the EPA and the Ministry of Local Government, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which sought to designate certain powers to Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs). Shortly after this agreement, the EPA developed guidelines for landfill sites and requested RDCs to identify potential sites in the different Regions. Consultants were hired in 2000, to assess the identified sites and feedback was provided to RDCs on fifteen (15) sites that were deemed suitable. However, the RDCs for various reasons were unable to take the process to the next stage of developing a sanitary landfill.

Regional Workshops
At the onset, the EPA consciously designed the UNDP Education and Awareness Project, to incorporate the local government as one of its four major target groups. This is because it was cognizant that as a critical partner, the Local Government needed to have sound awareness and understanding of what environmental management entailed and how they needed to participate.
During 1999-2001, under the UNDP Awareness Project, the EPA hosted and delivered four series of Regional Workshops aimed at raising environmental awareness within RDCSs and NDCs.

Environmental Management Workshops
The 1st and 2nd series of workshops allowed for the discussion of environmental issues and their management. These workshops were facilitated by a team of resource persons drawn from the forestry, mining, agriculture and health sectors. These workshops underscored that our country’s reliance on agricultural exports products makes it necessary that we progress quickly towards international standards, especially in the face of the developed world demanding that agricultural, forestry and even mining products be produced through the application of sound environmental practices. Another key focus of these workshops was the critical issue of solid waste management and practical approaches to address the problem.

Biodiversity Awareness Workshops
To bring RDCs abreast of biodiversity, its value and conservation, the EPA embarked in 2002, on a 3rd series of Regional Workshops, this time, with a focus on Biodiversity Awareness. It was intended that this heightened understanding of the value of biodiversity, would also enhance the capacity of RDCs and NDCs to participate in impending consultations on Guyana’s 2nd National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

Coastal Zone Awareness Workshops
Having introduced RDCs and NDCs to environmental management and biodiversity conservation, the EPA followed on with a 4th series of Regional Workshops to raise awareness of Coastal Zone Management.
Similar to the other two series of workshops, this series was facilitated by resource persons from pertinent sectors such as, sea-defence; forestry; agriculture, solid waste management, and environmental and biodiversity management.

On-Going Partnership
Having invested early in building the capacity of the Local Government, the EPA today, continues to benefit through collaboration with RDCs and NDCs.

Anti-litter Campaign
Since embarking on its Anti-litter Programme in 2013, the EPA regularly collaborates with RDCs and NDCs. Among the collaborative ventures are Regional Outreach; these have been conducted in Regions, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 during 2015 to 2016.

Development Projects
As part of its Environmental Authorization process, the EPA, on a continuous basis, engages with RDCs and NDCs in order to ascertain their knowledge and approval of potential projects to be located within their localities. The EPA, requires that potential developers, seek approval of their planned operations from these bodies, prior to seeking Environmental Authorization.

Complaints Management
Further, in its Environmental Complaints Process, the EPA regularly engages RDCs and NDCs. The presence of these bodies on the ground makes them a valuable source of information on projects that pose environmental issues to residents. It is foreseen that in the near future, the MoU between the EPA and the Ministry of Communities will be strengthened to allow for a wider range of environmental complaints to be handled at the level of local government.
In acknowledging the important role of Local Government in environmental management and conservation at the local level, the EPA looks forward, in the new decade, to further enhancing its partnership with the Ministry of Communities, RDCs, and NDCs as they continue to strengthen their capacity to manage the environment at the local level.