Dar es Salam , (January 25, 2024): The Indian Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based global science and environment think-tank organization, urged African Countries to strengthen their Environmental Audit Systems (EAS).
The Centre has released “a Pan-Africa” Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report today in Dar es Salam, Tanzania, on existing environmental audit systems in eight African countries after reviewing their legislation and environmental audit reports. Environmental regulators from 15 African countries participate in the release-cum-orientation programme.
According to CSE statement sent to African Demystifier, the centre reviewed laws and legislations to understand the applicability and detailing expected to be provided in the audit report. “A review of the audit reports was done to evaluate the actual implementation of the legislations on the ground and to identify the gaps,” it added.
The statement quoted Nivit Yadav, Programme Director, Industrial Pollution, CSE who was speaking at the event as saying: “A thorough environmental audit allows industries to analyse the ambiguities in the implementation of management plans and take corrective measures. It also helps industries improve the process efficiency by optimising the usage of resources and increasing production, leading to monetary benefits.”
On the regulatory front, a comprehensive audit report can be helpful as it assesses the compliance status of the industry and understands its environmental performance. Comparing data of two to three years can ascertain whether the performance of an industry is improving or declining, adds Yadav.
The assessment notes that the information provided in the audit reports of most of the reviewed countries contains insufficient data. Says Yadav: “Most of the reviewed audit
report provided detailed information about industry manufacturing process, but lacks basic data like the production capacity, energy and water consumption and quantity of wastewater and solid waste generated. None of the reports reviewed have historical data.”
“Historical data represents data of industry’s operation for the last two-three years. This data helps in analysing whether the performance of the industry has improved or deteriorated and also helps to understand the effectiveness of proposed measures by the developer in previous audits. With the absence of the data, the whole audit process becomes ineffective.”
Dr Menan Jangu, Director, National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Tanzania, also said: “Apart from being of immense use for project proponents and experts in conducting audits, this report would also be useful for the regulatory bodies to review submitted audit reports.”
The statement indicated that based on its assessment , CSE has proposed key recommendations on the regulatory front to help in strengthening the whole audit system in the countries – to develop an eligibility criteria for environmental audit, create and enforce sector-specific guidelines and invest in capacity building programmes.
The assessment also points at weak enforcement from regulators in many cases where water-polluting industries are being allowed to operate without adequate treatment facilities.
An environmental audit is a series of activities undertaken with respect to the operations of a facility or an organisation to evaluate its environmental performance. It is not a one-time step but an ongoing activity that aims to identify and correct environmental issues that arise during the operation of a project and improve operating and environmental conditions in industries.