PRESS RELEASE The Ministry of the Environment will hold a validation and way forward stakeholders’ consultation on Grenada’s National Environmental Policy and Management Strategy (NEP/NEMS), on Friday 10th December, at St. George’s University, from 10am - 2pm. Grenada, along with the other OECS territories, has ratified the St. George’s Declaration of Principles for Environmental Sustainability in the OECS (the SGD) and as such has the obligation to develop such policy frameworks, in an effort to operationalise this regional policy. Grenada’s NEMS process commenced in July 2003, with a stakeholders’ workshop that was held at St. George’s University. This current phase of the process seeks to get stakeholders validation of the draft Policy and Strategy frameworks that have been developed, and to identify and agree on the elements of the Strategy that would enable efficiency and effectiveness relative to national environmental management and sustainable development, especially in the context of natural hazards and the resulting disasters. This consultation endeavours to bring together a broad range of stakeholders which includes representation from: Private sector Non governmental organisations Insurance and banking sector Government departments Youth Hotel and Tourism Farmers Legal fraternity Statutory bodies Political parties At the end of the process the policy frameworks would be presented to Cabinet for ratification, with a view towards implementation in 2005. Ministry of Health, Social Security, the Environment & Ecclesiastical Relations DECEMBER 9TH, 2004. Note: NEMS Draft Strategy attached below. National Environmental Management Strategy (NEMS) Analysis of Environmental Policy A Report to the NEMS Steering Committee December 2004 This brief analysis of environmental policy relevant to environmental management and sustainable development in Grenada has been prepared on the basis of the various documents produced under the auspices of the Cabinet-appointed NEMS Steering Committee over the past 18 months. It also takes into account the special conditions and needs created by the devastation of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. At a meeting held on 9 November 2004, the NEMS Steering Committee agreed to structure this analysis along seven complementary objectives of environmental management, namely: maintain biological diversity. maintain and enhance the natural productivity of ecosystems and ecological processes. optimise the contribution of natural and environmental resources to the production and trade of economic goods and services. optimise the contribution of natural and environmental resources to social and cultural development. prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of environmental change and natural disasters and build resilience relative to these. maintain and enhance the contribution of the environment to human health. fulfil regional and international responsibilities and capitalise on opportunities that accrue from regional and international networking. For each objective, this analysis reviews and summarises the main issues, identifies the specific needs, conditions and opportunities created by the impacts of Hurricane Ivan, provides a list of the main policy instruments and institutional actors, and identifies policy issues, gaps and overlaps. Objective 1: Maintain biological diversity Main issues: loss of natural habitats as a result of conversion for residential, agricultural and other uses pollution and contamination of critical ecosystems, especially in the coastal zone need to manage hunting activity and ensure that it does not threaten species and habitats loss of breeds and cultivars NOTE: This section will be further expanded on the basis of the Biodiversity strategy & action plan. Specific needs and conditions created by Hurricane Ivan: WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT IMPACTS ON WILDLIFE AND HABITATS? See OECS assessment report and get information from Fisheries and Forestry increased awareness of the value of natural and environmental resources Existing policy instruments, obligations and mandates: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Wildlife Legislation Forest Policy Fisheries Act and Regulations National Parks Act Main institutional actors: Ministry of Agriculture... Biodiversity Steering Committee (within the Ministry of Agriculture - separate from the BSC hereunder) Biodiversity Steering Committee Sustainable Development Council Climate Change Committee Forestry and National Parks Department Fisheries Department Game hunting associations Policy issues, gaps and overlaps: need for specific policies and instruments on bio-safety and bio-prospecting need and opportunity to review, expand and strengthen a national systems of protected areas that encompasses both marine and terrestrial areas need for management plans and instruments that include conservation zones and instruments in critical coastal and marine areas Objective 2: maintain and enhance the natural productivity of ecosystems and ecological processes Main issues: loss of land as a result of urbanisation and conversion of agricultural lands to residential, commercial and industrial uses destruction of critical watersheds concentration of physical development in the Greater St. George’s urban area Specific needs and conditions created by Hurricane Ivan: urgency of housing needs, and land use issues physical damage to critical watershed areas Existing policy instruments, obligations and mandates: Forest Policy Physical Planning and Development Control Act Main institutional actors: Forestry and National Parks Department Biodiversity Steering Committee National Water and Sewerage Authority Fisheries Department Physical Planning Unit, Ministry of Finance Policy issues, gaps and overlaps: absence of a formally approved land policy absence of a national land use plan and of land use plans at the community or Parish level need for zoning and management plans for critical coastal and marine areas Objective 3: optimise the contribution of natural and environmental resources to the production and trade of economic goods and services Main issues: the private sector is insufficiently involved in environmental matters production and consumption patterns that are often unsustainable and detrimental to the environment poverty issues, and need to enhance and diversify the benefits that are generated from the use of natural resources Specific needs and conditions created by Hurricane Ivan: extensive damages to productive sectors of economy, including those that are based on the use of natural resources physical damages to ecotourism and heritage tourism sites opportunity to rebuild the economy in a way that enhances the relationship between environment and economic development Existing policy instruments, obligations and mandates: Medium-Term Economic Strategy Paper Public Sector Investment Programme and Economic Reconstruction Programme Tourism Master Plan Agriculture Diversification Programme Main institutional actors: Ministry of Finance Agency for Reconstruction and Development Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Tourism Grenada Board of Tourism Grenada Hotels Association Forestry and National Parks Department Chamber of Industry and Commerce Sustainable Development Council Civil society organisations, including national non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations, which are involved in development programmes and projects Policy issues, gaps and overlaps: lack of integration of environmental considerations into the mainstream development policies and programmes insufficient linkages between sectors need for increased capacity to link environment and development and to address livelihood issues from an environmental perspective Objective 4: optimise the contribution of natural and environmental resources to social and cultural development Main issues: lack of citizen participation in the management of the environment and in the conservation of natural resources importance of the landscape as a factor in shaping cultural identity Specific needs and conditions created by Hurricane Ivan: widespread impact on housing weaknesses and difficulties created by situations of dependency and deprivation Existing policy instruments, obligations and mandates: Poverty Eradication Strategy Main institutional actors: Ministry of Social Development, Gender and Family Affairs, Social Services and Housing Emergency Housing Committee Civil society organisations, including national non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations, which are involved in social development, poverty reduction and cultural action Policy issues, gaps and overlaps: need for an Emergency Housing Policy need for a National Land Policy and Land Use Plan need for an integrated Social Policy that integrates the dimensions of poverty reduction and social protection, and links them to environmental management need for increased capacity to link environmental management and social development Objective 5: prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of environmental change and natural disasters and build resilience relative to these Main issues: vulnerability to climate change impacts hazard mitigation and disaster management. need to minimise and reduce risks from disasters. Specific needs and conditions created by Hurricane Ivan: increased awareness of the relationship between environment, natural disasters and sustainable development housing issues and vulnerability need to rebuild in a manner to reduces vulnerability Existing policy instruments, obligations and mandates: National Communication on Climate Change National Disaster Plan emergency plans and programmes developed since Hurricane Ivan Main institutional actors: Agency for Reconstruction and Development National Emergency Relief Organization Climate Change Committee Policy issues, gaps and overlaps: need to integrate change and disaster management issues in all sectoral policies and programmes need for a National Climate Change Policy and Adaptation Plan Objective 6: maintain and enhance the contribution of the environment to human health Main issues: consumption patterns pollution and contamination work safety Specific needs and conditions created by Hurricane Ivan: waste management and sanitation issues housing conditions and their impacts on human health Existing policy instruments, obligations and mandates: solid waste management plan health sector plan HIV/AIDS strategy poverty eradication strategy Medium-Term Economic Strategy Paper Public Sector Investment Programme and Economic Reconstruction Programme Main institutional actors: Ministry of Health, Social Security, the Environment and Ecclesiastical Affairs Ministry of Social Development, Gender and Family Affairs, Social Services and Housing Grenada Bureau of Standards Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority National Water and Sewerage Authority Grenada Ports Authority Policy issues, gaps and overlaps: weak instruments and provisions for the management of hazardous wastes need to introduce required standards. Whenever they exist, lack of capacity to enforce, need to strengthen the capacity to do so ANYTHING TO SAY ON THE LABOUR CODE? Objective 7: fulfil regional and international responsibilities and capitalise on opportunities that accrue from regional and international networking. Main issues: regional dimension of many environmental issues opportunity to optimise and rationalise the use of human, technical and financial resources within the Caribbean region need for common positions on regional and global issues opportunity to access financing for environmental management opportunity to influence the design of international processes in favour of Grenada’s priorities need to develop a policy framework to govern international and regional participation Specific needs and conditions created by Hurricane Ivan: need for external assistance high level of solidarity displayed within the region Existing policy instruments, obligations and mandates: St. George’s Declaration Barbados Programme of Action CARICOM Single Market and Economy Caribbean Cooperation in Health regional and international conventions and agreements Main institutional actors: Ministry of Foreign Affairs OECS CARICOM United Nations organisations other regional and international organisations Policy issues, gaps and overlaps: need for an integrated policy framework to govern regional positions opportunity to increase efficiency and effectiveness by sharing resources and developing common positions and programmes need for increased capacity to negotiate and represent the interests of Grenada on the regional and international scene need for a policy to capitalise on opportunities in the international fora opportunity to rationalise the relationships between local entities and regional, and international organisations, e.g. as it relates to the OECS, CARICOM, the UN, Grenada’s Diplomatic Missions etc. the concentric circles relationships need to be addressed Policy analysis A few preliminary points emerge from this analysis of environmental policy in Grenada, as follows: There are strong linkages between environmental management and national development. The current approach to environmental management in Grenada is sectoral in nature. There are over twenty agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, that have some degree of responsibility for environmental management. There are two key institutions that have a specific role to play in coordinating environmental matters and in addressing specific issues. These are the Sustainable Development Council and the Environment Affairs Department of the Ministry of Health, Social Security, the Environment and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and both have the potential to be strengthened and to play a more significant role. There is no coordinated policy framework for the management of the environment in Grenada. There is a need for an institution that would play the role of a clearing house, as a main repository of information. The current legislative framework for environmental management reflects the fragmentation of the institutional framework. In some instances, there are contradictions in the existing policy framework, and there is an overall lack of coherence between accepted policy statements and the behaviour of: policy makers and implementing agencies: decision making processes and procedures are often ah hoc and inconsistent with formal policy statements. civil society: civil society is generally weak and poorly organised, and it does not place environmental issues at the forefront of debates and actions. private sector: the private sector does not always behave in conformity with the requirements of good environmental and social practice. people: private owners and users of natural and environmental resources often behave contrary to their own long-term interests and those of the environment on which they depend. These contradictions and inconsistencies are particularly severe with respect to: land use and land management coastal zone management management of the marine space and environment equity in access to natural resources and environmental services integration of sustainability requirements in economic and social development policies, programmes and actions Only a small number of sectors have formal policy statements that provide the legal and programmatic basis for environmental management in these sectors. These are: The Solid Waste Management Plan and Strategy. The National Forest Policy and Strategic Plan The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) One of the main obstacles to effective environmental management is the lack of capacity within key environmental management agencies. There is a need for a better integration of the natural resource management issues and the environmental health issues. To this effect, the Ministry of Health needs to be more directly involved in policy and management processes dealing with all aspects of environmental management and sustainable development. Grenada is a signatory to the major conventions that are directly relevant to sustainable development and environment, and has been an active participant in all regional and international processes. People and institutions are generally aware of environmental problems and of the need to address them. There are a number of civil society organisations with significant capacity and with a track record of work at both the policy and the implementation levels. This institutional capital has the potential to contribute in an important way to environmental management. The private sector, and civil society in general (inclusive of NGOs and CBOs) is only marginally involved in environmental management. (IS THERE A CONTRADICTION BETWEEN 13 AND 14?). There is a clear opportunity for the delegation of some policy and regulatory functions to regional organisations, especially the OECS, in order to enhance efficiency and effectiveness There is a need for more research in a number of critical areas of environmental management and sustainable development, and there is a need for this research to be analysed and used in a manner that informs policy and management. Hurricane Ivan has created new conditions, which represent both challenges and opportunities for the country at this time. In the area of environmental management, the main requirement is implementation, it is to move from policy to action, from planning to implementation.