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Swaziland has in recent years seen a mushrooming of developments such as roads, industries, factory shells, dams and houses to name a few. Swaziland upholds the principles of sustainable development of which one of the major pillars is environmental governance. In this regard, before a development project is introduced in the country, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted so as to avoid adverse impacts and to ensure long-term benefits of development. 
 

The Matsapha Traffic Circle had to udergo an EIA.

What is an EIA? An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used for decision-making regarding development projects such as incinerators, roads, factories, airport runways, pig rearing and other projects.

EIA is a formal process to predict environmental consequences of a proposed project and to plan appropriate measure to eliminate or reduce adverse effects and to augment positive effects. Essentially an EIA is a tool used to ensure that benefits to Swaziland of a development project (such as jobs, higher incomes and better infrastructure) are not outweighed by any resulting environmental problems (such as increased health risks from pollution, degradation of vital natural resources, or severe social disruption).

The project proponent first submits a brief to the Swaziland Environment Authority (SEA) for categorisation, which determines the level of the EIA required. This depends on the type of the project and its location. The second step involves the assessment exercise. If a proposed project falls into category three as detailed in the Guidelines for Environmental Audit, Assessment and Review contained in the Swaziland Environmental Authority Act (Act No. 15 of 1992), an EIA Scoping Exercise has to be conducted. In addition, an Environmental Impact Assessment and Comprehensive Mitigation Plan have to be prepared and submitted to the SEA. 

What is an EIA Scoping process?
EIA Scoping meetings are the preliminary assessments carried out in the early stages of planning a development project. The scoping process should involve all affected and interested parties such as the project proponent, environmental agencies, relevant government departments and members of the public. 
Why carry out EIA Scoping process? 

• To identify the key issues and concerns of the affected and interested parties. 
• To identify who is concerned
• To identify what the concerns are
• To identify why they are concerns 
• To identify what the threshold level of concerns are and where change or development becomes unacceptable

Effluent dump plant from a coal mine at Maloma

Once an EIA of the project is approved, SEA issues an Environment Compliant Certificate (ECC) to the developers. This certificate allows the developer to commence the construction of the project. The SEA monitors the environmental compliance of a developer. If a developer does not

An outline of the EIA process in Swaziland

What is my role as a Swazi citizen in EIA Processes?
The participation of citizens in EIA processes is very important, as it will assist in the governance of adverse effects of proposed projects. As has already been mentioned above, Swaziland has recently seen a substantial growth of development projects. In the past year alone, about ten EIA Scoping notices for new development projects were advertised.  Yonge Nawe observed that there was little participation by interested and affected parties in the EIA scooping meetings she attended.  Participation in EIA scoping processes is a critical ingredient in EIA governance. Some possible reasons for little participation include among others;

• EIA documents are too technical and difficult to understand,
• Some documents are not found at specified locations for public comment,
• Sometimes the venue chosen for meetings are not conducive to the intended communities, 
• Communities do not have a clear understanding of the EIA process, 
• Some people cannot afford to buy newspapers where the meetings are advertised, and
• EIA documents and advertisements are carried out only in English and not Siswati.

Communities must dicsuss EIAs in thier meetings

In October 2002, groundWork and the Sasolburg Environmental Committee, South African environment organisations successfully mobilised national and international civil society groups and stopped the development of a hazardous waste incinerator. In March 2003, Dwaleni Communities in collaboration with interested stakeholders

Yonge Nawe has developed some guidelines, which communities could use to avoid being victims of bad environmental practices. There are a number of opportunities available to communities such as;

• Organise yourself into environmental watch groups,
• Upon receipt of an EIA scoping notice, research on the environmental implications of the proposed project,
• Identify environment and development agencies that could assist you with information on the proposed project,
• Discuss the consequences the proposed project is likely to bring into your community before you attend the actual EIA scoping meeting,
• Mobilise community members to attend the meeting,
• Attend the EIA scoping meetings and raise your concerns,
• Seek assistance from environment and development agencies who could interpret information contained in EIA and CMP documents about the proposed project in your community,
• You have a right to a clean environment and the power to say no to polluting industries. 

Our participation as concerned citizens should not end at the EIA Scoping meeting phase. We have a role to monitor industries throughout their production life so that we do not become victims of bad environment practices. We should ensure that our children would enjoy a clean environment. As the famous saying goes "We did not inherit the land from our parents, but we are borrowing it from our children." So each one of us has a role to play. Lets watch the industries and avoid being victims of bad practices for our benefit and generations to come.