Before any proposed project or activity that is expected to have lesser impacts on environment and society is carried out, an Environmental Report (ER) will be prepared for that project.
Who is preparing an ER in Zanzibar?
Like the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process, an Environment Report must be prepared by recognized experts or firms who are authorized to conduct an EIA, Environmental Report, Environmental Audit and Pre-Audit in Zanzibar.
Procedures conducting an ER
- Registration: A proponent must register his or her project with ZEMA by filling in the registration forms and submitting them together with a bank pay-in-slip for the registration fee. The payment shall be determined by ZEMA, taking into consideration the nature and scale of the project.
- Selecting an expert or firm to conduct Environmental Report: The ZEMA submits to the proponent the list of recognized experts/firm authorised to conduct ER in Zanzibar. From that list, the proponent is supposed to select and make an agreement with one firm to conduct the assessment. Next, the proponent is required to provide written notification to ZEMA on the name of the expert/firm he/she has selected to prepare an ER for the project.
- Preparation of Environmental Report: Once the screening decision is made, the ER will be prepared by the expert or firm selected by the project proponent. During this process, the concerns and comments of affected stakeholders are taken on board.
- Submission of ER to ZEMA: Once the ER study is completed, The proponent, through his/her selected expert or firm, submits 6 hard copies and one soft copy of the report to ZEMA and for reviewing.
- Site verification: This takes place before the review meeting is held. Its objective is to have familiar with project by physically observing the project area and the project proponent will have to pay the fees for site verification as well as for reviewing the documents.
- Review of the ER: The review exercise is carried out by a technical committee, in order to gain the reviewers comments on the evaluation of the strengths and weakness of the ER.
- Decision-making: The outcome of the review could be ER approval, ER disapproval or a request for further information.
- Issuing of the Certificate: In case the ER is approved, the Environmental Clearance certificate will be issued, with conditions attached with it.
- Monitoring of the project by ZEMA: This is conducted by ZEMA in order to ensure compliance and adherence to the approved environmental and social management plan, and to make sure the conditions attached to the Environmental Clearance certificate are fully complied with.