II. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

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B. Coordinating, administrative and policy-making organizations

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1. Department of the Environment

(i) Environmental Management Committee

Prior to 1980, environmental protection was not given much significance by the government. Concern was voiced through the various five-year development plans dating from 1970  However, there was no formal environment functions within the government structure until the establishment of an interministerial Environmental Management Committee (EMC) in 1980. EMC was established with "the aim of developing a coordinated cross-sectoral approach to environmental planning and management issues". However, EMC evolved primarily into an advisory and coordinating role limited to the consideration of environmental implications of development proposals and projects.

(ii) Environment Management Unit

By 1989 it became clear that the government needed a more formal approach to environmental issues. The response was the establishment of the Environmental Management Unit (EMU) under the Department of Town and Country Planning within the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. The main functions of EMU were to provide policy advice to the government on environmental matters. EMU was also expected to conduct environmental assessments referred to it by the government.

(iii) Department of the Environment

In late 1992, as a result of increasing interest in the environment, EMU was elevated to full department status in order to provide a higher level of standing to government efforts to manage Fiji's environment. The Department of the Environment provides advice to other government departments  including:

• The Forestry Department (e.g.. sawmills);
• The Department of Agriculture (e.g., setting up an environmental committee, dredging and wastewater treatment);
• Public Works Department (e.g., setting up an environmental committee, sewerage projects and air emissions in the Traffic Act, 19??);
• Tourism (eco-tourism);
• Mineral resources (e.g., mines);
• Trade and industry (e.g., industrial zones and environmental impact assessments).

• Providing a secretariat for EMC;
• Developing a national environmental policy;
• Coordinating environmental impact assessments of development projects;
• Developing environmental education and awareness programmes;
• Maintaining an environmental information database.

The major weakness of the Department of the Environment is the apparent lack of significant influence on the economic planning process. The fact that the Central Planning Office is represented on the Environmental Management Committee has not made much difference. The result is a lack of effective central coordination of national environment initiatives. Rather than fulfilling a need as originally desired, EMC has proved ineffective in undertaking its coordinating task. Instead, it has operated effectively as a technical advisory committee on environmental management and development issues.
 
 If the portion of the budget which is allocated to the various ministries is indicative of its importance to the national current development priorities, the almost insignificant government funding of the Department of the Environment clearly shows that the environment still holds a rather minor position in national development priorities.
 
 The lack of government resources for the environment in the annual budget system makes it difficult for the Department of the Environment to carry out its tasks. Consequently, it has had to resort to other sources of funding.  Fortunately, interest in the environment is very strong among aid donors. All multilateral lending agencies and bilateral assistance agencies now insist on environmental assessments as a condition in granting aid or loans. It can be expected, therefore, that projects undertaken through those organizations will meet environmental requirements. Usually, however, environmental assessments are conducted by foreign consultants working for those agencies. Thus the environmental programmes and projects tend to be donor-driven. Furthermore, aid-tied funding is unreliable and non-sustainable.

With the implementation of the proposed Sustainable Development Act, the national environmental management structure shown in figure II will substantially facilitate and upgrade the role and powers of the Department of the Environment. The Department of the Environment will have several units including:

• Policy, Planning and Environment Impact Assessment Unit. This unit will be responsible for the formulation of government environmental goals and strategies, and will evaluate the environmental implications of other major economic and sectoral policies;
• Standards, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit. This unit will be responsible or formulating and reviewing all environmental standards, and for drawing up pollution monitoring programmes as well as codes of practice and self-monitoring programmes. It will also be responsible for taking legal action against offenders;
• Environmental Awareness, Public Information, Education, Database and External Relations Unit. This unit will be required to produce public information material, and monitor compliance with international treaties to which Fiji is a signatory. It will also be responsible for liaison with NGOs;
• Ozone Depletion and Climate Change Units. These units will be responsible for the implementation of international agreements on the issues of ozone layer protection and the climate change.

One of the key elements of the proposed Act is the establishment of sectoral EMUs in all line Ministries impacting on the Environment. The units would formulate and implement sectoral environment policies and procedures that will be in harmony with national policies set by the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD).  Each department will therefore be responsible for self-regulation of its own activities through those units. Consultation with those units would make coordination by the Department of the Environment much easier.

Figure II. Environmental management structure under the proposed

In addition, the Department of the Environment will be responsible for:

• Administration of any environmental trust that is established;
• The establishment and maintenance of a register of accredited environmental consultants, auditors, mediators, remediation experts and accredited laboratories;
• Operating a secretariat for NCSD;
• The formulation of regular National State of the Environment Reports;
• Periodic reviews and revisions of the Act and any subsidiary legislation.

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