Annex

Examples of the roles that environment ministries are expected to play in policy making

Fiji: Department of Environment (DOE)

Responsibilities

Advisory: ad hoc advice on environmental matters (technical rather than political)

Coordinating: coordinating EIA of development project

Policy making: development of national environmental policy, but not being involved in economic policy making

Implementation: Act as an implementing agency

Administration: secretariat to EMC

Awareness: environmental education

Information: maintenance of environmental data

Weaknesses / Strengths of the Environment Department in Fiji

Low priority in government overall development policy
Lack of authority/influence on policy making
Lack of influence on economic planning processes (despite that Central Planning Office is represented in EMC)
Lack of financial/human resources
Financial resources allocated to the environment institution is very small (DOE budget =0.1% of the 1998 budget)
No formal framework to reflect environmental policies into development planning
No representation of DoE in the Economic Sub-Committee of Cabinet
Conflict of interest within the ministry as the agency placed under a multi-functional ministry
DOE operates with financial support from donor countries via projects, but such donor driven projects are not sustainable