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

Vanuatu: Environment Unit

Responsibilities

Advisory: Technical and political advice on environment policies and programmes

Coordinating: Coordination of development of national environmental strategy (1993), contact point with regional/international programmes such as SPREP, Capacity 21, (under VNCS) Coordination with other government departments, agencies, NGOs, etc

Monitoring: (Under VNCS) Monitoring of development of environment?

Awareness: development of environmental education materials

Possible weakness / strength of the environment ministry, department or unit

• Lack of authority for enforcement
  
  
• Lack of authority to accomplish the responsibilities under VNCS
  
  
• Lack of financial/human resources
  
  
• 0.06%~0.08% total government budget in the last 5 years, lack of human resources
  
  
• Environment Unit moved 7 times and has been located in 4 different ministries
  
  
• This gives an impression that EU in Vanuatu is not fully integrated into decision making process. Example. Government decision on log exports without consultation to the EU, nor to the Department of Forest.