A system for integrated environmental management in local authorities to inform departmental decision-making: the case of Hessequa Municipality

[摘要] ENGLISH SUMMARY : Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) provides for a range of principles, tools and ideologies and is rolled out on an international level. There are various versions of IEM, and generally they have shared commonalities which in most cases are linked to sustainable development. The shared features which are always present, irrespective of country, are the impact and influence of the economy, society and the environment. The key ideology surrounding IEM is the continuous effort to find and maintain equilibrium between the economy, society and the environment. This thesis provides an outline of some of the more popular international theories relating to IEM and the practical application thereof with regard to tools and strategies. In South Africa, IEM is directly associated with sustainable development where its primary focus is finding the balance between development and the environment. For this reason, the local context of IEM will also be explored in this thesis, specifically to show how it aligns with the country's local legislation and programmes. The focus of this study is to show how this ideology by manner of various programmes, statutes and mandates cascades down from the national orbit of the state to local government. The study illustrates the practical application of IEM through the development of tools and programmes with which the philosophy is brought to grassroots level. These tools are specifically developed and prescribed for use by local government and two of the most common types are the Environmental Management System (EMS) and the Environmental Management Framework (EMF). The two tools are discussed as to their definition, the elements making up the tool and the benefits thereof. Discussions surrounding the EMS will include the definition of such a system, elements guiding the tool and the basics thereof, and also provide a brief overview of how it can conform to the ISO 14001 international standard. The analysis of the EMF will entail a definition of the framework, legal standings and purpose thereof, as well as an overview of how such a tool will be structured and the processes involved in its development. In order to demonstrate the development and practical implementation of these tools, Hessequa Municipality, due to its unique biodiversity and environmental management challenges, will be used as a case study. In light of the above an Ethnographic Research: Case Study design is proposed, which will be qualitative in nature and the aim will be to give an in-depth description of the municipality's ability to perform integrated environmental management. Most of the data will fall within the ambit of textual, hybrid type of data with low control, as flexible and exploratory analysis methods will be used. The aim is to compare different IEM philosophies across the boundaries of the various spheres of government as well as on an international level in the context of international theories. The purpose of the study is to compare different IEM tools and more specifically have an in-depth look at the EMS and EMF respectively and devise the benefits of each if properly developed, implemented and managed. The overall purpose of this study is to assess Hessequa Municipality with regard to the state of its environment and how it adheres to statutory obligations and finally how these tools can be incorporated into the municipal system. The objective being improved environmental performance across the spectrum of the municipal departments.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University