NEWS AND EVENTS

30-31 January 2001

THE PAMODZI STATEMENT On Capacity Building for Integrated Environmental Risk Assessment and Management (IERAM) in Africa

We , the participants in the Regional Consultation on Capacity Building for IERAM in Africa, Pamodzi Hotel, Lusaka, Zambia, 30-31 January 2001,

Recognizing that:

• IERAM encompasses a suite of tools that are complementary to, and enhance the rigour of EIA and other environmental management tools;
• IERAM has been successfully utilised elsewhere in the world, both as a stand-alone and contributory tool in environmental management;
• IERAM is useful in complementing the environmental impact assessment of development;
• Projects as well as assessing the risks of broader, non-development activities such as natural disasters;
• Considerable experience and expertise exists in the region in the assessment of environmental risks;
• Such expertise is largely based on disparate and in many cases informal processes which are difficult to collate, compare and analyze;
• A common framework and methodology for IERAM in Africa would greatly assist and benefit decision-making processes towards sustainable development

Appreciating:

• The work done by the Partnership for African Environmental Sustainability (PAES), the World Bank, Africa Region, Geoplan International and Capacity Development and Linkages for Environmental Impact Assessment in Africa (CLEIAA) in organizing this Consultation;

Recommend that :

• IERAM methodology based on current international best practices be adopted and adapted for use in African contexts;

• A review and analysis of existing IERAM tools and their applicability to issues in Africa be commissioned;

• IERAM should not be limited to country level, but should also be applied at the regional/trans-boundary levels;

• Adequate capacity at institutional, individual, policy and regulatory levels be built to successfully utilize IERAM tools;

• Capacity be built in conjunction with and complementary to EIA and similar environmental management capacity building initiatives;

• Capacity to implement IERAM be focused within existing institutions with responsibilities for implementing national and regional development programmes; all possible efforts be made to enhance the use of existing networks;

• Disseminate as widely as possible this Statement and the Proceedings of this Consultation; and an action plan for furthering IERAM be prepared through the Capacity Development and Linkages for Environmental Impact Assessment in Africa (CLEIAA)

ISSUED ON 31 JANUARY 2001

LUSAKA , ZAMBIA