Overview of South African Environmental Authorisations:  NEMA – Environmental Authorisation, NEM:WA – Waste Management License, MPRDA – EMPs, and NWA – Water Use Authorisations

The environmental legislative landscape in South Africa has changed dramatically over the past 15 years, and for entrepreneurs or developers starting a new business or development, it can be daunting to determine which environmental authorisations are applicable to their initiative, and how to plan properly so that environmental approvals will not unnecessarily delay their project.

The three main types of authorisations that would be applicable to most new developments are Environmental Impact Assessments (or EIAs), Water Use Authorisations, and Waste Management Licenses.  Applying for these authorisations in an uncoordinated manner can lead to duplication of efforts, increased costs, and serious delays for the developer.  Understanding how to dovetail these processes are thus of critical importance.

Course Objective and Structure

The objective of this three-day course is to facilitate understanding of environmental authorisations, focussing on Environmental Impact Assessment, water use authorisation, and waste management facility license processes in the broader context of environmental management legislation, as currently described in procedures and guidelines of the respective departments, and to address practical pitfalls within these processes.  Preparation of specific application documents such as Basic Assessment Reports, Environmental Impact Assessment Reports, Integrated Water and Waste Management Plans (IWWMPs), etc., are also addressed.

Course Topics

• • Concepts and Principles underpinning Environmental Authorisations
  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Theory:
    • The EIA process: Screening, Scoping, Specialist Studies, Assessment, Reporting
    • Issues in EIA: Significance, Integration, Cumulative Impacts, Strategic EIA
  • Risk Assessment and Environmental Management
  • The 2016 EIA Regulations:
    • Pitfalls in preparing Basic Assessments
    • Full EIA Report preparation
  • EIA and Mining Authorisations: EM Plans and Programmes
  • Waste Management Facility Permits
    • Linkages with the EIA-process
    • Additional information requirements
    • Integrated Waste Management Plans (IWMP’s)
  • Requirements for Water Use Authorisation
    • Types of Water Uses
    • Tiers of Water Use Authorisations (i.e.do I need a Water Use License?)
    • Integrated Water Use Licenses
    • Considerations for evaluating Water Use License Applications (WULA’s) – section 27
    • Integrated Water and Waste Management Plans (IWWMPs)
  • Avoiding pitfalls in environmental authorisations
    • Public Participation in Environmental Authorisation Processes
    • Dealing with decision-makers
  • Integrating information requirements for environmental authorisations
  • Dovetailing and Integrating Environmental authorisation procedures

Who should attend this course?

This course is designed for developers and professionals in management and planning in the public and private sectors, who wish to improve their understanding of environmental authorisation processes and who want to discuss some practical issues to find solutions for the day-to-day challenges they experience with environmental authorisations.

Entrance requirements

A Grade 12 certificate as a minimum and preferably also:

• • some tertiary education in at least one of the fields of environmental management; OR
  • some prior learning in general environmental management and environmental issues; OR
  • some relevant activities and responsibilities in at least one of the fields of environmental management.

Course Certificate

A Certificate of Attendance is issued to those delegates who completed the Training Course in accordance with applicable evaluation requirements.

Course Dates

Please see scheduled Course Dates here.

A minimum number of twelve attendees are required for the course to proceed, and a maximum number of 25 delegates can be accommodated. Should more than the maximum number of delegates register for the course, additional Course Dates will be scheduled.

Registration and Course Cost

Please note that seating is limited, and registrations will be handled on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Please refer to our page containing the relevant Registration Details regarding Course Costs and possible applicable discounts, where the Course Registration Form can be completed.