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
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Theory:
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.
South Africa, a water scarce country, has adopted a law and policy framework for water which is regarded as among the most progressive worldwide. Our water law is based upon the constitutional recognition of the right of access to water and the right to an environment that is not harmful to health and well-being, and ensures prevention of pollution and sustainable use of natural resources.
The National Water Act 36 of 1998 (NWA) places the water resources of South Africa under control of the Minister of Water and Sanitation, who is the public trustee of our water resources, and who is tasked to protect, manage and control the use of our water resources. The use of water is defined under the NWA to include both consumptive use such as abstraction, and non-consumptive use such as altering the beds of watercourses, using water resources to discharge waste, recreation, etc. As such, the Minister of the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation (DHSWS) has the power to decide who can use water under which circumstances. Water can only be used under governance of one of four (4) types of Water Use Authorisations, namely a water use declared under Schedule 1 of the NWA, a General Authorisation, a continuation of an Existing Lawful Use (ELU), or in terms of a Water Use License (WUL).
Failure to obtain a WUL where one is required, and failure to comply with the conditions of a WUL, once issued, can give rise to severe penalties and risks for a company or local authority. There are however many constrains, difficulties and pitfalls in the water use license application (WULA) process that can hamper applicants from being successful with their applications, or that can delay the WULA process for years, or that can result in the issuing of a WUL that is not aligned with the site-specific situation, which creates difficulties with compliance, and has associated liabilities.