ES4809 Assignment 1
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS) 2024
(608044) - DUE 31 May
2024 ;100% TRUSTED
workings,
explanations and
solutions .
ADMIN
[COMPANY NAME]
, Question1 Which key components of the South African legislation would you
change/amend to improve environmental management? Give detailed
reasons for your answer. (20 Marks)
To improve environmental management in South Africa through legislative changes,
several key components could be targeted for amendment or improvement. Here are
some detailed suggestions:
1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations:
• Strengthening the EIA process by making it more comprehensive and transparent
could be beneficial. This includes ensuring that EIAs consider cumulative impacts,
involve public participation at all stages, and require thorough monitoring and
enforcement mechanisms.
• Introducing mandatory post-project assessments to evaluate the accuracy of
predicted impacts against actual outcomes can enhance the effectiveness of EIAs
and provide valuable data for future projects.
2. Protected Areas Legislation:
• Enhancing legislation related to protected areas can help conserve biodiversity
and ecosystems. This could involve expanding the network of protected areas,
updating management plans to incorporate climate change adaptation
strategies, and providing adequate resources for enforcement and monitoring.
• Implementing zoning regulations within protected areas to balance conservation
objectives with sustainable resource use and community livelihoods can mitigate
conflicts and promote long-term environmental stewardship.
3. Water Resource Management:
• Amending water resource management laws to prioritize ecological sustainability
over economic interests is crucial, particularly in water-stressed regions. This may
involve setting stricter limits on water abstraction, implementing water pricing
mechanisms to reflect true resource costs, and promoting water-saving
technologies and practices.
• Strengthening enforcement measures to prevent pollution and illegal water
withdrawals, along with promoting integrated water resource management
approaches that consider the interconnectedness of surface water and
groundwater systems, can improve overall water management outcomes.
4. Climate Change Legislation:
• Updating climate change legislation to align with the latest scientific
understanding and international commitments is essential. This could include
