Over the years, we have learnt that the greatest of all environmental challenges we have in Zimbabwe is not air pollution, veld fires, destruction of wetlands, water pollution, land degradation etc. The greatest of all, is an environmental practitioner who does not subscribe to a code of professional ethics but is entrusted to practise in government, private sector and industry in general by virtue of being in possession of an academic qualification or qualifications. Institutions are often times blamed for no good reason; if EMA, Forestry Commission, ZimParks, environmental consultants and other related organisations are failing to discharge their mandate just check on their staff to see if they are regulated as professionals by any professional body.
The year 2014 had a number of concerns raised in the environmental sector which led to an all stakeholder meeting that brought together consultants, Government and the private sector. One of the first issues was that of the cabinet committee on the environment that indicated that the EIA process was way too expensive and it was hampering investment in the country. They instructed Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to put their house in order as they were saying both EMA and the EIA consultants were to blame for that mess. EMA underscored the need for reduction of those EIA consultancy fees and they were supposed to be in a reasonable range. They said some consultants would charge $5 000 and others $50 000 for the same project. This therefore meant there was need to regulate the charging of consultancy fees among other things. This was to be done by the consultants themselves or if they could not then EMA would have to dictate the fees.
It is also believed that, there was
and still exist; a lot of corruption by some consultants in partnership with EMA officers that has seen some projects getting EIA certificates without compilation of quality EIA reports in line with the Environmental Management Act (20:27). Some consultancy has been blamed for working with land developers and have presented inaccurate information in EIA reports that has led to issuing
of EIA certificates for projects on wetlands and other ecologically sensitive places. This is a form of unethical conduct on part of the EIA consulting professionals. There has been complains of investors who were duped by briefcase environmental consultancies and unethical EMA officers in their endeavour to get EIA certificates thus rendering the nation; not open for business. The other issue that was raised was that environmental consultants were producing sub-standard reports and also some were not being truthful to their clients about the EIA process itself i.e. they would not be honest about how long it would take from start of the EIA process until the EIA certificate was issued, thus many clients would come to EMA complaining about EMA’s inefficiencies since the client’s consultant would have misled them.
In response to the mayhem, the EIA consultants moved to start the Environmental Professionals Council of Zimbabwe (EPCOZ) that is currently registered as a trust. EPCOZ sought to close the gap directly or indirectly by lobbying government to establish a council that operationalises the objectives of fostering professionalism as well as high standards on its members through continuous training
that will update the knowledge of the members and censure of wayward professionals. This would therefore counter another problem of consultants needing continuous professional development so that they could be up to date with new methods and techniques in the field of EIAs as environmental trends are continuously evolving. This would also be promoted through creating a platform where professional members meet and share ideas and experiences to promote quality in the sector. The naming of the EPCOZ signalled a deviation for just an EIA Consultancy Association that most envisioned, because the consultants realised that, malpractice is in all sectors where environmental professionals are that include, in consulting firms, EMA, Forestry Commission, Local Authorities, training institutions and etc; where environmental officers and managers are operating without a code of conduct that fosters professionalism.
Think of professionals that are parcelling out stands on wetlands, of poor environmental policy formulation and implementation, think of corruptly acquired EIA certificates, poor environmental management in the small-scale mining sectors that has costed lives in Kadoma and other mining districts, poor mercury management in small-scale mining sector in the country, what about the poor waste management in our cities? Think of environmental managers and officers superintending over local authorities and industries that are discharging raw effluent into water bodies resulting in water borne diseases such as typhoid and cholera.
Several countries in Africa have established environmental practitioners monitoring bodies in an effort to bring sanity to the industry. These statutory bodies range from environmental health to natural science specific practices such as ecology. The main goal of the enacted bodies was for the purpose of registration and certification of the Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) and to promote the sustainable management of the environment through the realisation of quality environmental assessment in their respective countries. Some of these bodies include Botswana Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association (EAPA), Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA), and South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNSP), Kenya Council of the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH), Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers and Allied Health Practitioners of Zimbabwe (Environmental Health Council). All of the above were set up to deliver the following among other objectives for the relevant professions:
- Register qualified persons as professional practitioners
- Establish and maintain a register of individuals who are qualified to operate as professional practitioners;
- Certify practitioners according to the certification criteria determined by a consensus;
- Promote on-going professional development.
- Prescribe and enforce a Code of Conduct on our members;
- Define the type of work to be performed by a registered person
- Liaise with the various councils,
in advising the relevant Ministers practicing (environmental) issues or issues that may impact on sustainable development as necessary;
The introduction of the professional body brings a series of benefits to a number of stakeholders which include the government, employers, clients as well as the profession. When you or your employee is certified and a member of the Council, he/she will be able to tap into the experience and expertise of
hundreds of environmental and natural resource professionals — environmental scientists, environmentalists, environmental engineers, ecologists, ecosystem restorers, and others. In addition, there will be opportunities for professional growth and recognition, which ultimately benefit individual professionals and organisations that they work for. It is therefore of paramount importance to understand that EPCOZ has a significant role in bringing professionalism in the work that environmental organisations will be involved in. Membership of the council will offer stepping stones on a career path — from student to Chartered status, attracting professionals of high standing with significant specialist and interdisciplinary experience. This will prove to be critical in allowing continuity in the various environmental sectors as students get mentorship as they get into the sector.
In closure, it’s important to realise that the coming in of EPCOZ has a number of significant benefits to all the stakeholders in the environmental sector and the economy at large. With the rampant deterioration of our environment as a result of destruction of wetlands, unabated air pollution, water pollution and the growing need by the nation to achieve environmentally Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is need for EPCOZ to be given the chance to bring sanity by giving out well-cultured and professional environmental professionals.
Therefore, the strengthening of the professionalism that can be brought about by EPCOZ is a necessity. As aforementioned EPCOZ is legally constituted as a trust while we pursue being constituted by an Act of Parliament as a self-regulatory board like other councils in other professions we appeal to the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry to incorporate the EPCOZ or its principles in the currently reviewed Environmental Management Act(20:27) bill or to promulgate a separate private Act upon which the EPCOZ should stand.