Pollution Control and Environment Governance

Pollution Control and Environment Governance

Environmental Governance

In the present scenariothe term governance become the common term in all sectors that we know.Most of the time weheard and use this governance term in all the sectors. In simple sentence governance could be defined as the process of decision making and implementation. The term "governance" has been defined in many different ways which vary according to the scope of the subject matter. in 2004, According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) governance is define as the system of values, policies and institutions by which a society manages its economic, political and social affairs through interactions within and among the state, civil society and private sector.

In a very serious issue Environmental governance is a very much complex subject matter. And we know It is the process of decision making on the use of environmental resources, and comprises series of elements to be considered such as decision makers, stakeholders’ consultation, participation; democratic rights to fight against corruption and illegal management of the ecosystems and advocacy groups, NGOs, civil society and all the other members of the society are also involved in this process. For acceptable environmental decision, and the process is called Environmental Governance is needed. It comprises the process and institutions that determine how decisions are made regarding the environmental management. Environmental governance is identical with interventions aiming at changes in environment-related incentives, knowledge, institutions, decision making, and behaviours. More specifically, we can apply “environmental governance” to refer to the set of regulatory processes, mechanisms and organizations through which political actors influence environmental actions and outcomes. We have to know that governance is not the same as government. It includes the actions of the state and, in addition, encompasses actors such as communities, businesses, and NGOs. Environmental governance are the political-economic relationships that institutions embody and how these relationships shape identities, actions, and outcomes International accords, national policies and legislation, local decision-making structures, transnational institutions. Environmental NGOs are all examples of the forms through which environmental governance takes place. It is because governance can be shaped through non organizational institutional mechanisms as well (for example, when it is based on market incentives and self-regulatory processes), there is no escaping it for anyone concerned about environmental outcomes. We have to know that Environmental governance is varied in form, critical in importance, and near ubiquitous in spread.

Scope and Importance of environmental governance

There is need environmental governance because there are environmental problems and we are facing it. In the world there are many Environmental problems and for solving these problems worldwide effort are needed. In 2000 GEO Report Dr. Toepfer, Executive Director of UNDP stated that “There is a need for more comprehensive, integrated policy making. In itself this call is not new. But it gains urgency in views of the increasingly cross cutting nature of environmental issues. Thus rather than trying to tackle issues such as deforestation and land degradation on a piecemeal basis, these must be integrated and in turn be connected with the needs and aspirations of the people". Form his words we can clearly said that there is need for the global environmental governance. In recent research tells that the importance of global environmental governance is becoming more important as more environmental problems are seen.

Some other Importance of Environmental Governance is as follows

• Good governance is participatory; people oriented, and involve the entire stakeholder.
• It is transparent and accountable.
• It honours rights of the people to participate in the decision making that affects their life.
• It is effective in making the best use of resources and it is equitable.
• It includes mobilization of requisite resources from different sources.
• It controls the misuse of natural resources and promotes their sustainable management and use.
• It encourages local leadership and decentralization of power to the grassroots level and builds local capabilities.
• It includes implementation and evaluation of a country’s commitments to different international environmental conventions, treaties, and protocols it has signed.

Environmental Governance and its development in Nepal

The quality of governance depends on the capacity and vision of the Government to design, formulate, implement, and monitor policies and to perform its duties. We can say good governance is participatory; a person oriented, and involves government bodies, private sector agencies, social groups, communities, and the civil society at large in the process (ICIMOD 2006). Governance in reality relates the quality of relationship between citizens and government whom it exists to serve and protect. United Nations Development Programme UNDP (1998) considers five basic dimensions of good governance,

Transparency: it says free flow of information, accessibility to processes and institutions;

Accountability: it says public, private and civil society actor’s accountability to the stakeholders;

Rule of Law: it says fair legal framework and impartial enforcement;

Efficiency and Effectiveness: it says best outcomes for society through efficient use of resources by institutions and processes, and

Participation: it says mediation of differing interests through broad consensus on political, social and economic priorities. Good governance can control the misuse of natural resources, promotes their sustainable management and use, encourages local leadership and decentralization of power to the grassroots level and builds local capabilities. It also includes mobilization of requisite resources from different sources.

In the concept of Nepal Environmental governance includes key elements of environmental policy and planning; development and implementation of plans; development and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations, norms, and standards; and establishment and operation of environmental institutions that supervise, execute, and monitor all aspects of the process. The judiciary imparts environmental justice to the citizens and safeguards those rights. Environmental component was included from the beginning of development plans in Nepal. In first five-Year Plan (1956 –1961) the constituent of natural resources utilization, agriculture production was address. In tenth five year plan long-term goals of environmental management with better governance, pollution control, sustainable use of natural resources is maintained. The concept of sustainable development was integrated in Nepal’s development planning process in 8th five year plan after the Earth Summit. Interim Constitution of Nepal is the major governing written document and is focuses on conservation and management of environmental resources in a sustainable manner. Environment Protection Act 1996 and Environment Protection Regulations 1997 of Nepal addressed the IEE and EIA before the establishment of any industries or companies and development work. The key environmental related policies and strategies for the conservation of environment are National Conservation Strategy 1988, Nepal Environmental Policy and Action Plan 1993, Tourism Policy 1995, Solid Waste Management Policy 1996, Hydropower Development Policy 2001, Nepal Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2002, National Wetland Policy 2003 Irrigation Policy 2003. The one of the programs includes Community forestry programs initiated in 1993 (MOFSC 1993a) have been expanded to almost all parts of the country which is very effective as well. This is one of the best programs and is model for other countries in world. The National Forestry Plan 1976, Forestry Sector Master Plan 1989, National Environmental Policy and Action Plan 1993, National Biodiversity Action Plan 1995, National Action Program on Land Degradation and Desertification 2004 and National Water Plan 2005 and several plans for disaster management are the major government plans for biodiversity conservation, forestry sector management and conservation and management of water resources in Nepal.

Like the other developed / developing countries Governmental of Nepal had also made international commitments globally for the conservation and management of natural resources. Nepal is a signatory or party to 21 environment-related conventions. The major conventions are United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Judicial body is the one of the major stakeholder. The judicial body includes Supreme Court, Appellate and District courts. In Nepal National planning commission (NPC) is the major planning body. NPC is responsible for the formulation of five year plan. The other major stakeholders are policymaking bodies (Parliamentary Committee on Environment Conservation, line ministries), corporate and local bodies (NEA, NARC, NAST, SWMRC, DDCs, VDCs and municipality administrations), private sector organizations and NGOs, academic institutions, the Media and Civic Society.

But in the reality Environmental governance in Nepal has not been very effective. The main reasons for ineffective environmental governance in Nepal are , frequent changes in governments, government’s poor functioning, and inadequate attention paid to the increasing urban and rural environmental problems, absence of long-term environmental policies, weak enforcement of environmental laws insufficient funding and inefficient public administration in general, weak monitoring. After the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment (1972), achievements have been made in protecting the environment creating inter-linkages between the environment, development and economic concerns. However, despite these advances, the state of the environment continues to decline. Which makes the division between developed and developing countries continue to expand. This situation is largely attributed to weak international environmental governance and the lack of political will. Environmental governance can be better understood by reassessing environmental performance to date and identifying areas where changes are needed.

Reference:

Agrawal A. 2005.Environmentality: Technologies of Government and the Making of Subjects. Durham, NC: Duke Univ. Press

3http://www.ihdp.unibonn.de/html/publications/update/IHDPUpdate01_03.html

Ostrom E. 2001. Vulnerability and polycentric governance systems.Update: Newsl. Int. Hum. Dimens. Program. Glob. Environ. Chang.