Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SUVA24
2009-01-20 22:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Suva
Cable title:
Fiji's First Comprehensive Environmental Law Comes into
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UNCLAS SUVA 000024
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR REO AND USAID/RDMA/REO
COMMERCE FOR NOAA
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV FJ
SUBJECT: Fiji's First Comprehensive Environmental Law Comes into
Effect
UNCLAS SUVA 000024
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR REO AND USAID/RDMA/REO
COMMERCE FOR NOAA
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV FJ
SUBJECT: Fiji's First Comprehensive Environmental Law Comes into
Effect
1. Summary: The Environment Management Act of 2005 and the
subsequent regulations of 2007 have come into effect from January 1,
2009. This landmark measure is the first comprehensive
environmental law in Fiji's history. Businesses generating waste or
pollution are now required to obtain a permit from the Environment
Department. In addition, most new development proposals must now
follow an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. The
far-reaching Act entails hefty fines. Although officials at the
Department of Environment are convinced that all facilities will
comply, it remains to be seen if the law can be effectively and
impartially enforced. End Summary.
2. The Fijian Parliament enacted the Environment Management Act
(EMA) in 2005 for the protection of natural resources and for the
control and management of development, for waste management and
pollution control, and for the establishment of a National
Environment Council and related matters. The interim cabinet
endorsed implementing regulations--the Environment Management
(Environment Impact Assessment Process) Regulations 2007 and The
Environment Management (Waste Disposal and Recycling) Regulations
2007--in December 2007, but the Act did not come into full effect
until January 1, 2009. This was because of a one-year grace period
designed to allow commercial facilities and industries to comply
with its requirements. Now that it is in effect, the EMA carries
high expectations and places a number of substantial administrative
requirements on existing organs of government, in particular the
Department of Environment.
3. The EMA creates a statutory body, the National Environment
Council, to ensure that its overall goals are met. Among its
important functions, the Council is to ensure that the government
complies with its international environmental commitments. (Also,
according to the Act, the Council is supposed to report to
Parliament annually on its activities, although Fiji has been
without a Parliament since the December 2006 military coup.)
4. The Department of Environment will administer the Act. Within
the Department, the EMA establishes three main units to carry out
those elements of the Act reflected in their names: the Environment
Impact Assessment Unit; the Resource Management Unit; and the Waste
Management and Pollution Control Unit. In addition, the EMA
requires a "National State of the Environment Report" to be produced
every five years. (The only previous State of the Environment
Report for Fiji was done in 1992.)
5. The EMA prohibits any commercial or industrial facility from
discharging any waste or pollutant into the environment or handling
or storing hazardous materials without a permit. It gives the Waste
and Pollution Control Administrator (WPC) power to issue permits,
monitor discharges and issue stop orders to prevent illegal or
excessive discharges. It also sets out the framework for the EIA
process that must be applied to most proposals for development
activities before they can be approved and makes it an offence to
undertake a development activity without an approved EIA. A fine of
up to $750,000 Fiji dollars (approximately US$420,000) can be
imposed for violating this provision.
6. The fines for pollution offences are up to $250,000 Fiji dollars
(approximately US$140,000) for first time offenders and $750,000
Fiji dollars for subsequent offenses. Creating "a pollution
incident" with willful or reckless disregard carries a maximum fine
of $1,000,000 Fiji dollars for individuals, while companies can be
fined up to five times that amount. The EMA also provides for terms
of imprisonment of up to 10 years. According to the Department of
Environment, the high fines are intended to be deterrents.
7. Comment: On paper, the EMA gives the Fiji Department of
Environment sweeping authorities, but whether the Department can
effectively and impartially enforce this law will have to be seen.
Although there are plans to increase staffing, the Department
currently has a fulltime staff of four. End Comment.
To access the EMA and implementing regulations, please go to
http://www.environment.gov.fj/environment_02. htm.
McGann
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR REO AND USAID/RDMA/REO
COMMERCE FOR NOAA
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV FJ
SUBJECT: Fiji's First Comprehensive Environmental Law Comes into
Effect
1. Summary: The Environment Management Act of 2005 and the
subsequent regulations of 2007 have come into effect from January 1,
2009. This landmark measure is the first comprehensive
environmental law in Fiji's history. Businesses generating waste or
pollution are now required to obtain a permit from the Environment
Department. In addition, most new development proposals must now
follow an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. The
far-reaching Act entails hefty fines. Although officials at the
Department of Environment are convinced that all facilities will
comply, it remains to be seen if the law can be effectively and
impartially enforced. End Summary.
2. The Fijian Parliament enacted the Environment Management Act
(EMA) in 2005 for the protection of natural resources and for the
control and management of development, for waste management and
pollution control, and for the establishment of a National
Environment Council and related matters. The interim cabinet
endorsed implementing regulations--the Environment Management
(Environment Impact Assessment Process) Regulations 2007 and The
Environment Management (Waste Disposal and Recycling) Regulations
2007--in December 2007, but the Act did not come into full effect
until January 1, 2009. This was because of a one-year grace period
designed to allow commercial facilities and industries to comply
with its requirements. Now that it is in effect, the EMA carries
high expectations and places a number of substantial administrative
requirements on existing organs of government, in particular the
Department of Environment.
3. The EMA creates a statutory body, the National Environment
Council, to ensure that its overall goals are met. Among its
important functions, the Council is to ensure that the government
complies with its international environmental commitments. (Also,
according to the Act, the Council is supposed to report to
Parliament annually on its activities, although Fiji has been
without a Parliament since the December 2006 military coup.)
4. The Department of Environment will administer the Act. Within
the Department, the EMA establishes three main units to carry out
those elements of the Act reflected in their names: the Environment
Impact Assessment Unit; the Resource Management Unit; and the Waste
Management and Pollution Control Unit. In addition, the EMA
requires a "National State of the Environment Report" to be produced
every five years. (The only previous State of the Environment
Report for Fiji was done in 1992.)
5. The EMA prohibits any commercial or industrial facility from
discharging any waste or pollutant into the environment or handling
or storing hazardous materials without a permit. It gives the Waste
and Pollution Control Administrator (WPC) power to issue permits,
monitor discharges and issue stop orders to prevent illegal or
excessive discharges. It also sets out the framework for the EIA
process that must be applied to most proposals for development
activities before they can be approved and makes it an offence to
undertake a development activity without an approved EIA. A fine of
up to $750,000 Fiji dollars (approximately US$420,000) can be
imposed for violating this provision.
6. The fines for pollution offences are up to $250,000 Fiji dollars
(approximately US$140,000) for first time offenders and $750,000
Fiji dollars for subsequent offenses. Creating "a pollution
incident" with willful or reckless disregard carries a maximum fine
of $1,000,000 Fiji dollars for individuals, while companies can be
fined up to five times that amount. The EMA also provides for terms
of imprisonment of up to 10 years. According to the Department of
Environment, the high fines are intended to be deterrents.
7. Comment: On paper, the EMA gives the Fiji Department of
Environment sweeping authorities, but whether the Department can
effectively and impartially enforce this law will have to be seen.
Although there are plans to increase staffing, the Department
currently has a fulltime staff of four. End Comment.
To access the EMA and implementing regulations, please go to
http://www.environment.gov.fj/environment_02. htm.
McGann