ZEMA takes stock of 2017

THE Zambia Environmental Management Agency in 2017 considered a total of 774 projects covering all sectors of development across the country with an estimated investment cost of over US$12 billion.

ZEMA, manager for corporate affairs, Irene Chipili said the projects considered in the past year cost US$12, 954, 073,182

Ms. Chipili explained that of the 774 projects considered 738 were approved, four were deferred pending submission of additional information from affected Developers and 32 were rejected.

According to a press statement made available to the Daily Nation in Lusaka yesterday she said urban development and the energy sectors had the highest number of projects considered.

“In 2017 the ZEMA considered 774 projects and of this, 738 were approved, four were deferred pending submission of additional information from affected Developers and 32 were rejected,” Ms. Chipili said.

She said ZEMA has a total of 38 Environmental Impact Assessment reports which were considered in December, 2017.

Ms. Chipili said in December, ZEMA approved 43 projects, deferred four pending submission of additional information from affected developers and rejected one project.

She said the estimated investment for the projects considered in December was over US$D 275 million.

Ms. Chipili explained that all projects are approved subject to specific conditions within a given timeframe and can be withdrawn without notice where a Developer fails to comply with prescribed conditions and commitments made in the EIA report.

She said the decisions made on the projects was based on provisions of the Environmental Management Act No. 12 of 2011 (EMA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 28 of 1997.