Talk to us, we are ready to listen

The Environmental Management Agency is a responsive service delivery institution which works with people through people and this is effectively done through feedback from various stakeholders.

THE environment is everyone’s business and thus the contribution of each individual is important no matter how small. Communication between the agency and communities is key to ensure that the public appreciates sustainable environmental practices in their everyday work. Members of the general public should make it a habit to peer educate each other and report all environmental ills for the country to attain a clean safe and healthy environment. Stakeholders in environmental management As EMA, we have 25 stakeholder groups that we work with in environmental management and they include; schools, corporates, churches, communities, members of the public, farmers, miners, industrialists, retailers, transporters, vendors, local authorities, Government ministries and depart- ments, among others.

This list clearly shows that everyone is a stakeholder and therefore has the right to participate in activities which benefit the environment. The environment is for us all, let us cherish and preserve it for the benefit of present and future generations.

Can EMA be contacted?

Members of the public have a vital role to play in the protection of their immediate environment as they are on the ground most of the time.

They can notice some changes in the environment as well as illegal activities that might be taking place in their areas. If any information of this sort has been gathered, members of the public ought to:

◆ Educate others who might be polluting or doing injustice to the environment

◆ Report environmental crimes

◆ Give feedback to EMA on any environmental issue through:

◆ Our toll free: 08080028 — Our WhatsApp platform which is +263 779565707 — Our instant chat platform on www.ema.co.zw — Email eep@ema.co.zw — Facebook: Environmental Management Agency — Twitter: @EMAeep — Landlines+263 4 305550 /305188 /305407 /305309 The support of the community is essential and critical in building a sound environment by making green choices and thus enhancing sustainable livelihoods.

Community and business leaders should promote environmentally responsible lifestyles through their everyday decisions and actions

How does EMA relate to the community?

According to section 4 of the EMA act CAP 20:27 of 2003, it is everyone’s environmental right to have ‘access to environmental information’. So as the Agency we make this information available to every member of the community. EMA

◆ Communicates and raises awareness using tailor made strategies to meet various stakeholders needs, such as; commemorations, road shows, mobile awareness, community awareness meetings, radio and television programmes as well as production and distribution of environmental literature.

◆ Builds capacity within communities through workshops and trainings

◆ Empowers communities through translating information into action. This is based on the principle of thinking globally but acting locally. This empowers communities through coming up with local solutions for their problems through project implementation

What is the importance of stakeholder feedback to EMA?

Community feedback helps to:

◆ Fine tune EMA’s environmental programmes and strategies

◆ Give EMA guidance on how to improve

◆ Rate EMA’s level of success in meeting people’s environmental demands.

◆ Prioritise issues for the benefit of communities Add your voice to conservation by airing your views and opinions to us for a clean, safe and healthy environment.