Developing an Environmental Action Plan Developing an

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Developing an Environmental Action Plan
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Developing an Environmental Action Plan

• 1) Clarify environmental action planning process
• 2) Review community vision
• 3) Set environmental goals and targets, and
  select indicators
• 4) Review existing environmental management
  practices
• 5) Identify potential actions

6) Identify evaluation criteria 7) Collect
information and prepare issue summaries 8) Analy
se and select actions 9) Prepare draft EAP for
public comment 10) Adopt and institutionalise
plan
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What Is an Environmental Action Plan?

• Identifies a range of actions for addressing the
  communitys most important environmental issues
• Defines goals and targets for environmental
  improvements, and indicators for measuring these
  improvements
• Describes the most serious environmental issues
  and examines a range of alternative actions for
  addressing top priority issues
• Reflects broad public participation to ensure
  that selected actions reflect community
  priorities

• Contains recommendations that can be incorporated
  into official municipal planning documents such
  as land-use plans and budgets

A society grows great when old men plant trees
whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
Greek Proverb
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Clarify Environmental Action Planning Process
Some issues to address at the outset include

• How will the EAP be linked to official planning
  processes?
• Who will be involved in preparing the EAP?
• Which priorities will the stakeholder group focus
  on? 

• What is the appropriate structure and content of
  the environmental action plan (EAP)?
• What decision-making process will be used to set
  environmental targets and select actions?

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2. Review Community Vision

• Will the environmental goals and targets for the
  next three to five years serve as sufficient
  guideposts to help achieve the community vision?
• How will the environmental actions you choose
  move the community significantly toward
  fulfilling the community vision?

As you reflect on the identified priority issues
and begin to establish environmental goals and
select actions, take a moment to review the
community vision and consider

• Where does the community see itself in 20 years?

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Set Environmental Goals and Targets, and Select
Indicators

• Offer a framework for helping to ensure that a
  coherent and consistent set of targets and
  actions is formulated and implemented
• Express milestones you want to reach over a
  period of time

• Environmental goals
• Are practical, achievable and linked to the
  community vision
• Provide strategic direction for your long-term
  efforts to address community environmental issues
• Provide an opportunity to build consensus among
  stakeholders on what you hope to accomplish over
  a set period of time, e.g. three to five years

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• Environmental targets
• Are measurable commitments to be realised within
  a specified time
• Focus resources and guide the selection of
  actions
• Are used in evaluating and measuring progress in
  implementing the action plan

• Imply concrete actions and changes in behaviour
  by different stakeholders
• Are usually the products of negotiation

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Questions to ask in setting targets

• Can the proposed target levels be achieved within
  a realistic time frame?
• Are targets sufficient to achieve the desired
  level of community improvement?

• Are there specific targets or environmental
  standards required under national law?
• Are there local targets in place? If so, what
  changes need to be made?
• Do you have the baseline information necessary to
  evaluate changes over time?

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• Environmental indicators
• Are used to measure the effectiveness of your
  actions
• Help you to understand where you are and how far
  you are from where you want to be
• Provide a mechanism for community members to
  identify what they value drawn from the
  community vision

• Measure whether community goals and targets are
  being achieved and whether these outcomes are
  improving the lives of people in the community
• Provide a means for ensuring that implementing
  institutions achieve desired results

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• Good indicators are
• Results-oriented Measure actual results versus
  efforts to address a particular problem
• Reliable Are based upon statistically valid and
  quantifiable data
• Measurable Can be quantifiably measured

• Simple Are easy to understand, but as precise
  as possible
• Cost-effective Relatively inexpensive to monitor
  without diminishing the effectiveness or quality
  of the data

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Case Study Municipality of Sveti Nikole, FYR
Macedonia
Setting goals, targets and indicators
Urgent problems
Goal
Targets
Indicators
Data sources

• Phone inquiry of the environmental association
  ?Izgrev? Sveti Nikole
• Institution for Health Protection Veles
• Public communal enterprise ?Edinstvo?
• Communal fund of Sv. Nikole

Low quantity and quality of drinking water
Healthy and clean drinking water

• Elimination of the sources of the water
  contamina-tion by 2003
• Increase of the number of the village water
  supply systems from the present eight to 16

• 90 of the population of the settlement where the
  city water supply system functions use the water
  for drinking purposes
• Optimal use of chemicals to process the water
  AI2(SO4)3 10-20 mg per litre CI2-0.2-1 mg/litre

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Setting goals, targets and indicators
Urgent problems
Goal
Target
Indicators
Data sources
Pollution of the River of Sveti Nikole
Bringing back life to ?Svetinikolska Reka ?

• Stop faecal substances from being dumped in the
  river by 2003
• Elimination of polluted industrial wastewater by
  2005

• Appearance of signs of life in the river
• BPK measurement 30 mg/litre
• HPK measurement 20 mg/litre
• Dissolved oxygen higher than 50
• Super saturation 110-125

• Environmental patrols of EA ?Izgrev? and the
  anglers NGO ?Mrena?
• Institution for Health Protection Veles

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Review Existing Environmental Management
Practices (SWOT Analysis)
A review and assessment of your communitys
capacity to address key issues help to guide the
action planning process. One commonly used
technique to assess this capacity is called a
SWOT analysis an analysis of strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Strengths and weaknesses are generally considered
to be internal to the community.   Opportunities
and threats are considered to be external.
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Strengths and Weaknesses

• What strengths can you take advantage of and what
  weaknesses must you overcome related to

• Political/cultural factors
• Communication and coordination
• Citizen attitudes

• Local expertise
• Financial resources
• Environmental facilities

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Sample Table Environmental Management
Practices Strengths and Weaknesses
Issue (e.g. poor drinking water)
Strengths
Weaknesses
Local expertise and staffFinancial
resourcesEnvironmental facilitiesPolitical/cul
tural factorsCommunication and
coordinationCitizen attitudes
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Opportunities and Threats
What are the outside forces or dynamics that can
either help or hinder your efforts? Consider the
following areas

• Logistical issues
• Financial, regulatory, and economic factors

• Legal and regulatory framework
• Information and technology

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Sample Table Environmental Management Practices
Opportunities and Threats
Issue (poor drinking water)
Opportunities
Threats
Legal and regulatory frameworkInformation and
technologyLogistical issuesFinancial,
regulatory and economic factors
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Case Study Municipality Of Pehcevo, FYR
Macedonia SWOT Analysis of Water Supply Issue

• INTERNAL
• Strengths
• Technical expertise and documentation available
  for the main water supply project
• Readiness of the municipality to solve the
  problem
• Citizens support for the project

• Weaknesses
• Lack of local financial resources
• Public enterprise lacks equipment
• No plan for underground network

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Case Study Municipality of Pehcevo, FYR
Macedonia SWOT Analysis of Water Supply Issue

• EXTERNAL
• Opportunities
• National legislation supports solutions
• Priority of National Environment Action Programme
• Interest among foreign donors to support these
  kinds of projects

• Threats
• No loans available to finance projects
• Low level of initiative in the National Ministry
  of Environment

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5. Identify Potential Actions
First steps in identifying potential actions

• Review the results of the SWOT analysis
• Brainstorm possible actions to achieve the vision
  and meet the goals

• Review your community vision, goals, targets and
  indicators

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Consider the following types of actions

• Technological measures Upgrading the pollution
  control technology at a factory, reducing waste
  generation through pollution prevention
• Regulatory or legal measures Passing a new law,
  ordinance, rule or regulation

• Public education and training Media campaign,
  public information campaign, job training for new
  businesses
• Economic incentives User fees, emission fees and
  pollution fines
• Community-based programmes Community recycling
  programmes, tree planting efforts and
  distribution of low-flow showerheads

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Sample Table Identify Potential Actions
Issue Goal Target
Technological measures
Regulatory or legal measures
Economic incentives
Community- based programmes
Public education and training
Other
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Sample actions for reducing solid waste disposal
Public education and training

• Prepare and distribute pamphlets for residents on
  how to recycle
• Train municipal or solid waste utility staff on
  how to design and manage a community recycling
  programme
• Establish a waste fee system that charges
  individuals and businesses in direct proportion
  to the volume of solid waste they generate.
• Make recycling free and waste disposal expensive.
• Institute a kerbside recycling programme for all
  households in the community.
• Place containers throughout the community for
  residents to dispose of recyclable materials.

Economic incentives
Community programmes
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Sample actions for reducing solid waste disposal
Technological measures

• Construct a new recycling processing facility to
  prepare materials in a form acceptable to
  recycling manufacturers.
• Send away unprocessed waste.
• Adopt an ordinance requiring all residents to
  separate recycling materials from their trash.
• Adopt an ordinance requiring all waste-hauling
  companies to offer kerbside recycling collection
  services.

Regulatory and legal actions
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6. Identify Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation criteria provide a basis for selection
from a number of possible actions.

• Criteria provide a basis for comparing different
  actions to determine the relative feasibility and
  advantages.

• What are the factors to consider in deciding
  which actions might work best in your community?

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Possible Evaluation Criteria

• Implementation time How long will it take to
  implement?
• Equity How evenly distributed are the benefits
  and costs of the action among affected
  individuals and the community?

• Cost-effectiveness What are the relative costs
  for achieving a measurable environmental
  improvement?
• Technical feasibility Has the technology been
  successfully used elsewhere and does it have a
  proven record?
• Effectiveness How well does the action achieve
  goals and targets?

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Possible Evaluation Criteria (continued)

• Employment impacts Will the action result in new
  jobs in the community? Will employment
  opportunities be reduced as a result of a
  particular action?
• Environmental impact Are there environmental
  impacts from construction or operation of the
  action?

• Flexibility Can the action be modified after a
  period of time to accommodate changes in
  demographic, economic, environmental or legal
  circumstances?
• Acceptability Is the proposed action acceptable
  to the public or municipal council? Do
  stakeholders support the action?

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7. Collect Information and Prepare Action
Summaries
Steps to take in preparing action summaries
An action summary contains a summary of
information collected to date on actions to
address a particular issue and serves as a
reference point to help stakeholder group members
select among different actions.

• Gather available information on actions for each
  criterion
• Consult experts to gather data and help conduct
  analyses
• Research how such actions have worked or not
  worked in other communities

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Sample Action Summary
Problem description Toxic and organic materials
in unlined, uncovered landfills are polluting the
air and ground water. This poses health hazards,
while landfill space is running out and trash
generation is increasing.

• Targets
• To reduce groundwater and air pollution
  associated with solid waste disposal by 75 over
  the next five years
• To reduce the volume of solid waste requiring
  disposal by 50 by the year 2005

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Action category Community programmes
Evaluation criteria Cost effectiveness,
flexibility, implementation time, job creation
benefits
Actions
Information on strategy
Community recycling programme
Programmes from communities in the United States
indicate that kerbside recycling has high
participation levels.
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8. Analyse and Select Actions

• Two-step process
• Develop preferred list of actions
• Select actions based on community-specific
  analysis

Select actions based on community-specific
analysis of issues such as

• Economics
• Engineering
• Legal implications
• Finances
• Environmental issues

• Develop preliminary list
• of actions based on
• Evaluation criteria
• Vigorous and open discussion
• Best available information collected to date

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Sample Matrix Evaluating and Selecting
Preliminary Actions
Issue Goal Target
Potential Actions
Total score
Sample evaluation criteria
Effectiveness in achieving goals
Economic benefits
Technical feasibility
Cost effectiveness
Implementation time
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Seeking Win-Win Solutions between Environment and
Economy
Win-win solutions enhance environmental
conditions and strengthen the local economy.
Examples include

• Developing eco-tourism capacity Cleaner local
  environment leads to more attractive destination
  for tourists.
• Improving efficiencies of existing businesses
  Improving efficiency of natural resource (e.g.
  water, energy) reduces costs and increases
  profits.  

• Improving municipal environmental services This
  will benefit the environment while maintaining
  the community as an attractive place. 

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• Improving human resource capacity New
  environmental programmes require people with new
  skills and new services.
• Promoting sustainable resource use Local
  economies dependent upon the use of natural
  resources, such as timber and fisheries, will
  benefit from long-term and sustainable harvest
  practices.

• Assisting environmental service and manufacturing
  businesses New environmental programmes (e.g.
  recycling, energy conservation) often require the
  creation of new businesses to implement these
  programmes. 

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Prepare Draft Environmental Action Plan (EAP)
for Public Comment
The EAP provides

• A framework document that identifies specific
  actions and commitments from responsible
  institutions

• A long-term guide for addressing the communitys
  environmental problems

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Suggested Outline for an Environmental Action
Plan
Introductory letter Endorsement by mayor and/or
city council Executive summary Short summary of
all major findings in the plan. Includes brief
descriptions of major issues identified and
summary of recommended actions for each priority
issue 
Background/introduction Brief explanation of
LEAP goals, project phases, history of the
project and individuals involved Issue assessment
and ranking Description of the issues
considered, the results of the environmental
issues analyses and ranking, and final priorities
for action selected  
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Suggested Outline for an Environmental Action
Plan (continued)
Issue assessment and ranking Description of the
issues considered, the results of the
environmental issues analyses and ranking, and
final priorities for action selected Recommended
actions List of the recommended actions for each
priority issue, evaluation criteria considered,
and a brief explanation of why selected actions
were chosen  
Work plan Detailed plan of actions, including
specific steps, who will be responsible, when
each step will be accomplished and estimates of
expected costs Appendices (e.g., charts, tables,
pictures, etc.)
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Case Study Environmental Protection Action Plan
for Municipality Of Elk, Poland
Objectives of the environmental protection action
plan

• Target To reduce biological oxygen demand (BOD)
  loads discharged into Lake Elk by the Elk River
  to a level that does not increase eutrophication

• Goal To bring Lake Elk up to Class II purity
  standards
• Target To arrest the process of internal
  delivery as well as the threat of progressive
  water degradation in Lake Elk

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Execution of the targets of environmental
protection action plan Technical actions

• Removing litter and debris from the lake
  embankment and the channel of the Elk River
• Economic actions
• Rational management of the fishing industry in
  the waters of Lake Elk
• Economic utilisation of the reed beds of Lake Elk
  as an element of eliminating BOD

• Stopping seepage of pollution from domestic
  sewage into lake
• Stopping seepage of pollution from storm sewage
  into the lake
• Recultivating the lake through mechanical aeration

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• Legal and administrative actions
• Increase conformance with and enforcement of the
  law with respect to environmental protection
• Identify and eliminate pollution sources of Lake
  Elk and the Elk River (other than those listed in
  Action No. 1)

• Educational actions
• Install household sewage treatment plants in the
  area of the Elk River and Lake Elk watersheds
  in areas where the municipal sewage system is not
  an option
• Educate community about causes and effects of
  eutrophication, the impact of the individual on
  the environment
• Stop pollution from seeping into the lake and
  river

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10. Adopt and Institutionalise Plan

• Time should be allowed to receive, review and
  incorporate public comments
• Local government officials and affected
  stakeholders should be provided with copies of
  EAP and enough time to comment on it
• Plan should be adopted and approved by municipal
  council. Plan becomes official document of city

• Elements of plan can be incorporated into
  official planning documents of local government,
  such as budget and land-use and development plans
• Plan should be revised periodically to ensure
  that it reflects current conditions
• Plan should be considered a living document
  which serves as a long-term guide on
  environmental issues