| Foreward
The Malawi Government has become increasingly concerned about the deterioration
of the country's natural resources and the environment. There are economic
and aesthetic losses associated with this degradation. A major environmental
and developmental challenge, therefore, is how to narrow the gap between
the degradation of the natural resources and the environment on one hand
and sustainable production and economic growth on the other.
The Government, through a comprehensive participatory process involving
the Private Sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local communities
and government institutions prepared a National Environmental Action Plan
(NEAP) which was formally launched in December, 1994. The National Environmental
Action Plan describes the environment situation existing in the country
and outlines environmental strategies, measures and programmes necessary
for promoting the conservation, management and sustainable utilization
of our natural resources.
In pursuance of the National Environmental Action Plan and to provide
a coherent environmental framework for its development policies, the Government
decided to prepare this National Environmental Policy. The policy provides
an overall structure against which relevant sectoral environmental policies
can be reviewed to ensure that these are consistent with the principles
of sustainable development. More specifically, the National Environmental
Policy seeks to: -
(a) promote the efficient utilization and management of our
natural resources;
(b) facilitate the rehabilitation and management of essential ecosystems
and ecological processes;
(c) enhance public awareness of the importance of sound environmental
management; and
(d) promote cooperation between Government, local communities, and
women groups, non-governmental organizations and the private sector in
the management and sustainable utilization of the natural resources and
the environment.
In order to promote effective implementation of sectoral environmental
policies and strategies, the National Environmental Policy, amongst other
things, calls for the strengthening of institutional mechanisms, reviewing
and where necessary formulating environmental legislation and by-laws.
It also calls for the integrating of environmental concerns into national,
regional and district planning systems, developing and implementing systems
and guidelines for assessing environmental impacts of development projects
and programmes, undertaking training programmes to develop capacity for
environmental management, increasing environmental education and public
awareness, empowering local communities in the management of natural resources
through community participation and involving the private sector and non-governmental
organizations in all aspects of planning and management of the natural
resources and the environment.
Although the Government has already taken measures to implement some
of the provisions of the National Environmental Policy, there is still
more that needs to be done. It is therefore my sincere hope that this National
Environmental Policy will be a useful guiding tool to all stakeholders
in the country for integrating environmental considerations into Malawi's
social and economic development programmes thereby promoting sustainable
development.
Signed:
Dr. Bakili Muluzi
PRESIDENT
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