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Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Framework at the Municipality Scale

Received: 20 February 2015    Accepted: 3 April 2015    Published: 12 May 2015
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Abstract

Negative impacts of developments on the health of humans and the environment in the Waterberg municipality of South Africa are anticipated. An understanding of such impacts demands the integration of relevant environmental monitoring and assessments (i.e. biophysical and socioeconomic) in order to examine the negative impacts before planned developments in the region. Over the years, an integrated approach to environmental monitoring has not been very successful, because of vague conceptualization and lack of clear objectives and priorities linked to the interpretation of roles and responsibilities for compliance with regulatory and management programs (e.g. South African National Environmental Management Air Quality Act No. 39 of 2004 etc.). This paper proposes a conceptual framework as an approach to integrate different environmental monitoring and assessments of biophysical and socioeconomic systems in the context of planned developments. It identifies relevant types of environmental monitoring and assessment and describes how these could be linked, and highlights the concept of an integrated environmental baseline not just as a basis for present and future environmental conditions, but also as a potential link between the various processes and practitioners of all monitoring and assessments; while it attempts to enhance a full understanding of changes in environmental conditions and their likely trends, drivers and impacts. This paper theoretically illustrate the framework using the Waterberg municipality, in order to highlight its potentials as a proactive and integrated approach to understanding changes in environmental conditions and consequent impacts on the health of humans and the environment due to anticipated changes in key environmental parameters. Thus, this paper argues that the framework could provide a systematic procedure to environmental monitoring and assessment, and a coherent understanding of environmental conditions before planned developments at a local scale, by informing concepts and processes that should link various monitoring initiatives and their practitioners.

Published in International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 3, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijepp.20150303.11
Page(s) 57-64
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Integrated Framework, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Human and Environmental Health, Planned Developments, Waterberg Municipality

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Felix Iyalomhe, Philipa Idogho. (2015). Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Framework at the Municipality Scale. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 3(3), 57-64. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20150303.11

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    ACS Style

    Felix Iyalomhe; Philipa Idogho. Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Framework at the Municipality Scale. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2015, 3(3), 57-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20150303.11

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    AMA Style

    Felix Iyalomhe, Philipa Idogho. Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Framework at the Municipality Scale. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2015;3(3):57-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20150303.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20150303.11,
      author = {Felix Iyalomhe and Philipa Idogho},
      title = {Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Framework at the Municipality Scale},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {57-64},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20150303.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20150303.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20150303.11},
      abstract = {Negative impacts of developments on the health of humans and the environment in the Waterberg municipality of South Africa are anticipated. An understanding of such impacts demands the integration of relevant environmental monitoring and assessments (i.e. biophysical and socioeconomic) in order to examine the negative impacts before planned developments in the region. Over the years, an integrated approach to environmental monitoring has not been very successful, because of vague conceptualization and lack of clear objectives and priorities linked to the interpretation of roles and responsibilities for compliance with regulatory and management programs (e.g. South African National Environmental Management Air Quality Act No. 39 of 2004 etc.). This paper proposes a conceptual framework as an approach to integrate different environmental monitoring and assessments of biophysical and socioeconomic systems in the context of planned developments. It identifies relevant types of environmental monitoring and assessment and describes how these could be linked, and highlights the concept of an integrated environmental baseline not just as a basis for present and future environmental conditions, but also as a potential link between the various processes and practitioners of all monitoring and assessments; while it attempts to enhance a full understanding of changes in environmental conditions and their likely trends, drivers and impacts. This paper theoretically illustrate the framework using the Waterberg municipality, in order to highlight its potentials as a proactive and integrated approach to understanding changes in environmental conditions and consequent impacts on the health of humans and the environment due to anticipated changes in key environmental parameters. Thus, this paper argues that the framework could provide a systematic procedure to environmental monitoring and assessment, and a coherent understanding of environmental conditions before planned developments at a local scale, by informing concepts and processes that should link various monitoring initiatives and their practitioners.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    AB  - Negative impacts of developments on the health of humans and the environment in the Waterberg municipality of South Africa are anticipated. An understanding of such impacts demands the integration of relevant environmental monitoring and assessments (i.e. biophysical and socioeconomic) in order to examine the negative impacts before planned developments in the region. Over the years, an integrated approach to environmental monitoring has not been very successful, because of vague conceptualization and lack of clear objectives and priorities linked to the interpretation of roles and responsibilities for compliance with regulatory and management programs (e.g. South African National Environmental Management Air Quality Act No. 39 of 2004 etc.). This paper proposes a conceptual framework as an approach to integrate different environmental monitoring and assessments of biophysical and socioeconomic systems in the context of planned developments. It identifies relevant types of environmental monitoring and assessment and describes how these could be linked, and highlights the concept of an integrated environmental baseline not just as a basis for present and future environmental conditions, but also as a potential link between the various processes and practitioners of all monitoring and assessments; while it attempts to enhance a full understanding of changes in environmental conditions and their likely trends, drivers and impacts. This paper theoretically illustrate the framework using the Waterberg municipality, in order to highlight its potentials as a proactive and integrated approach to understanding changes in environmental conditions and consequent impacts on the health of humans and the environment due to anticipated changes in key environmental parameters. Thus, this paper argues that the framework could provide a systematic procedure to environmental monitoring and assessment, and a coherent understanding of environmental conditions before planned developments at a local scale, by informing concepts and processes that should link various monitoring initiatives and their practitioners.
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Author Information
  • Global Change and Sustainability Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

  • Department of Office Technology and Management, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria

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