Public participation in environmental impact assessment: review of 2005 to 2010 Legislative and Policy Framework and its compatibility to international best practice

Abstract

Public participation (PP) is an integral aspect of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. PP inEIA process facilitates environmental protection and sustainability of development projects. The studyfrom which this paper is derived was conducted from 2008 to 2010. The paper focuses on a componentof the study that used qualitative data to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of EIA legislation andpolicy in Botswana from 2005 to 2010. Documented data and key informants interviews were theprincipal methods used to gather the data used in the paper. The study established that there were usefulmandatory provisions for public participation in the Botswana 2005 EIA A`ct (which was repealed in2011). It was also established that the legal and policy framework in Botswana was consistent withinternational best practice principles of effective public participation drawn from the literature. Theconclusion drawn is that the provisions for public participation in the EIA system based on the 2005EIA Act were generally effective.