8. Policy challenges for southern Africa
The southern African countries identified the focus and direction needed policy change in their Policy and Strategy for Environment and Sustainable Development:
“ Changes for greater equity and sustainable development are needed, for example, to shift the emphasis and priorities:
- In economic development policies focused largely on the informal sector toward policies supporting the much larger informal sector which is the main source of jobs, income and affordable goods and services for the poor majority.
- In agricultural policies, promoting large-scale production for export of food and horticultural crops toward policies focused on the food security of poor rural and urban households and fair returns for small-scale farmers.
- In land tenure laws and policies excluding women toward policies recognising and expanding the rights of women to inherit and own land.
- In health policies, which allocate a disproportionate share of the budget to, specialised medical services and hospitals toward policies focused on primary health care services, which are affordable and accessible for the poor majority.
- In human settlements policies which emphasise more planning, research and delivery of unaffordable housing toward policies giving top priority to lethal shelter, water and sanitation problems of the poor majority in urban and rural settlements.
- In wildlife and parks policies where local people bear many of the costs toward policies which give local people and a greater voice in wildlife management and a significant share of the benefits of wildlife-based tourism.
- In international lending policies, especially structural adjustment policies which adversely affect the poor majority first and most, toward UN system-wide policies and programmes of economic reform for greater equity and sustainable development.
Although many African countries are implementing new national and multilateral environmental policies, their effectiveness is often low due to lack of adequate staff, expertise, funds and equipment for implementation and enforcement. It is important to note that current environmental policies in the SADC region are mainly based on regulatory instruments but some countries have begun to consider a broader range, including economic incentives implemented through different tax systems.
There is growing recognition that national environmental policies are more likely to be effectively implemented if an informed and involved public supports them. Environmental awareness and education programmes are not expanding almost everywhere while indigenous knowledge receives greater recognition and is increasingly used. Environmental information systems in the SADC region are still weak.
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