Citizens Environmental and Social Concern (CESCo) has called for the repeal and amendment of the Forest Act of 2015, as the Country joined the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s World Environmental Day, under the theme: “Biodiversity”.
Organization Executive Director Conwell Hakapya told Money FM News, that amendment of the Act will compel the Head of State to require Parliamentary approval before instituting a statutory instrument to declare any area of land within the Republic to be a National or Local Forest.
Mr Hakapya said the move will also ensure that before declaring any Forest or part of the Forest shall cease to be a Forest or that the boundaries of the Forest shall be altered or extended is addressed.
“As we commemorate this year’s World Environmental Day, under the theme ‘Biodiversity,’ We take this opportunity to call for a repeal and amendment of the Forest Act of 2015, so that the amended Act should compel the President to require Parliamentary approval before instituting a statutory instrument to declare any area of land within the Republic to be a National or Local Forest,” Mr Hakapya explained.
He noted that once amended the Act will also compel the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) to present before Parliament the Environmental Impact Assessment Report before Parliament approves or rejects the gazetting or degazetting of forests in Zambia.
“And also before declaring that any Forest or part of the Forest shall cease to be a Forest or that the boundaries of the Forest shall be altered or extended. The Act should also compel ZEMA to present before Parliament the Environmental Impact Assessment Report before Parliament approves or rejects the gazetting or degazetting of forests in Zambia,” he said.
Mr Hakapya believes that once implemented transparency will be enhanced in the national management of our forests and Nature and most importantly help us to achieve The United Nations – Sustainable
“We strongly believe that if this action is implemented it will greatly enhance transparency in the national management of our forests and Nature and most importantly help us to achieve The United Nations – Sustainable Developments Goal (SDG) number 15 that forces Life on Land,” he explained.