Tools of Environmental Planning and Management and use planning
Contents
TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc384051650” Environmental zoning and subdivision PAGEREF _Toc384051650 h 1
HYPERLINK l “_Toc384051651” Environmental impact assessment PAGEREF _Toc384051651 h 2
HYPERLINK l “_Toc384051652” Environmental audit and monitoring PAGEREF _Toc384051652 h 2
HYPERLINK l “_Toc384051653” Coordination and control PAGEREF _Toc384051653 h 3
HYPERLINK l “_Toc384051654” Comprehensive planning PAGEREF _Toc384051654 h 3
Planning is the process of deciding what to do and then anticipating for the future outcomes. When it comes to environmental planning and development, the processes of facilitating correct decisions so as to establish a given natural resource environment; its social and economic considerations become necessary. This happens when planning involves a holistic framework that aims at achieving sustainable results with respect to the use of land.
Land is the main source of livelihood and material wealth for most people and for that reason, proper planning ensures that problems related to it become resolved. Regulations have been put in place to address serious land issues that result from the political, economic and social point of view. The National Land Policy ensures that there is proper planning and the use of land. In the end, the NLR aims at reducing land reform issues, land management and administration issues as well as land tenure issues. Land use planning as a tool for environmental planning and management makes sure that the government deals with related land issues so as to avoid future conflicts regarding the same.
Environmental zoning and subdivisionEnvironmental zoning as a tool of environmental planning and management is useful because it has the purpose of separating the use of land by means of identifying both compatible and incompatible land. Zoning in itself is a system of land use regulation. This regulation is responsible for designating the use of land that is permitted as per the government mapped zones. The mapped zones separate one community from the other. Zoning is important because it includes the size, height, space occupied by the infrastructure, the amount of space occupied by agricultural lands or industrial lands and how to allocate the available spaces by the various municipal and county governments.
Apart from zoning, environmental planning and management incorporates the use of land subdivision. Land subdivision is the partitioning of land or infrastructure, which was initially owned by a single entity. This may be done either as a gift, lease, or even a sale. The ministry of lands is responsible for providing the subdivision plan and therefore individuals are restricted to the stipulated size for subdividing the land. In the end, this prevents unscrupulous subdivisions by different individuals and in the end; the use of land becomes controlled with minimal destruction to the environment.
Environmental impact assessmentEnvironmental impact assessment is an important aspect of environmental planning and management. Assessing the impacts brought about as a result of planned development activities is essential because it improves the quality and accuracy necessary for making decisions. Environmental impact assessment is also important because it focuses on the environmental consequences brought about by one particular change. After identifying, EIA looks at the change from a broader perspective and determines the future outcome of the development. There are several EIA tools that have been put in place to ensure the process of resource use planning has been implemented. Environmental Economic Assessment is important for highlighting the economic value of the environmental products that have been overlooked or in most cases, undervalued.
Environmental audit and monitoringEnvironmental auditing refers to the various evaluations, which are intended to identify the various environmental agreements and management systems. Audits are intended to analyse an organization’s legitimate status in terms of its operations instead of the organization’s status of environmental degradation. Environmental auditing and monitoring employs the use of environmental standards in the management of the environment. ISO is an example of an environmental standard. The ISO 14001 is responsible for ensuring an organization, whether large or small, complies with the set standards of quality.
Environmental auditing and monitoring are important tools because they enable an organization to reach a consensus regarding solutions, which are important in ensuring the company meets the requirements of an ideal business and at the same time, it does not affect the society.
Coordination and controlThe Environmental Management and Coordination Act provide an establishment of the appropriate legal framework as well as the institutional framework for the management of the environment and matters related to it. The National Environmental Management Authority is a government body, which ensures that EMCA provides for the legal and administrative organization that oversees the improvement of the diverse sectoral initiatives at the national level so as to manage the environment. By ensuring national management and conservation of natural resources, EMCA becomes an effective tool in building a solid foundation for the country’s national economic, cultural, social as well as spiritual development.
Comprehensive planningComprehensive planning is a term used by most land use planners. This term describes the processes, which determine the goals and aspirations of a community in terms of development. An effective and comprehensive idea ought to address certain public plans including infrastructure, means of transportation, public utilities, social amenities and use of land as well. This means, such plans include, to a larger extent, a region’s geographic location and its long term future plans. A perfect comprehensive planning process entails several steps. These steps include identification of planning concerns, defining the purposes of the planning goals, collecting, organizing and analysis of the data obtained, preparing an effective plan, evaluating the available alternatives, and the implementation and monitoring of the most suitable adopted plan.
In Kenya, for example, climate change has been a serious issue that threatens the nation’s economic growth. In order to ensure that the millennium development goals and the vision 2030 are attained, an impact assessment of climate change ought to be planned comprehensively and assessed after every five years so as to determine the climate change progress. This action plan ensures that Kenya as a nation, attains its goals and the cumulative impacts of climate change become addressed.
