National Environment Policy.

This National Environment Policy is a multi-sectoral document with which the Government of Somaliland aims at achieving the overall vision of providing a framework guide for the management of the regional environment and natural resources to ensure that they are managed on a sustainable basis and retain their integrity to support the needs of the current and future generation. The basic concept of the document is to develop a holistic approach and accompanying strategy for implementation. The Policy emphasizes that it is the duty of any institution, government or non-governmental organization, any community group or people's organization, or any individual that uses or otherwise carries out activities that affect the environment, to exercise proper control to maintain the productivity and integrity of the environment. The two important cross-cutting issues are set out by the Policy (i) linking poverty reduction and environmental management; and (ii) improving the quality of growth by integrating poverty-environment issues into economic policy reforms and, consequently, improve the quality of life of the people of Somaliland. The main strategic objectives of the document are (i) promote the protection and management of Somaliland's environment and natural resources, balancing the needs for social and economic development and environmental integrity; (ii) manage the environment by linking together the activities, interests, and perspectives of all groups, in both central and decentralized level; (iii) accelerate environmentally and economically sustainable growth to improve the health, sustainable livelihoods, income, and living conditions of the poor majority; (iv) ensure broadly-based environmental awareness and commitment; (v) build individual and institutional capacity to sustain the environment; (vi) regulate and enforce environmental laws; (vii) promote the development of sustainable industrial and commercial processes having full regard for environmental integrity.
To improve the production, the Policy mainly encourages (i) sound production systems for productive use of all agricultural land to ensure that the quality of land will either be maintained or improved; (ii) providing suitable training and resources to increase agricultural production and at the same time retain land values; (iii) irrigation water management that eliminates wastage and secures optimum use; (iv) selection for appropriate agricultural crops under irrigation to optimize water use; (v) agricultural and aqua-cultural practices that minimize the use of chemicals and other unnatural substances while maintaining high productivity; (vi) captive breeding and propagation for species that are in demand and that rare and threatened in the wild; (vii) the ex-situ conservation of genetic stocks of agricultural species and their wild relatives.
The environmental protection will be achieved, among others, through (i) good land management and sound management practices in all forms of land use, especially agriculture, pastoralism, mining, urbanization, forestry, wildlife and protected areas; (ii) special protection given to land prone to erosion and degradation; (iii) protection of river catchments, watersheds, wetlands and static water bodies through maintaining existing natural vegetation, protection of stream banks and sound soil conservation in adjacent agricultural lands; (iv) incorporation in all activities, in particular mining, infrastructure development and urbanization, of measures to avoid environmental damage; (v) minimization of wastage of water from urban and rural water supply schemes; (vi) EIA incorporated in new construction of hydro-electric dams, irrigation or other water-related construction; (vi) reduction of emission of gaseous and particulate matter that are injurious to health, in households, from industry, transport, uncontrolled forest fire and other anthropogenic sources; (vii) selection and use of crop varieties and forestry rehabilitation activities that can harness effectively atmospheric carbon dioxide; (viii) restoration of degraded ecosystems and eroded landscapes and halt of depletion of the Nation's biodiversity; (ix) adoption of effective measures to prevent the entry of noxious, invasive or deleterious exotic species of plants, animals and micro-organisms and environmentally harmful genetically modified organisms; (x) initiatives and resources in the private sector, NGOs and Community Based Organizations to achieve sustainable environmental management; (xi) a land tenure system conducive to increasing long term investment in the environment and natural resources sector and ensure the continuity of activities that guarantee sustainable resources use.
To promote an inclusive economic and social growth, the main interventions proposed are (i) central and local government agencies in all sectors shall take appropriate measures to protect Somaliland’s attractive landscapes, cultural and religious sites, historical monuments, heritage sites and natural wildlife heritage, as a matter of immediate and practical concern; (ii) maintain an uninterrupted and adequate supply of water of the required quality in order to meet national needs; (iii) identify and introduce economic incentives to engender widespread support for better environmental management and better resource utilization; (iv) integrate gender, youth and children concerns in environmental planning decisions at all levels to ensure sustainable social and economic development.
As for Governance, it is necessary to create the institutional mechanisms needed to implement this National Policy on Environment, building on existing institutions and creating new ones if required to create links, and improve functions and cross-sectoral cohesion. In particular, it is requested to adapt the stipulated functions of the Ministry of Environment and Rural Development (MoERD) to meet the national challenges, continue to build its capacity, and strengthen regional and district administrations to maximize their contribution to the national goals. Both government levels shall work to empower local communities and the private sector to contribute effectively to environmental sector development.