a) Nature of the specified plans
Environmental implementation plan (EIP) is required by chapter 3 of National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998. (NEMA). Section 11(1) of NEMA provides that every national department listed in Schedule 1 of NEMA as exercising functions which may affect the environment must within one year of the promulgation of the Act and at least every five years thereafter develop an EIP. The Department of Tourism is listed in Schedule 1 of NEMA and is thus required to develop an EIP.
In 2018 the Department of Tourism gazetted the Environmental Implementation Plan (TEIP) 2015-2020 (First edition) in fulfilment of the requirements of Section 11 (1) of National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (NEMA). The gazetted EIP reached its end of life during the end of 2019-2020 financial year. The Department of Tourism second edition EIP (2020 – 2025) is currently in the process of being gazetted.
The purpose of the EIP is to co-ordinate and harmonize environmental policies, plans, programmed and decisions of the various national departments that exercise functions that may affect the environment or are entrusted with powers and duties aimed at the achievement, promotion, and protection of a sustainable environment. It further gives effect to the principle of co-operative government in Chapter 3 of the South African Constitution.
(b) Scope of specified plans
The Tourism Environmental Implementation Plan (TEIP) contains the following: