Introduction

Environmental Management SystemDefinitions

What Is an Environmental Management System (EMS)?

• EMS is the combination of people, laws, legislations, policies, procedures, reviews, and plans to help address environmental issues.

• EMS is that part of an overall management system which includes: – Organizational structure and responsibilities, – Policies and legislations– practices,– Procedures,– Resources, – Planning activities, – Awareness

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Purpose of EMS

EMS brings together people, laws, policies, plans, review mechanisms, and procedures in order to improve and protect the environment

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Benefits of an EMS

• Helps maintain compliance• Integrate environmental programs• Reduce environmental impacts

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The EMS Plan, Do, Check, Act Cycle

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Checking/Corrective Actions

• Measurement and Monitoring• EMS Nonconformance and

Corrective Actions• Records

• EMS Audits

Continuous Improvement

Implementation

• Roles and Responsibilities• Training and Communication

• EMS Document Control• Emergency Preparedness

and Response

Planning

• Environmental Aspects• Compliance

• Objectives and Targets• Environmental Mgmt.

Programs

Environmental Legal and Institutional

FrameworkManagement

Review

Environmental Legal and Institutional Framework

• Legal Aspects• Laws• Bylaws • Policies

• Institutional Aspects • Institutional Structure • Responsibilities • Institutional Interface

Types of law• The Constitution• Specialized Laws

– Principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or of custom and policies recognized and enforced by judicial decision.

• Bylaws– The rules and regulations enacted by an association

to provide a framework for its operation and management.

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The law making process

– Drafting the law from the relevant ministry• e.g. Ministry of Environment, Water Authority

– First reading at the legislative council• Introducing a bill

– Second reading (general debate)– Committee Stage (detailed discussions)– Report Stage (Report of committee, amendment)– Third reading (vote on amendments)– Legislative council approval – Presidential Decree

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The objectives of the Environmental law

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1. Protection of the environment against all forms and types of pollution;

2. Protection of Public health and welfare;3. Insertion of the bases of environmental protection in social

and economic development plans; and encouragement of sustainable development of vital resources in a manner that preserves the rights of future generations;

4. Protection of bio-diversity and environmentally sensitive areas, as well as improvement of environmentally harmed areas;

5. Encouragement of collection and publication of environment-related information to raise public awareness of environmental problems.

Environmental Policies

• Environmental policies are rules or guidelines developed by governments to regulate behavior of individuals, corporations, and government agencies.

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Six steps to making environmental policy

Identify Problems

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• Requires curiosity, observation, awareness• Requires curiosity, observation, awareness

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Six steps to making environmental policy

Identify Specific causes of the Problems

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2

•Involves scientific research and•Risk assessment = judging risks a problem poses

to health or the environment

•Involves scientific research and•Risk assessment = judging risks a problem poses

to health or the environment

Six steps to making environmental policy

Get Organized

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3

• Organizations are more effective than individuals• But a motivated, informed individual can also

succeed

• Organizations are more effective than individuals• But a motivated, informed individual can also

succeed

Six steps to making environmental policy

Set Goals

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4

• Risk management = developing strategies to minimize risk• Involves social or political action

• Risk management = developing strategies to minimize risk• Involves social or political action

Six steps to making environmental policy

Cultivate access and influence

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5

• Lobbying • Political Support• Public acceptance

• Lobbying • Political Support• Public acceptance

Six steps to making environmental policy

Manage Development policy

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6

• Prepare a draft policy, containing solutions• Following a law’s endorsement

• Administrative agencies implement regulations• Policymakers evaluate the policy’s successes or failures• The judicial branch interprets the law

• Prepare a draft policy, containing solutions• Following a law’s endorsement

• Administrative agencies implement regulations• Policymakers evaluate the policy’s successes or failures• The judicial branch interprets the law

Policy, Law, Bylaw ?• A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions • A Policy can be considered as a "Statement of Intent" or a

"Commitment". • The term may apply to government, private sector organizations and

groups, and individuals. • Policy differs from law. While law can compel or prohibit behaviors,

policy merely guides actions toward those that are most likely to achieve a desired outcome.

• Bylaw can refer to a law of local or limited application, passed under the authority of a higher law specifying what things may be regulated, or it can refer to the internal rules of a company or organization.

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International lawInternational law

• International law arises from conventions or treaties agreed to among nations.

• (e.g., Montreal Protocol to protect ozone layer)

• International law serve as the principal framework for international co-operation and collaboration between members of the international community in their efforts to protect the local, regional and global environment.

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