Best Practices in Environmental Information Management in Africa

lar work, others constituted core baseline information required for almost all environmental analyses. It was realised that for optimal functionality, there was need to strengthen the core dataset producing institutions. An in- vestment programme funded by the World Bank through the Environment Management Capacity Building Project (1996–2000) was consequently drawn up. It focussed on training, equipment and data capture. Incorporating decentralisation The proposed structure for the EIN also had to take note of the governance reforms that were taking place in the country at the time. Through the Decentralisation Stat- ute (of 1993) and later the Local Government Act Cap 243 (of 1997), control of environment management was

localized to promote greater participation in decision making at the lower levels. The NEAP (MEP 1994), in line with these reforms, proposed the decentralization of environment information systems to district level to provide an information mechanism for implementing the action plan. Districts and Local Councils were to ef- fectively become components in a network of local envi- ronmental bodies. The integration of environment management functions within the local authorities allowed NEMA, as the na- tional organisation for environmental policy and regu- lation, to step back and play a more strategic role in coordinating and monitoring all environmental issues country-wide.

Best Practices in Environmental Information Management in Africa