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MODULE 6:MODULE 6:

PRERARING FOR THE PRERARING FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND ASSESSMENT AND

REPORTING PROCESSREPORTING PROCESS

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OverviewOverview

This module outlines on how to prepare for the assessment and reporting process. It shows:

How to prepare for the assessment process as a project

How to outline the stages of the assessment

How to organize tasks by institutions, and

How to communicate the message on environmental assessment effectively

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Introduction

Careful and complete planning of the whole process from conceptualization to production is essential before starting any activity

Some activities may be modified later, include those that seem most feasible at the time of the plan.

Include in the plan a strategy to communicate your activities to the public and to show them how they will gain

Learn from existing best practices

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Outline the SOE report as a project

How AEO-2 was planned as a project:

All key players were identified

Responsibility of each player was clarified

Major outputs of the project were outlined

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Clearly state all stagesClearly state all stages

 Draw out all stages of the activity, clearly defining their sequence and how each one of them adds to the progress of the project

Make sure all direct participants clearly understand the sequence of activities and know what their role is, if any, at every stage throughout the whole process

May need to draw several supplementary flow charts for different groups to clearly understand their roles and responsibilities

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An example of the stages (Rump 1966)

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Assign responsibility for Assign responsibility for each stage of the reporteach stage of the report

For each stage, state the tasks involved, the organization to carry out each task, and the expected output, e.g. AEO identified 10 tasks.

May be difficult to stick to the original schedule till the end but it is still useful to let participants know what is expected 

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Consecutive tasks, responsibilities, and results outline for AEO-2

Task 1: Engage CC’s

Task10: Printing and distribution

UNEP-DEWA AfricaDraft agreements

with CC’s

UNEP-DEWA Africa Finished Report

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Communicate SOE message Communicate SOE message widelywidely

Communicating the message requires special attention especially at the national and sub-national levels where detailed information is required from stakeholders

Should be part of the original plan not an afterthought during the progress of activities

Reach a very broad audience including non-scientists and non-specialists

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nt Study the beliefs, lifestyles,

available time to absorb the message, etc., of each group addressed and decide on the most effective mode of communication

Modify and improve your message to make it more effective as you know more about each group during the time of message delivery

Continue to deliver and modify messages over time

Communicate SOE… (cont’d)Communicate SOE… (cont’d)

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SOE message should be:

Relevant and desirable to each specific audience, pointing out what the group stands to gain by participating

Understandable by the particular audience

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nt Delivered by a very wide system to

cover all groups of society. Consider the following media and select what is most appropriate for particular groups: Periodic reports on critical issues Bulletins on new developments Articles by in-house experts or by

professional writers Newsletters Radio and television Internet-based reporting Other alternatives:

Posters Picture books Songs Dialogues Street theatre

SOE message… (cont’d)

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Real Life example from South AfricaReal Life example from South Africa

SA developed capacity for producing SOE reports at national, provincial, and city level since 1990s

The National Environmental Management Act provided the legal mandate

In preparation for the assessment, wide consultation took place with input from over 200 stakeholders and comments from the public

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nt Consensus on the issues was

agreed upon by a wide range of stakeholders and specialists in natural resources, and social, economic and political environments.

Information on each of the issues was gathered and interpreted by specialists in the relevant fields.

The framework was developed through a series of expert workshops and general review

Real Life example… (cont’d)Real Life example… (cont’d)

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Process of preparing South Africa’s Process of preparing South Africa’s national SOE Reportnational SOE Report

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Development of the 2005 reportDevelopment of the 2005 report

Project initiated by conducting comprehensive national planning sessions. Issues reported in the 1999 report were reviewed to determine their currency and to see if new issues have emerged

Empowerment of historically

disadvantaged individuals in environmental assessment and reporting was given important focus by including these groups in project management and coordination. This helps to ensure skill transfer