Speaking during a dialogue on the implementation of national environmental regulations, she noted that the environment was a source of raw materials and energy.
“The disregard to the regulations has resulted in environment challenges which include water, industrial and air pollution, erosion, biodiversity loss, flooding, land degradation, desertification, bush burning, climate change and ozone depletion,” she said.
The minister said that the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) which has the responsibilities of enforcing environmental laws in the country has produced 33 environmental regulations, cutting across different sectors of the environment, with 28 of them gazetted.
She noted that caring for the environment was a moral obligation, saying: “It is ethical that we should protect those things we all share including air, water and land. We must remember that environmental laws represent the body of rules that guide the proper use of resources for the good of the society.
Dr Ngeri Benebo, NESREA Director General, said the dialogue was aimed at identifying challenges in the implementation of national environmental laws and harmonising the roles of various stakeholders for effective enforcement.
According to her, the dialogue provided the needed platform for stakeholders to share experience from the field so as to guide future actions.
