The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) says it is leading the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) that is being undertaken for the Northern Cape’s planned green hydrogen production facilities in a proposed new special economic zone (SEZ), as well as a port, at Boegoebaai.  The CSIR says the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process will have a holistic approach that includes biophysical and socioeconomic aspects at a strategic level. According to the CSIR, Some of the aspects that the assessment will cover include identifying the sensitivity of the receiving environment, potential fatal flaws that need to be addressed early in the planning process, strategic-level opportunities and constraints, and strategic management actions. The CSIR notes that the SEA does not replace the legal requirement for a project-level environmental-impact assessment. Moreover the CSIR says the overall objective of the SEA is to develop an integrated decision-making framework to guide planning of the proposed Boegoebaai port and SEZ, as well as in the wider Namakwa region, in a sustainable manner.

Journalist: Rene Julies
Email: rckjulies@gmail.com