The Strategic Environmental Management Plan for the Namibian Uranium Province

In 2006/2007, when prices for fuel for civil nuclear reactors were rising fast, resulting in a worldwide boom in uranium exploration and mining, the Namibian uranium industry recommended to the Namibian Government the undertaking of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Namibian uranium province, where exploration for uranium was expanding rapidly. Subsequently, such an assessment was carried out by the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s Geological Survey of Namibia, it provided vision, and importantly generated a culture of cooperation between the uranium mining industry, government, and the public. A Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) was developed from the results of this SEA. It is an overarching framework and roadmap addressing the cumulative impacts of existing and potential developments, and the extent to which uranium mining is impacting the central Namib, and is implemented jointly by government and the industry since 2011. The SEMP has 12 themes, the so-called Environmental Quality Objectives (EQOs), each articulating a specific goal, providing context, setting standards, and having a number of key indicators that are monitored. These themes include socio-economic development, employment, infrastructure, water, air quality, health, effect on tourism, ecological integrity, education, governance, heritage and future, and mine closure and future land use. Each EQO has a number of indicators that are assessed and placed into 4 categories, namely “met”, “in progress”, “not met” and “exceeded”.

NUI has from the beginning been actively involved in the compilation of the annual SEMP reports. However, due to the slow-moving events during the time of low uranium prices, as well as the impact of the COVID Pandemic, the publication of SEMP Reports was halted.

Nevertheless, with the recent increase in uranium activities, it is more critical than ever to implement the EQO targets to ensure that all stakeholders in the region are well positioned to manage activities according to best practise, fully benefit from opportunities, and deal with challenges. NUI therefore remains committed to the cooperation with government in the implementation of the SEMP, and is currently supporting the preparation of a status report by the SEMP Office at the Geological Survey of Namibia, Ministry of Mines and Energy.