The CSIR has over 30 years of experience and sound environmental assessment and management expertise, having conducted studies in more than 20 African countries, particularly Southern Africa and West Africa.

The CSIR’s Environmental Management Services research group assists in ensuring the sustainability of projects, plans or programmes related to environmental and socio-economic criteria by providing a range of environmental services that can be applied at a strategic regional level or site-specific scale. The group provides these services to the government, international agencies, the private sector, as well as non-government organisations in South Africa and other African countries.

Passionate about positively contributing to the evolution and improvement of environmental assessment in Africa and South Africa, the Environmental Management Services team is also contributing to the growth of a green economy on the African continent. They can achieve this through the quality of their services, genuine and committed engagement with all stakeholders and the application of innovative and scientifically robust approaches.

The CSIR specialises in conducting complex environmental studies in challenging environments and environmental studies for emerging and innovative technologies, drawing on research and applied scientific expertise within the organisation. The group conducts research into incorporating systems thinking tools into the practice of impact assessment.
 

Capabilities

The Environmental Management Services team comprises professionally registered natural scientists and environmental assessment practitioners. The group has experience in successfully managing large, complex environmental studies, many of which required extensive stakeholder engagement and the coordination and integration of specialist studies across the spheres of the biophysical, social and economic components of the environment.

Key sectors of the group’s work include renewable energy, infrastructure, natural resource management, mining, water, aquaculture, industrial development and oil and gas. Environmental assessments are conducted in accordance with national legal requirements, as well as those of international agencies, such as the World Bank, International Finance Corporation and the World Health Organization.

Core competencies include:

• Strategic environmental assessment;
• Environmental impact assessment;
• Environmental screening studies;
• Applying systems thinking in impact assessment;
• Sustainability assessment;
• Indicators and state of the environment;
• Environmental management plans;
• Guidelines, skills development and training; and
• Environmental due diligence.

The map below illustrates African countries where the CSIR conducted environmental studies.

Figure 1: Countries in Africa in which the CSIR has conducted environmental studies