Environment protection principle 4:
consult stakeholders
This Good Practice
Note is for DFAT
staff, delivery
partners and
environment
specialists
involved in
delivering
Australia’s aid
program. It is one
of a series of notes
which explains the
principles of the
aid program’s
Environment
Protection Policy
and how they
should be
addressed. The
notes complement
the Operational
Procedures of the
Environment
Protection Policy.
This Good Practice
Note should be
read in conjunction
with the
Department of the
Environment
publication: Actions
on, or impacting
upon,
Commonwealth,
land and actions by
Commonwealth
agencies Significant
impact guidelines
1.2.
4.1 How and when to consult people
whose environment may be affected
1. Why is consulting stakeholders important?
There should be consultation with stakeholders in the development of
activity that may carry environmental risks. It enables people who may be
affected by the activity to voice their concerns and provide valuable local
knowledge to the activity managers. Stakeholders may help identify, avoid
and manage risks.
2. What are the legal obligations?
All aid activity must comply with the Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and local environmental
laws.
The EPBC Act and most other legal frameworks for protection of the
environment provide for consultation with stakeholders as an integral part
of the environment assessment process.
This guidance will help you comply with the EPBC Act. It sets out good
practice principles for consultation during an environment assessment
process, and the requirements to meet other aid program guidance for
inclusive consultation, including gender and people with disabilities, and
other vulnerable groups.
If an aid activity is referred and requires a formal environment assessment
process under the EPBC Act, the assessment must follow statutory
processes for consultation as set out in the EPBC Act and associated
guidance.
3. You are following good practice if you:
1. Begin early in the assessment process and continue to engage
through the design phase. This is a two-way conversation that can provide
invaluable local knowledge to the design team.
2. Tailor the consultation to the level of risk – consultation for
medium- to high-risk activity will be more comprehensive than for low-risk
activity.
3. For medium to high risk activity, engage specialist expertise to
design and facilitate the consultation process, using local knowledge.
Environment protection principle 4:
consult stakeholders
4. Make information accessible – provide information about the activity and
the assessment of environmental risks in an accessible place and in a
language and form that is understandable by affected people and other
important stakeholders (e.g. local environment agencies).
5. Include stakeholders in decision-making and monitoring – provide
opportunities for stakeholders to contribute to decisions about managing
environmental risks. Build on these relationships to continue the consultation
during implementation, and to engage local people in monitoring/reporting.
6. Build local capacities – consider engaging local leaders and local
environment agency staff in the team.
7. Be gender inclusive and responsive to the needs of people with
disabilities and other vulnerable groups – DFAT requires all aid activity
designs to incorporate the principles of gender equality and to look after the
needs of people with disabilities. Consultation processes in environment
assessment must follow these principles and guidelines.
8. Provide avenues for complaint and redress – seek consensus on risk
management measures and benefit sharing. Work with local leadership
structures and methods for working through grievances. Communicate and
discuss the measures taken to address stakeholder concerns and take on
board their ideas.
9. Follow DFAT resettlement safeguards for activity involving temporary or
permanent displacement of people.
Examples of best practice consultation processes for international development
activities can be found
World Bank Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines
Asian Development Bank Environment Safeguards: A Good Practice Sourcebook
Get help if you are unsure
Contact the Environment Safeguards Section: environment@dfat.gov.au
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