Strengthening Participation in Environmental Policy (SN0011)

What is the public issue that the commitment will address? Through the Environmental Code and other related instruments, such as the Mining Code and the Petroleum Code, Senegal has put in place a relevant legal framework to ensure good environmental management. In addition, there are several initiatives aimed at effectively involving the population in environmental preservation and restoration activities. These include, among others, the following - the organization of a clean-up day every first Saturday of each month throughout the country - the compulsory integration of a landscape component into all subdivision and/or construction projects, prior to the issuance of any administrative authorization for individuals or groups; - the implementation of a vast reforestation programme on a national scale. In principle, these instruments and measures give an important place to citizen participation. In practice, however, this participation needs to be strengthened both in the formulation and in the implementation and monitoring-evaluation. Indeed, the weakness of citizen participation compromises, to a large extent, the ownership of the policies defined in this area and often leads to the non-respect of certain environmental standards.

What are the objectives of the commitment? The main objective of this commitment is to strengthen the participation of the population in the development, implementation and monitoring of environmental policy. In this respect, it urges to: • identify the concerns of the population in environmental issues • raise the awareness of the population on the stakes of the environmental policy • strengthen the level of ownership of the instruments and initiatives in this area; • promote the effective involvement of the population in environmental preservation and restoration activities. 40

How would the commitment contribute to solving the public issue? The commitment will help to ensure that environmental policies are consistent with the populations’ expectations, which favours a greater ownership of public policies.*

Why is this commitment relevant to the OGP values? This commitment can allow the implementation of the principles of transparency, citizen participation and accountability

Further Information The Nationally Determined Contribution is validated.

Important activity with a verifiable deliverable Agenda Start Closure 1.Hold workshops in the regions to disseminate environmental preservation and restoration instruments, including the NDC (nationally determined contribution) January 2022 December 2023 2.Disseminate the GGI recommendations on green cities in Senegal July 2022 December 2022 3.Emphasize advocacy to speed up the process of revising the environmental code January 2021 December 2022 4. Establish a consultation framework for the monitoring of environmental policies July 2022 December 2022 5. Institutionalize a prize to be awarded to the 10 cleanest municipalities and 10 champion companies in environmental action January 2022 December 2023 6. Organize training sessions on resilience strategies for communities in all departments January 2022 December 2023 7. Carry out a study to identify the sectors that provide green jobs January 2022 June 2022 8. Set up a community of good practices on green jobs July 2022 December 2022 9. Popularize and promote the green jobs January 2023 December 2023

Action Plan Review

Commitment 11: Strengthening Participation the Development, Implementation and Monitoring of Environmental Policy

Results Report

Commitment 11. Strengthening Participation, the Development, Implementation and Monitoring of Environmental Policy

This commitment sought to strengthen the participation of the population in the development, implementation and monitoring of environmental policy. In this respect, it aimed to: (i) identify the concerns of the population in environmental issues (ii) raise the awareness of the population on the stakes of the environmental policy (iii) strengthen the level of ownership of the instruments and initiatives in this area and (iv) promote the effective involvement of the population in environmental preservation and restoration activities.

The Government of Senegal adopted a new Environmental Code [33] (Law n°2023-15 of August 2, 2023) that introduces important factors such as an improved legal and operational framework for the environmental assessment process; strengthening the management framework for noxious and hazardous substances and waste; enshrining the principle of corporate liability; and strengthening of management provisions for mining, oil and gas activities. However, the new code does not contain elements relating to public consultation frameworks for monitoring environmental policies. Similarly, the IRM researcher has not found evidence of implementation of the intended milestones such as regional meetings to disseminate environmental protection instruments, or on the establishment of consultation frameworks to monitor environmental policies.

[33] Environment Code. Government of Senegal. Law 2023-15. 2 August 2023. https://sec.gouv.sn/publications/lois-et-reglements/code-de-lenvironnement