Rules-as-config: jurisdiction profiles
Every rule the engine applies, with its statutory citation. Adding a country = adding a profile — the app is jurisdiction-neutral.
🇧🇼 Botswana
🇿🇦 South Africa
🇳🇦 Namibia
🇧🇼 Botswana — Environmental Assessment Act regime (post-2021 amendment)
AuthorisationEnvironmental Authorisation
Competent authorityDepartment of Environmental Affairs (statutory competent authority, s2 & s5A)
MinistryMinistry of Environment and Tourism
AppealsAppeal to the Environmental Assessment Appeals Committee within 30 days of receiving the decision (s13(1)).
Licensing authorities (Land Boards, Dept of Mines, etc.) may not issue any permit/licence/consent for a prescribed activity until environmental authorisation is issued (s5). Review is done by designated DEA reviewers or Director-appointed private reviewers (s62, added 2020). 'Working day' excludes Sat/Sun/public holidays (s2).
Legal instruments
Environmental Assessment Act, 2011 (Cap. 65:07)
Act No. 10 of 2011; commenced 25 Jun 2012 (S.I. 57/2012)Framework Act — screening (s6), scoping (s7), ToR (s8/8A), statements (s9–10), decision (s12), appeals (s13), practitioners (Part VI)
Act No. 10 of 2011; commenced 25 Jun 2012 (S.I. 57/2012)Framework Act — screening (s6), scoping (s7), ToR (s8/8A), statements (s9–10), decision (s12), appeals (s13), practitioners (Part VI)
Environmental Assessment (Amendment) Act, 2020
Act No. 11 of 2020; in force 1 Apr 2021 (S.I. 33/2021)Rewrote screening and ALL review timelines (working days), created reviewers/private reviewers, established DEA statutorily (s5A)
Act No. 11 of 2020; in force 1 Apr 2021 (S.I. 33/2021)Rewrote screening and ALL review timelines (working days), created reviewers/private reviewers, established DEA statutorily (s5A)
Environmental Assessment Regulations, 2012
S.I. No. 58 of 2012 (as amended by S.I. 30 & 49 of 2021)Forms A–F, public hearings (reg 9), practitioner code; 2021 amendments replaced Schedule 1 with the EMP-vs-EIA threshold matrix and added reg 5A/Form C1
S.I. No. 58 of 2012 (as amended by S.I. 30 & 49 of 2021)Forms A–F, public hearings (reg 9), practitioner code; 2021 amendments replaced Schedule 1 with the EMP-vs-EIA threshold matrix and added reg 5A/Form C1
Route — Environmental Management Plan (basic assessment) (EMP)
EMP = 'a basic environmental assessment which excludes the development of a scoping report but may include the requirement for public review' (s2, 2020). Triggered by the EMP column of Schedule 1. The CA may also accept a waste-management/rehabilitation plan (Form C1) for no-adverse-impact projects (s6(5)(b)).
EA Act s6(5)(c), s9(4), s10(4)
1. Project brief (Form A) submitted
EA Act s6(1)(a); reg 4, Form A—
EA Act s6(1)(a); reg 4, Form A—
2. CA reviews project brief (3 working days)
EA Act s6(3)3 working d
EA Act s6(3)3 working d
3. EMP statement (Form B) prepared & submitted
EA Act s9(4); reg 5, Form B—
EA Act s9(4); reg 5, Form B—
4. CA review of EMP statement (10 working days)
EA Act s10(4)10 working d
EA Act s10(4)10 working d
5. Appeal window to Appeals Committee (30 days)
EA Act s13(1)30 days
EA Act s13(1)30 days
Route — Full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Full assessment where adverse impact will or is likely to arise (s6(8)): scoping with publicity, ToR approval, EIS (Form E), gazette notice, review and decision.
EA Act s6(8), s7–s12
1. Project brief (Form A) submitted
EA Act s6(1)(a); reg 4, Form A—
EA Act s6(1)(a); reg 4, Form A—
2. CA reviews project brief (3 working days)
EA Act s6(3), s6(8)3 working d
EA Act s6(3), s6(8)3 working d
3. Scoping publicity (≥ 10 working days) + community meetings
EA Act s7(2); reg 6, Form C10 working d
EA Act s7(2); reg 6, Form C10 working d
4. Scoping report (Form C) + ToR (Form D) submitted
EA Act s8; reg 6–7—
EA Act s8; reg 6–7—
5. CA approval of ToR (10 working days)
EA Act s8A(3)10 working d
EA Act s8A(3)10 working d
6. EIS (Form E) prepared & submitted
EA Act s9(3); reg 8, Form E—
EA Act s9(3); reg 8, Form E—
7. Gazette + newspaper notice inviting comments (2 consecutive weeks)
EA Act s10(2)(a)14 days
EA Act s10(2)(a)14 days
8. CA review of EIS (14 working days)
EA Act s10(3)14 working d
EA Act s10(3)14 working d
9. Appeal window to Appeals Committee (30 days)
EA Act s13(1)30 days
EA Act s13(1)30 days
Listed activities driving screening (24 encoded)
| Schedule / notice | No. | Activity | Threshold | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Sensitive areas | Any development in environmentally sensitive areas: national parks, game reserves, WMAs, wetlands, flood plains, breeding areas, protected/hilly areas, rare or endangered flora-fauna areas; within 0.5 km of open surface water; within 1 km of cultural/archaeological sites | All projects | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Energy — solar | Solar power generation | < 5 MW | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Energy — solar | Solar power generation | > 5 MW | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Energy — thermal | Thermal power generation | ≤ 15 MW | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Energy — thermal | Thermal power generation | > 15 MW | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Power lines | Transboundary power transmission lines | > 132 kV and < 230 kV, or < 15 km (outside urban/industrial) | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Power lines | Power transmission lines | ≥ 230 kV or > 15 km; domestic ≥ 132 kV outside built-up areas | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Petroleum | Service stations / petroleum installations | 92 000 – 200 000 L | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Petroleum | Service stations / petroleum installations; bulk petroleum storage | > 200 000 L (bulk storage: all) | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Mining | Mining in a river or wetland (regardless of size); quarrying and mineral exploitation; hydrocarbons incl. coal | All projects | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Mineral processing | Mineral processingverify | EMP < 500 000 t/yr (non-metallic < 10 000 t/yr); EIA above | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Waste | Dump sites; incinerators < 50 kg/hr; e-waste recycling facilities | — | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Waste | Landfills; incinerators > 50 kg/hr; energy-recovery/recycling plants; radioactive waste (all) | — | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Roads | Tarred roads < 20 km; gravel roads < 60 km | — | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Roads | Tarred roads > 20 km; gravel roads > 60 km | — | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Water infrastructure | Levees, barrages and weirs | — | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Water infrastructure | Dams | > 50 000 m³ capacity or wall > 5 m | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Well-fields | Well-fields | < 10 000 m³/day | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Well-fields | Well-fields | > 10 000 m³/day | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Food | Abattoirsverify | All projects | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Agriculture | Cattle feedlots | 250 – 500 head | EMP |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Agriculture | Cattle feedlots | ≥ 500 head | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Tourism | Hospitality facilities | ≥ 200 guest rooms on unserviced land (sensitive-area developments caught by the sensitive-areas row) | EIA |
| Schedule 1 (2021) | Catch-all | Projects with protected-area effects, public outcry/displacement, complex or poorly-understood effects, resource pre-emption, or precipitation modification | All projects | EIA |
Public participation — EA Act 2011 s7(2), s10(2), s11, s17; S.I. 58/2012 reg 6, reg 9, Form C
Scoping: publicise once in mass media (posters, newspapers, radio, TV, electronic media — reg 2) in official languages for ≥ 10 working days, then hold community meetings (s7(2))
IAP identification and consultation plan per Form C (questionnaires, adverts, leaflets, workshops, public meetings); minutes + IAP lists annexed to the scoping report
EIS review: Gazette + weekly newspaper notice for 2 consecutive weeks at the developer's expense (s10(2)(a)); CA must consider comments and objections (s17)
Discretionary public hearing (s11; reg 9): venue accessible to affected persons, advertised in mass media; presiding officer reports to the CA within 10 working days (reg 9(7))
Kgotla meetings are the customary community-consultation forum
Post-decision obligations
ValidityAuthorisation valid for the period stipulated in it, renewable (s14) — no fixed statutory default. Transfer/assignment/encumbrance requires written CA consent (s16).
AuditsMonitoring by technical departments/local authorities/developer during and after implementation, with developer evaluation reports (s18). CA conducts environmental audits at its own expense and may require additional mitigation; failure can lead to revocation/modification (s19).
AmendmentRevocation/modification for unanticipated irreversible adverse impact or breach of conditions — show-cause ≤ 21 days; published in 2 consecutive Gazette issues + 2 newspapers (s15).
OffencesUndertaking a listed activity without authorisation: fine ≤ P100 000 / 5 yrs PLUS a duty to rehabilitate; failure to rehabilitate: ≤ P1 000 000 / 15 yrs (s4). Failure to prepare/submit a statement: ≤ P1 000 000 / 15 yrs (s9(6)). False/misleading information: ≤ P100 000 / 5 yrs (s12(4)).
Practitioner requirements
Mandatory registration & certification with the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Board (s37); four levels (Trainee / EAP / Senior EAP / Principal EAP, Schedule 4); 12-month practising certificates (s40(4)); CPD on a 2-year cycle; Code of Conduct (reg 13). Practising unregistered: fine ≤ P50 000 / 2 yrs.
Environmental Assessment Practitioners Board (Part VI) · EA Act 2011 Part VI (s20–s55); S.I. 58/2012 Schedule 4
Verification status
✓ EA Act No. 10 of 2011 — gazetted text (gov.bw + botswanalaws scans, read in full)
✓ EA (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2020 — Gazette No. 115 of 13 Nov 2020 (read in full); in force 1 Apr 2021 (S.I. 33/2021)
✓ EA Regulations S.I. 58 of 2012 — gazetted text incl. Forms A–F and Schedules (read in full); consolidated as amended by S.I. 30 & 49 of 2021 (botswanalaws)
✓ DEA service page (gov.bw) — administrative process
✓ Primary-source verification pass completed 2026-07-02 (web-research agent, cross-cited)
Timelines encode the POST-1-APRIL-2021 regime (working days). DEA's gov.bw page still publishes pre-amendment turnarounds (10 wd brief / 21 d advert / 28 wd ToR / 60 wd review) — statute prevails; treat gov.bw figures as unaligned administrative guidance.
EMP-vs-EIA column mapping for a few multi-line Schedule 1 rows (e.g. mineral processing, abattoirs) inferred from a linearised table — spot-check against the printed gazette.
Appeals Committee establishment order reportedly S.I. 29 of 2019 — number not confirmed from a primary text.
Form C1 contents and any 2021 fee revision (Schedule 3) not verified — instrument texts paywalled.
Ministry restructure: statute names DEA; ministry site lists a 'Department of Environmental Protection' — administrative status to confirm.