ENVIRONMENTAL mismanagement are activities that are practised and have negative
impact on the environment and exert pressure on natural resources.
These environmental mismanagement factors include: deforestation, soil erosion, falling
levels of ground water, depletion of the ozone layer and combustion from automobiles
causing extreme air pollution, water pollution, throwing waste in river, use of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides, burning of coal and mineral oil.
Communities in Zimbabwe need to survive and thus cut down trees to sell firewood and
timber. If we look at rural areas, firewood is the main source of fuel.This leads to bare soils
and when the rains fall, surface runoff causes erosion and siltation of rivers. Siltation of rivers
further leads to low water supplies as the water sources will be filled with sand, siltation in
dams and rivers leads to less water for drinking and irrigation.
Deforestation is also due to cutting down of trees for shelter. The majority of people in rural
areas are less privileged, they hardly can afford to buy modified timber from industries, and
therefore, they cut down trees to build their own shelter.
Mineral resources are moistly illegally mined in Zimbabwe. Due to unemployment, people
engage in activities like illegal gold mining to for an income. They dig small working pits,
tunnels and sluices by hand. When the rains come the water gets inside the holes and is stored
underground instead of flowing to the rivers and dams.
There is loosening of soil in the upper course of the river, this leads to the loosened soil being
deposited at the lower course of the river. This leads to deficit of water. Destruction of forest
cover and soils through introduction of toxic waste into soil and water bodies often leads to
health problems.
Poaching wildlife for meat to eat and sell is another factor. People in rural areas also depend
on killing of animals for survival. Some kill endangered species such as pythons and pangolin
and sell them for money to buy their basic needs.
Due to challenges in the country’s economy, there is poor technology in terms of power
generation. Zimbabwe has not yet engaged in fuel sources like solar and nuclear power at full
throttle as it still uses coal. Coal emits gases like Sulphur Dioxide, which contributes to acid
rains. These gases affect the atmosphere thereby causing global warming. Global warming
cause’s uneven patterns of rainfall that then lead to drought, thus promoting environmental
mismanagement.
Rapid growth in developing countries due to lack of knowledge on family planning puts a
strain on natural resources, which results in the degradation of the environment. Growth in
population means more demand for food, shelter and clothes, therefore more space is needed
to grow food and provide shelter for people. This results in clearing of land and loss of
biodiversity.
What does the law say about environmental mismanagement?
The Environmental law is an essential component of effective environmental management
and improvement of the quality of life that sets demands, imposes duties and creates
obligations on society for sustainable use and management and protection of the
environment.
Environmental Management Act Chapter 20:27 states that everyone has a right to a clean
environment, which is not harmful to their well-being, which is clean and safe to their health.
There are also statutory instruments that deal with the environmental management such as
Statutory Instrument 92 of 2014 concerning environmental protection in mining activities and
prospecting along streams or rivers.
The Act is also backed by-laws that are created to protect and manage the environment at
local levels and enforce the law to achieve an environment that is clean and safe for the next
generations.
