Federalism and Environmental Policy in Ethiopia: The Case Study of Batu City Administration in Oromia National Regional State
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Date
2018-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of this study is to assess the environmental policy in the federal system of Ethiopia
thereby to analyze the state of devolution in the environmental matters with particular reference
to Batu City administration of Oromia state. Basic research questions, including the extent of the
environmental policy decentralization and effectiveness of environmental policy implementation,
whether the environmental policy is consistent with socio-cultural values of local community and
the challenges of managing environment in the Batu city administration of Oromia The study
was carried out in Batu city administration of Oromia region. It has utilized a case study design
and a mixed research approach. The instruments used to gather the required information for the
study were questionnaire, key informant interview and focus group discussion (FGD) as well as
personal observation. The total number of respondents who took in questionnaire and key
informant interview 70 and 12 respectively; a FGD comparising eight participants was also
conducted. The obtained data through questionnaire were analyzed through simple statistics
while those obtained through key informant interview, focus group discussion and observation
were interpreted qualitatively. The major findings of the study include: Niether the regional state
nor the urban local government is empowered to effectively implement environmental policy.
There are lack of compliance between environmental legal provision and socio-cultural values of
the local community. Particularily, the development projects like floriculture have not
implemented the extant Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Consequentely, the lack of
effective EIA has detrimental human and other biotic life in and around Batu City
Administration. Hence, it is the argument of this Thesis that environmental policy making and
implementation in the federation need meaningful participation of the people, devolved
environmental power for both the regional and urban local government; and effective
implementation of EIA by investment projects like floriculture.
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Keywords
environmental policy,decentralization,policy implementation