THE National Environment Management Council (NEMC) needs to address the challenges posed by rapid urbanization through better land use planning, the government has declared.

Hamad Yusuf Masauni, the Union and Environment state minister in the Vice President’s Office (VPO), issued this appeal yesterday when inaugurating the 9th NEMC board of directors, chaired by Mwanasha Tumbo, who last served as Coast regional administrative secretary.

Unplanned urban expansion is engendering congestion, pollution, water scarcity, poor waste systems, the destruction of natural water sources and disfiguring coastal zones, he said.

The board needs to convene meetings in line with legal requirements and to implement strategic plans for sustainable funding of council operations, he elaborated, asking the board to work closely with the NEMC management to deliver results and strengthen environmental oversight across the country.

Stressing the need for public environmental education, he said that many citizens lack awareness and are unknowingly engaging in harmful practices such as deforestation, bush burning and indiscriminate waste disposal.

“Ensure NEMC becomes the leading agency in environmental management and is fully equipped to address challenges like climate change, global warming, erratic rainfall and disasters such as floods and droughts,” he specified.

Dr Immaculate Semesi, the NEMC director general, said the council is conducting surveys, coordinating research to inform environmental policy and action.

NEMC regularly reviews Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports and recommends certification for development projects in compliance with national standards, she stated.

“NEMC identifies projects requiring environmental assessments, oversees compliance with national environmental quality standards, and develops safeguards to prevent or mitigate environmental damage,” she explained.

The council also promotes public education, develops environmental management guidelines and offers professional advice to agencies working in natural resource and environmental conservation, she added.