ZEMA says environmental impact assessments costs, timelines cut in major push for sustainable development

Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) says it has slashed costs and shortened approval timelines, a development described as a major overhaul to promote sustainable development and spur local investment.

The changes are anchored in the Environmental Management Act (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, Statutory Instrument (SI) 3 of 2026, which took effect on January 9, 2026, according to ZEMA’s acting Director-General Karen Etondo.

She called the reforms a “game-changer,” especially for artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which has long faced high formalization costs.

Speaking at a PlanetGold Zambia Project media breakfast on Tuesday in Lusaka, Etondo announced that the review period for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) has been shortened from 45 to 30 working days—a 33 percent reduction that is expected to accelerate project implementation nationwide.

Etondo noted that last year ZEMA approved 1,411 development projects across five key sectors, and the agency aims to surpass that trajectory with the streamlined processes.

To improve access for local entrepreneurs, ZEMA has reduced statutory review fees, lowering the maximum from K1 million to K600,000 and reducing the minimum from K17,000 to between K3,000 and K4,000.

“One major barrier to formalizing the sector has been the cost of the EIA process. We hope these new fees will encourage more formalization and broader entry into the sector,” she said.

Etondo also reported that, in the past year, ZEMA prosecuted four companies for environmental violations, resulting in fines totaling K710,000.

She emphasized that none of the prosecuted entities were from the ASGM sector, a development the agency views as a positive shift toward compliance.

On the PlanetGold Project, Etondo highlighted a marked reduction in the use of toxic mercury in Zambia’s small-scale gold mining operations.

During the same event, Brighton Kateka, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, said the government, in collaboration with district ASGM committees, was working to raise awareness of inclusive mining in areas with low female participation.

He noted that misconceptions persist, including the belief that gold disappears when women work at mining sites, which continues to hinder inclusion.

PlanetGold Project National Manager, Abigail Mwailenge, reported that the initiative had formed 28 cooperatives at ASGM sites where it operates and has conducted geological feasibility studies across 10 sites. Mwailenge added that the project will pilot mercury-free processing systems in Chisamba and Mpika.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.