FAQs

The Environmental Assessment Practitioners Board (EAPB)

The Environmental Assessment Practitioners Board (EAPB) provides essential
services to ensure high standards of competence, ethics, and professionalism in
environmental assessment practice in Botswana. Key services include:

• i. Registration and Certification of Practitioners
  • Assessing qualifications, professional experience, and competency requirements for environmental assessment practitioners.
  • Maintaining a register of qualified practitioners.
• ii. Regulation and Quality Assurance
  • Establishing and enforcing a Code of Conduct for practitioners.
• iii. Professional Development and Capacity Building
  • Promoting Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for environmental assessment practitioners.
  • Liaising with tertiary education institutions and relevant bodies to support the accreditation of environmental assessment programs.
• iv. Awareness and Advocacy
  • Promoting awareness of the importance and role of environmental assessment practitioners.
  • Communicating matters of public importance to relevant government departments.
• v. Policy and Advisory Services
  • Advising the Minister of Environment on matters related to environmental assessments and sustainability.

EAPB plays a crucial role in ensuring that environmental assessments in
Botswana are conducted professionally, ethically, and in alignment with
sustainable development goals.

Applicants must meet qualifications set by the EAPB under the Environmental
Assessment Act and Regulation, including the certification process.

• First-time applicants, regardless of higher degrees or experience, must first
  register as Trainee Environmental Assessment Practitioners (TEAP).
• A qualification in an Environmental Discipline – Is a key requirement
• Environmental discipline is applied to studies that focus on all aspects of the
  biophysical, biological, socio-economic and sociocultural environment & the
  principles of sustainable development.

• i. Motivation Letter
• ii. Application form
• iii. Curriculum Vitae
• iv. Mentor’s letter from a Senior/Principal Environmental Assessment Practitioner (This is applicable to TEAP applicants only)
• v. Certificates, Transcripts, ID (Omang/Passport & Work permit/Residence Permit)
• vi. BQA/line authority verification of qualification for external qualification
• vii. Minimum 3 original sealed references
• viii. Log sheet (signed by mentor for EAP applicants only)
• ix. Submit all the EA reports (EISs/EMPs/SEAs) listed in the log sheet in a compact disc (CD)
• x. Proof of payment

Registration fees are non-refundable:

• Citizens – P 250.00
• Resident of Botswana – P 500
• Non-resident – P 1’000.00

• i. Download and complete a Complaint Form from the EAPB website.
• ii. Provide supporting evidence (if any) and all relevant and additional information as may be required by the Secretariat.
• iii. Sign the completed Complaint Form and submit either by email, Registered mail or hand deliver it to the EAPB Secretariat Office.
• iv. Provide any additional information if required by the Board.
• v. Following receipt of your complaint, the Board will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within two days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
• vi. The Board through the Disciplinary Committee will review your compliant within 5 working days.
• vii. A copy of the complaint logged with the Office will be sent to the Environmental Assessment Practitioner for him/her to respond. The turnaround time for response from the Environmental Assessment Practitioner will be 5 workings from receipt of copy of compliant.
• viii. The Board through the Disciplinary Committee will then review your compliant as well as the response from the Environmental Assessment Practitioner within 5 working days from the receipt of response from the practitioner.
• ix. Provide supporting evidence (if any) and all relevant and additional information as may be required by the Secretariat.
• x. If the evidence by the complainant and supporting information does not raise a reasonable suspicion of any of the situations outlined below, the file will be closed and the outcome will be communicated to the complainant either through email or by registered mail.
• xi. The file on a matter maybe closed because the issues raised by the complainant are not of regulatory concern to EAPB and further investigation would not help resolve them.
• xii. The file on a matter maybe closed if the complainant fails to provide documents or information to support the allegations. In either case, the complainant and Environmental Practitioner will receive a letter from EAPB to advise the complainant that the file is closed. The letter will explain the reasons why the matter was closed.
• xiii. In other instances, a file on a matter may be closed after a discussion with or letter from EAPB staff about the Environmental Practitioner’s conduct.
• xiv. In either case, the complainant and the Environmental Practitioner will receive a letter from EAPB to advise the complainant that the file is closed. The letter will explain the reasons why the matter was closed.
• xv. Where the allegations against the Environmental Practitioner by the complainant is considered to be a gross misconduct, the Office will refer the matter to the Disciplinary Committee (DC) for further investigation in terms of Section 50 of the EA Act Cap 65:07.
• xvi. Note: If a complaint is directed to the DC, you will be informed.