A National
Commission for Environmental Affairs (NCEA) was established in 1990 to: i)
advise the government on environmental policies; ii) act as a coordinating body
for environmental affairs; and iii) promote environmentally sound sustainable
development. The NCEA was reorganized into the National Environmental Conservation
Committee (NECC) in April 2011 based on Notification No.21/2011, (20/04/2011)
of the Office of the President. The NECC is considered responsible for guiding
national activities to tackle climate change-related problems. Furthermore, the
NECC manages and coordinates all climate change related activities in Myanmar,
including the development of climate change related policies and strategies and
corresponding programmes of action (e.g. NAPA). The overarching responsibilities of the NECC are:
- To take actions to prevent environmental damage and ensure environmental sustainability;
- To supervise and oversee rehabilitation activities in relevant areas based on the magnitude and intensity of impacts caused by government projects and activities or commercial and private activities;
- To participate in and promote actions towards international collaboration & cooperation relating to environmental conservation;
- To approve activities on Urban Management Planning;
- To facilitate and negotiate among government agencies and institutions to find solutions to environmental problems;
- To organize Special Task Force(s) with ToRs to implement conservation activities effectively and efficiently, if necessary;
- To take actions on task and duties given by Cabinet.
The NECC is
allowed to undertake the following activities & actions to fulfil these
responsibilities:
- Conducting various types of awareness campaigns;
- Coordinating with relevant departments to amend or add environmental conservation in the curriculum of the National Education System;
- Receiving donations (funds and materials/equipment) from national and international sources and managing these for environmental protection & conservation;
- Advocating and providing recommendations to government agencies and institutions;
- Requesting proposals and comments from government agencies and institutions in order to promote environmental conservation;
- Prohibiting activities of government agencies and institutions which do or could cause environmental damage and debriefing the President’s Office to develop corresponding policies;
- Prescribing National Environmental Policy and other environmental related policies with approval of the President;
- Issuing Notifications, Orders and Instructions with approval of the President, if necessary.
The NECC is in a position to establish working committees at the
Union Level and sub-committees at the State & Division levels. This
includes the development of corresponding ToRs. The NECC submits reports to the
Cabinet when appropriate. The composition of the NECC is as follows:
- Chairman: Union Minister, MoECaF
- Vice Chairman: Union Minister, President Office
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)
- Member: Deputy Minister, MoAI
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Construction (MoC)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport (MoT)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (MoHT)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry No.1 (MoI)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry No.2 (MoI)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Rail Transport (MoRT)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy (MoE)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Electrical Power No.1 (MoEP)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Electrical Power No.2 (MoEP)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education (MoE)
- Member: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health (MoH)
- Member: Director General, General Administrative Department, MoHA
- Member: Director General, Department of Development Affairs, Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development (MNPED)
- Member: Director General, Directorate of Water Resources & Improvement of River Systems, Ministry of Transport (MoT)
- Secretary: Director General, Planning and Statistic Department, MoECAF
- Joint Secretary: Director of President Office
