THE Environment Management Authority (Ema) has said local authorities must come up with by-laws to protect the environment with municipal police officers having the power to enforce them.

In an interview during a capacity-building workshop with municipal police officers and officials in Kwekwe on Tuesday, Ema environmental protection director, Mr Christopher Mushava said the absence of such by-laws in some local authorities was making it difficult for municipal officers to protect the environment.

He said Ema’s engagement of local authorities was meant to ensure that councils play their role in protecting the environment.

“As you are aware, as Ema we are mandated to ensure sustainable utilisation of natural resources in the country. We cannot do this alone hence we work with various stakeholders. We have therefore, identified municipals police officers as very key in terms of environmental law enforcement at the local authority level hence this engagement,’ said Mr Mushava.

He said it was worrying to note that some local authorities were using outdated by-laws and urged councils to formulate regulations that are in tandem with current trends.

“We have noted that local authorities by-laws are outdated in terms of current and emerging environmental issues.

Also, there is a skills gap in terms of the recruitment system. When they recruit police officers, they overlook the fact that the person is going to be able to enforce environmental issues. This is the reason why we are trying to fill the gap using this workshop,” he said.

“We need local authorities to have by-laws that relate to environmental issues so much that they are able to enforce at local level. By doing so we would have increased the span of the environmental law enforcement. We want to empower and equip them with environmental issues and inculcate that they will be able to protect the environment.”

Mr Mushava said local authorities were strategic in climate change issues.

“Councils are key and strategic because they are a total system and environment is at their doorstep, they are the first line of defence in terms of environment,” he said.

The workshop, one of the many being carried out across the country, comes at a time when deforestation is at its peak with people cutting down trees either for firewood or other uses.

Mr Mushava said the rate of deforestation was worrying.

“We need to continue putting our foot on the pedal. We are putting our foot down as a department so that we see to it that cutting down of trees ends,” he said.

Municipal officers and officials who attended the two-day workshop were drawn from Kwekwe, Redcliff Municipality and Zibagwe Rural District Council.