UNEP undertakes institutional assessments of capacity gaps and priorities of Government institutions for improving environmental management in the oil and gas sector. The standardized assessment template covers all aspects of environmental management in the oil and gas sector, including policy/legal/regulatory frameworks, Environmental Impact Assessment process, waste and water management, biodiversity issues and environmental data management, emissions to air, and emergency preparedness and response.
Key findings and recommendations are presented as the country’s “Road Map” for long-term capacity development on environmental management in the sector. Findings help inform Norway’s OfD Country Programming, as well as provide a reference point for establishing dialogue with international development partners and mobilizing additional resources.
UNEP initiates a systematic checklist and carries out extensive stakeholder consultations and undertakes field visits. Each CNA process is tailored to the country’s specific context and needs and the focus and scope are determined with Government consultation. Since 2017, UNEP has carried out capacity needs assessments and developed “Road Maps” in the following countries:
- Uganda - Undertaken in 2017, UNEP is currently in process of updating the CNA report for completion in 2022
- Iraq (2018) - with a focus on the institutional capacities of the Ministry of Environment and in areas impacted by the recent ISIL conflict where there is oil and gas production
- Mozambique (2019)
- Colombia - Undertaken in 2019-2020, UNEP is currently in process of updating the Colombia CNA report for completion in 2022
- Somalia – with a focus on national environmental legal and policy review (2021-2022)
- Ghana (planned for 2023)
