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ENVIRONMENT
IN THE SEVENTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

(Extracted from the Brunei Darussalam Seventh National Development Plan)

INTRODUCTION

The environment is essentially made up organisms and materials that interact with one another in numerous ways. As a result of this, every action that we take will have an impact on environment. The impacts may be positive or negative. Consequently, it would therefore be logical that every individual should be responsible for protecting and minimising damage to the environment. Whilst the Government is responsible for providing environmental infras

tructure and services for the well-being of the people as well as maintaining law and order, the people, whether individually or collectively, is equally responsible for protecting the environment. In this respect, environmental awareness and education play a crucial role.

Previous Plans have provided directions for programmes and activities relating to environmental management. The Government has continued to address the need to protect and conserve the country's environment from pollution and excessive exploitation of natural resources. At the same time, efforts have been undertaken to strengthen existing administrative machinery. The National Committee on the Environment and the Environment Unit under the Ministry of Development were both created in 1993. The main aim was to achieve better coordination of environmental programmes undertaken by the various agencies.

PROGRESS, 1991-1995

State of the Environment

Human Factors

Population growth, coupled with growing trends of urbanisation, will impose increasing stress on environmental quality and natural resources utilisation.

Environmental education and awareness is crucial in environmental management. Environmental components have been integrated in the primary and secondary curricula. In addition, environmental aspects are part of extracurricular activities. Many programmes have been undertaken to promote and instill better awareness and understanding of environmental issues among the public.

The labour force is projected to increase by about 4.6 percent per annum. However, Brunei Darussalam's indigenous resource is insufficient to meet this manpower needs and therefore has to rely on imported labour, both skilled and unskilled. If these foreign workers are not provided with proper living quarters, aquatter settlements will result that can impose negative impacts on the people living within and around the area.

Institutional Mechanisms

To facilitate the implementation of the policy of maintaining a clean and healthy environment, the Government established the inter-agency National Committee on the Environment (NCE) in 1993. The Environment Unit was also established within the Ministry of Development in 1993 to serve as Secretariat to the NCE> The Unit coordinates and monitors environment-related activities. Since environmental management is a multidisciplinary and multisectoral field, many government ministries and departments are also responsible for specific sectors of the environment.

Resource Use and Conservation

Over the last two decades, a major change has occurred in the land use pattern as a result of rapid urbanisation and economic factors. This led to a dramatic increase in the urban and residential use of land, and the decline in the agriculture use.

About 97.6 percent of the country's population receive adequate water supply, while the majority in the remote areas is expected to get water supply by 2000. The gross per capita consumption increase from 783 litre per day in 1991 to 882 litre per day in 1995. Steps are being taken for the proper protection of water catchment areas and to foster public awareness on the need to conserve water resources.

The chief source of energy in Brunei Darussalam is oil and gas. Per capita energy demand is high and is estimated to be more than 300 gigajoules per person and is now increasing by about 10 percent each year. This is mainly due to the increase in the standard of living coupled with an increase in industrial activities. About 95 percent of the population is supplied by electricity. Efforts are being made to foster awareness among the public to conserve the use of electricity. Studies on alternative sources of energy have also been undertaken.

Brunei Darussalam is rich in biological diversity. Considerable achievements have been made in the protection of the country's forests and biodiversity. In the Fifth National Development Plan, the National Forestry Policy was introduced. The "reduce cut" policy was also introduced whereby logging area of natural forests has been reduced by half to only 100,000 cubic metres per year.

Development of the Kuala Belalong Fled Research Centre, the National Park in Ulu Temburong and forest recreation parks are also notable achievements.

Emphasis is also give towards the conservation of marine resources. Exploitation of fish resources is controlled through the types of fishing methods used and kinds of fish caught. Special attention is also being given to the protection of coral reefs and mangroves which service as important habitats for marine life. An artificial reef programme has been established since 1985. Mangroves are important for erosion control; fishery nursery grounds; nutrient enrichment; as well as for education, research and recreation. Although found in great abundance in several parts of the coast, mangroves are increasingly being threatened due to urban development, illegal cutting of protective fringe mangroves and the harvesting of mangroves reserves without proper silvicular safeguards.

Water Quality

In general, estimated Biological Oxygen (BOD) load from various sources of water pollution is relatively low thus indicating a tolerable level of pollution. Domestic waste which comprises sewage, detergents and solid wastes is the largest source of water pollution in Brunei Darussalam and contributes about 50 percent of the total discharge to the environment. Other sources of pollution include industrial wastewater, livestock wastes and surface runoff from the urban areas. Uncontrolled land clearing and quarrying activities coupled with absence of soil conservation measure have contributed towards higher sedimentation in rivers and drainage courses. In the Sixth Plan, $82.3 million was allocated for upgrading of the sewerage system and further $105.6 million for drainage improvements. A vacuum sewerage system was introduced for two kampungs in Kampung Ayer in the fourth year of the Plan.

Solid Waste Management

Solid waste management has been identified as a significant problem in the country. Solid waste generation rate has been estimated to be 1 kg/capita/day and is likely to increase in the future. Solid wastes generated in Brunei Darussalam mainly consist of paper products (33 percent), food wastes (25 percent), plastics (16 percent), metals (14 percent), glass (5 percent), and others (7 percent). Plastics, in particular, pose a significant pollution problem. As plastics degrade very slowly, plastic wastes will accumulate in the environment. The current consumer preference for plastic products will result in their increased use in the future, thereby worsening the problem. Collection and disposal systems are in place but problems are evident by the occurrences of indiscriminate dumping in housing areas and roadsides. Limitations in manpower resources and technical capabilities have resulted in poorly managed landfills which present potential environmental and health hazards. Efforts are being undertaken to promote the concept of 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' or the '3Rs' which comprises the following steps; first, reduce the quantities of materials used; second reuse existing materials; and finally, recycle used materials.

Air Quality

The main sources of air pollution are vehicle exhaust emissions, industrial emissions, open burning and construction activities. Vehicle emission levels will also rise with the increase in vehicular population from 134,903 in 1991 to 160,469 in 1994 and further increases are expected in the future. In the absence of intensive industrial activities, vehicle emissions is seen as the predominant source of air pollution. Lack of regular and systematic monitoring has made it difficult to assess the actual status of air quality. Ad hoc studies have been undertaken which indicate the levels of air pollutants (sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide) are relatively low. Efforts are being undertaken to reduce the use of chlorofiorocarbon (CFC) and halon in air-conditioning and fire prevention systems. Lead emissions from vehicles have been reduced with the introduction of unleaded fuel in January 1993 achieving penetration of 50 percent by the end of the Plan. Noise pollution, mostly generated by construction activities and air craft movement, is still insignificant.

 PROSPECTS AND PROGRAMMES, 1996 - 2000

Policy Objectives and Strategies

Sustainable development will continue to play an important role in the Seventh Plan. The National Environment Strategy has been formulated and will provide the basis for policies and action for the period 1996 - 2000 and beyond.

In line with the vision "Towards a Better Quality Environment", the policy objectives on environment for the seventh plan are as follows.

• Maintain sustainable utilisation of natural resources;
• Minimise negative impacts on the environment arising from population growth and human activities; and
• Balanced goals of socio-economic development and the need to sustain sound environmental quality.

To achieve the above objectives, the policy directions and strategies, which are based on the National Environment Strategy, are as follows:

• Raise environment consciousness;
• Integrate environmental dimensions in economic planning and development;
• Improve environmental and natural resources assessment and information database;
• Strengthen urban and rural environment improvement programmes;
• Enhance environmental quality;
• Protect vulnerable ecosystems, habitats and biodiversity;
• Protect coastal and marine environmental resources; and
• Strengthen regional and international cooperation.

Specific programmes of action for each of the above strategy have been identified. Specific projects will be developed and implemented such as water quality monitoring programme for Sungai Brunei and other water catchments areas, plan for clean-up and rehabilitation of Sungai Brunei, the creation of new landfill areas, diversification of private sector involvement in solid waste management including privatisation of waste incineration.

 ALLOCATION

A total of $59.7 million has been allocated in the Seventh Plan for the implementation of environment-related projects which are consistent with the strategies outlined above. Among the projects approved for implementation are Wildlife Resource Inventory of Brunei Forests. Tropical Forest Biodiversity Development. Disused Land Area Rehabilitation, creation of new landfill areas and improvement of solid waste disposal system.

CONCLUSION

Much has been done to maintain a clean and healthy environment in Brunei Darussalam. However, there are signs that the environment is being subjected to increasing stress due in part to increasing urbanisation and other development processes. Inadequate control and monitoring of environmental quality could accelerate environmental deterioration. In order to realise a better quality environment, strong emphasis will be given towards maintaining sustainable utilisation of natural resources, minimising negative environmental impacts as a result of population growth and human activities, and balancing socio-economic development goals as well as sustaining sound environmental quality. Success in these areas is very dependent in the ability to strike a balance between development and environment as well as the positive actions and commitment shown by all parties concerned. The Government will continue to monitor and address environmental issues and problems, with particular attention given to promotion of environmental awareness and education to all sectors of population as well as strengthening administrative framework.