EVALUATION ENVIRONNEMENTALE ET TOURISMEPROGRAMME DE FORMATION

TOURISM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTTRAINING PROGRAM

Coordination :Martine DELMAS-FERRE

Nasser EDDINE SAID ALISitti ATTOUMANI

Victoire ANDRIATAHIANA

Janvier 1999

MAURITIUS

INTRODUCTION

Report Objectives :

This report is a contribution to Tourism Environment Assessment Guidelines for the SEACAM countries.

This report is included in the objectives of the Regional Environment Project ( Countries of Indian OceanCommission ) : Integrated Coastal Zone Management approach.

The aim of this report is also to improve environmental evaluation in tourism developments in Mauritius.

Links between Tourism and Environment are very obvious in all the countries, but more importantly on asmall island and a developing country, such as Mauritius, where tourism is a major part of economicdevelopment.

All the island can be considered as a coastal zone, because many causes of environmental degradation comefrom the whole island to the seaside and the lagoon.Given the type of tourism - beach tourism - all the developments are concentrated on the seaside in a veryfragile ecosystem.

In Mauritius, the environmental issues are more important, because of the strong economic development :Industry, Sugar Cane…Consequently, Tourism is one of the causes of environmental degradations on the coastal zone, although notthe most important, and the serious environmental impacts of Industry and Agriculturehave negative consequences on tourism.

This report contains 4 sections :

- Context of Mauritius : Tourism Situation, State of the Environment, Tourism and Environment. - Analysis of existing tools for Environmental Evaluation ,

- Proposal for improvements of Evaluation Tools,

- Case study : Ile aux deux cocos.

I - CONTEXT OF MAURITIUS

Strong economic development on a small territory is generating threats on environment.

In a developing country, there is often a gap between development and prevention or correction measures.In Mauritius, we have very fast development simultaneously causing numerous problems, a lack of humanresources and frequent undeserved privileges.

Various conflicts of interest on a small space, particularly on the coastal zone, between various activities.

1 TOURISM IN MAURITIUS

A seaside tourism : all the touristic hotels and private bungalows are on the beach or very close to it.

Hotel industry facilities with 94 hotel units, totaling 7 000 rooms…

Tourist arrivals in 1997 : 536 125 persons, for about 1 180 000 inhabitants .

The average length of stay is 9 –10 days ; touristic population is not exceeding 50 000 persons.

An important economic weight (10 milliards roupies in 1997 ), among the 3 pillars of the economy alongwith the sugar sector and industry (especially textile).Added value : 3 650 000 Rs, soit 4,9 % of GDP.

In 1997, there were 15 425 direct employments in Tourism Sector and about 50 000 indirect employments.Tourism in Mauritius is constantly increasing : increase of 9,6 % between 1996 and 1997, and14, 9 % between 1995 and 1996.

In 1997, a Tourism carrying capacity study shows the possibility for Mauritius to absorb 9000 roomsmaximum for 700 000 à 750 000 tourists, without threat on physical and social environment.

However, in political declarations Mauritus is waiting for 1 000 000 to 1 200 000 tourists, and are ready togive development permits for reach these numbers, taking into account only the foreseeable evolution of themarket.

Main problems :

- Implementation of a tourism policy concerning carrying capacity, - Decrease of tourism quality :

. More and more private bungalows, which actually represent about 35 % of lodging facilities and whichhave a negative quality-price relation.

. Quality of global environment is decreasing according to the tourists and the tours operators perception :very bad quality of buildings, solid wastes, loss of vegetation, dead coral in the lagoon, and waterquality of the lagoon…

Conflicts of interest in the coastal zone

. access to the seaside and to the public beaches is decreasing, although more and more Mauritians aregoing to the beach,

. growth of urbanization in the coastal zone, for tourism and urban development : actually 30 % ofpopulation live in the coastal zone (40 % if Port-Louis is included ).

2 - STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Given the size of this Island, all the causes of environmental degradation have an effect on the costal zone,where most of tourist areas are located.

2.1 Main Issues

- Unloading of liquid and solid wastes are the main causes of environmental degradation.

. Unloads from textile industry : many factories are located in coastal areas, without treatment plants,even the factories concentrated in industrial zones.

. Unloads from residential areas (40 % in the coastal zone).

. Unloads from tourist areas, concentrated in 3 sectors on the coastal zone.

- Unload of nutrients from sugar cane which covers about 60 % of the territory.

- Coastal erosion :

. Building on the shoreline (and jetties, seawalls,…),

. Sand extraction,

. Deforestation on coastal zone without replanting,

. Degradation of coral reef (by fishing, water sports, water pollution…)

These impacts can be reversible or improved if implement master plans.More improvement for hotels than for bungalows, because it is possible to impose regulation throught theEIA.

Certain impacts are irreversible, such as buildings (hotels, bungalows, restaurants) on the shoreline (unlikelydémolition ) generating erosion and restrictive access to the seaside.

It is too late for existing buildings on the shoreline, but in the future, it is possible to stop these constructionsand to improve the situation by pulling down small structures, such as jetties, walls…etc

2.2 Taking environmental problems into account

Awareness since about 10 years (first NEAP in 1988), but with few actions, creating a gap between theexisting tools for environmental management and the actual degradation.This awareness is also a result of international pressure : financial organizations, tours operators…

Environment is taking into account in various texts :

- Environmental Guidelines, - Environmental Legislation (including EIA),- Tourism Guidelines,- Planning schemes for coastal areas, integrating environmental aspects,- Many sector-based studies,- EIA committee (including several Ministries),- Environment Advisory Council and Permanent Committees (tourism, beaches, wildlife, natural park…)

including representatives of public and private sectors,- Public consultation for improvement of EIA,- Environmental education,- NGO involved in Environment,

However :

- Lack of basic data to make evaluations easier, because monitoring (water quality for example) wasrecently implemented.

- No approbation and no use in making-decision of some important evaluation tools, such as« environmentally sensitive areas », « planning schemes for coastal zone », « planning guideline forcoastal zone….

- No consultation in decision-making : Committees (such as EAC), NGO specializing in environmentalissues,

- Political consideration .

3 - TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENT

3.1 Main impacts of tourism on environment

3-1-1 Negative impacts, in order

Tourism is among several causes of very important environmental degradation such as the textile andagricultural industries, but its effects are not negligible, because :

- The rapid growth of this sector, and also the rapid growth of urbanization in the coastal zone, composedof bungalows for tourists and new residential areas (low and high class) which are punctually rented totourists. Seaside attractiveness has been boosted by tourism.

- The concentration of touristic structures in 3 areas of the coastal zone, more than the economic scale and

minimal animation would require ; a ribbon coastal development restricting the public access to thebeaches.

The main impact is on the lagoon : unload of waste water discharge and oil spill from the boats. According to the waste water regulations, only large hotels (more than 75 rooms) are obliged tohave a treatment plant ; however, their system is not always efficient and the other hotels (majority)unload waste water directly in the lagoon. Watersports activities are not yet regulated. Tourism is also accelerating coastal erosion :

. by building too close to the water : buildings, jetties, seawalls, walls…and also all infrastructures linkedto tourism development : roads, transport and energy services, public amenities…

. by deforestation ; replanting in landscaping optic, not in anti-erosive optic. Visual impact by some hotels and particularly by new bungalows, rapidly built without concern forimmediate and general environment and without no concern for real tourists motivations . Socio-economic impacts : . Drecrease of public access for mauritian population,

. Influences on values and way of life, . Increase in prices, . Increase of import and influences on commercial balance.

3-1-2 Positive impacts of tourism

- On physical environment, because tourism development has obliged the Government to take

environment into consideration ,

Tourism also allowed harmonious development on the coast ( landscaping, interesting architecture, cleanareas…) which serve for as many examples for the operators. This is especially true for the hotel complexes, produced by external operators.

- The most positive impact is economic : direct and indirect employment, effects on all economic sectors :fishing, agricultural, services… ; large entrance of currency into the country.

- The social impact : open-mindedness, often good contact with Europeans, contrary to the relations with

the local population of european origin, which give them another image of themselves. Conversely, environmental degradation due to other economic sectors has a very negative impact on tourismdevelopment : industry, agriculture, fishing, urbanization, sand extraction… Indeed on a short term basis, the visible impacts will create a negative impact on the tourism image (andthus, the arrivals) :

. landscape destruction caused by anarchic urbanization and very unesthetic buildings (in a European ‘sopinion in any case),

. industrial and domestic trash piles,

. progressive disappearance of natural spaces on the seaside,

. water quality of the lagoon and dead coral (noticed by a large number of tourists),

. decrease in relational qualities due to the number of tourists as well as to the change of socio-economicstructure.

On a long term basis : coastal erosion, coral reef degradation… More and more projects in areas that were formerly inaccessible, very fragile, notably islets aroundthe main island and areas that were declared public beaches or in the process of being declaredpublic, because interesting areas for tourism developments are becoming rare. In short : - Recent, but very strong awareness,- Lot of expert evaluations, but little support because of lack of technico-scientific data,- Beginning of monitoring, particularly for the lagoon,- No systematic implementation of the guidelines,- A reflexion for coastal zone integrated management, but not yet expressed in implemented texts, 3.2 Consider environmental aspects in tourism projects - Many Tourism studies, but partially obsolete, because the rapid growth of tourism sector, in spite of

impacts evaluations and recommended limitation… - No specific standards in the guidelines, - No specific regulations for the coastal zone, - Introduction labellisation (Green Globe Certification).

II - EXISTING TOOLS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION

1 - EXISTING LEGISLATION

1-1 Environment Protection Act – 1991 , approved in 1993.

This Act gives the Minister the possibility to establish regulations, particularly for :

- « National Environmental Standards », but in 1998 they have not yet been established.

- « Costal and Maritime Zone Management «, but no specific regulations exist for Coastal Zone, and thedefinition is very restrictive : 81 meters from high water mark.

- « Environmental Impact Assessment « , really implemented in 1995.

1-2 Sectorial laws :

Many sectorial laws provide possibility to take environment into consideration , such as :Waste Water Act, Public Health Act, Fisheries Act, Morcellement Act, building Act… and more general :Town and Country Planning Act, Local Government Act…

2 - EXISTING GUIDELINES General Guideline : National Physical Development Plan, approved in 1993. Tourism : Tourism Development Impaact Assessment and Policy formulation, carried out in 1992, neverapproved, And Tourism Carrying Capacity, carried out in 1997, never approved. Environment : Guidelines : State of the the environment (1991), Vision 2020 : National Long-Term Prerspective Study ( 1994), Many sectorial studies, Environmentally sensitive areas ( 1993 ), never completed, Action Plans : National Environment Action Plan (NEAP I in 1988) and NEAP II under study ; Master Plan for Public Beaches in 1997 (not yet approved), Management plan for islets around Mauritius, Regional planning : tourist northern coast and west coast (not approved). 3 - PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF EIA - EIA IN THE TOURISM FIELD

Since the beginning of the EIA implementation, 27 hôtels have submitted an EIA (mainlyextensions) ; also some projects in the lagoon, such as the water skiing lane nautic at Maritim Hotel,the artificial beach of Touessrok Hotel, the Golf course for Ile aux Cerfs…

Reactions to EIA : by NGOs (FoE, MSDA, ACIM , MWAF ), fishermen, newspapers .Main reaction concerning limited access to the local population, then deforestation, elimination ofspecies to protect and pollution risks fot the lagoon.

The list of projects submitted to EIA is not exhaustive and not detailed enough.The size, location and precise nature of the project are never taken into account.There is no guideline for each type of project, with criteria and standards.

Weak diagnostic : rather a description of the actual state of the environment (physical environment),given in figures, notations carried out during the EIA study, without interpretation and resultsanalysis.

No precise expert stands concerning impacts, especially long-term impacts.

Thus, difficulty for the decision-makers to apprehend the reality of the impacts (not all the requiredskills….Very few corrective measures proposed and never a non feasibility conclusion, but this is related tothe petioner’s payment for the study.

Lack of reference to the existing guidelines, whether they be approved or not.Socio-economic aspects often low, or even noexistant.

EIA is especially produced by engineers, rarely by multidisciplinary teams (it is also a cost problem).

Lack of human ressources for control of recommendations.

4 - ANALYSIS OF THE STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES OF THESE EVALUATION TOOLS :

4.1 The strengths

- Many sectorial studies and plans are available and sufficiently recent to be used by the decision-makers. - Some NGO specialized Environment in Mauritius and reacted during public consultation, also the press. - Professionals in Mauritius (not enough), - Public information in newspapers, - Existence of Environment Appeal Court, - Interministeriel Committee for examining EIA (coordination is underway), - Appeal to public opinion and professionals to amend EIA regulations.

4.2 The weaknesses

Most of the hotels have been built without environmental evaluation,

- Application of procedure :

. Exemption for public projects.

. List of projects submitted to the EIA : incomplete and not detailed enough, no distinctions according tosize, character and project location.

- Contents of EIA study :

. No listing of aspects to be included in EIA study.

. No national environmental standards.

. Few basic data (beginning of monitoring).

. Lack of reference to existing guidelines (approved or not).

. Lack of alternative proposals.

. Socio-economic analysis is still very weak.

- Expertise :

. There is not a list of professionals, approved by Ministry ( some consultants are not qualified).

. Consultants are not very independant : paid by the operator, they have a tendancy to justify the projectby any means .

. The Ministry lacks of competent human ressources to examine EIA.

- Consultation :

. Timelength is too short (15 days).

. There is not a publication of the decision, to know the appeal delay.

- Decision :

. Administration does not listen to petitioner and/or his consultant,

. No NGO or external experts on EIA Committee ,

. Too much DoE and Ministerial power in relation to the Environment Officers expertise,

. No DoE response time limit.

III - PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THESE EVALUATION TOOLS

1 - INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL PROPOSALS

- Approval of useful regulatory texts for environmental evaluation, thus becoming legally opposable.

- Review EIA Committee composition.

- Quickly amend EIA regulations taking all opinions given public consultation into account .

- Specific regulations for the coastal zone.

- Review of Town and Country Planning Act for integration of environmental issues and emphasize thesensitive ares where is mandatory, whatever the project size and nature.

- Implementation of detailed schemes by Districts and Municipalities, in order to implement the EIAprocedure for according to the zoning.

- More institutional coordination between Ministry of Environment and of Ministry of Land and Town and

Country Planning.

2 - IMPROVEMENT OF PROCEDURE

- Review of listing projects which have to be sumitted to EIA : complete the list of projects and introducecriteria of size (height and surface), nature and location.

- Public Projects submitte to EIA, - Project categorization for various EIA levels : DoE screening :

. First category : small projects not submitted to EIA, only DoE zoning verification (examples : chickencoops with limited sizes, or residential parcel divisions according to the land area and location…

. Second category : mi-sized projects, submitted to a simplified EIA procedure, even produced by DoE,with the possibility of requesting technical advice from an external expert about specific points.

. Third category : large projects submitted to a detailed EIA procedure.

- Implementation of an environmental audit for existing structures ; for tourism sector, specify the hotelsize and the variouds infrastructures linked to tourism. This audit could also be implemented for projects that are underway, those for which ceertain aspectswere not studied or those where an unexpected problem arose.

- Referral obligation to the existing guidelines, even if not yet in force. - Formulation and approval of the guideline for environmentally sensitive areas, which would be an

excellent evaluation tool particularly for the coastal zone which is concerned in nearly all the tourismprojects and which would be integrated into the coastal zone management.

- Proponent and his consultant hearing before the EIA Committee. - Increase the consultation time period to one month and limit the Ministry’s response time to a maximum

of 3 to 4 months. - Inform a larger audience, on the project site, by radio and TV…with a comprehensible manner for the

public. EIA contents : - Guidelines for each type of project, with following complements :

. socio-economic aspects, . landscaping . rehabilitation of physical environment after project achievement, . if necessary, proposal of alternative solutions or modifications of initial project, . directs et indirects impacts (élargir le champ d’étude).

Control : - Usage of Local authorities personnel (Districts, Municipalities), to enforce recommendations carried out

in the EIA.

IV - CASE STUDY : HOTEL ON « ILE DES DEUX COCOS »

This case is a good example of an EIA which don’t reach its objectives.

A luxurious hotel on a small islet (4 ha) very close to the beach, in Blue Bay area, where a marinepark is decided since 1975.

In this bay, where the marine and coastal ressources are very important (among the most beautifullagoon of Mauritius), the pressure on environment is alreday strong : hotels, bungalows,morcellement, ski lane, numerous boats, very much frequented public beach…

In 1990, a first project of 75 suites (equivalent to 150 rooms) had obtain the development permitand the authorization of the Ministry of Environment , giving specific conditions in relation to themarine park.This project is abandoned ; in 1993, the EIA regulation is approved ; in 1995, a new project isproposed by a new company, the EIA report is submitted in january 1996, but the EIA licence is notgiven by the Ministry of Environment.In 1997, this company refers to the Environment Appeal Court, and recently the State Law Officedecide to give the authorization for the first project !… « because the first permit is valid ! « .A development permit is normally given to a company for a specific project ; this company doen’texist now !

Also, this decision don’t take into account the existing guidelines for the islets management :

environment preservation and rehabilitation, restriction for leasing to private sector…

The new project was more friendly for the Environment, because of the number of rooms, ((100rooms + 10 suites), not spreading on all the islet, providing a base on the mainland (commonspaces), and more attention to the infrastructures : impact of the boat access and impact of networks(waste water, water supply, electricity, telephone…) was analyzed.

However, an hotel on this islet is not good for the environment :. Risks of waste water discharge, if there is some problem of maintenance or accident,. Increase of boats in the bay : discharge of oil spill.

These causes will have a direct effect on the lagoon : water pollution and destruction of submarinelife.Building very near the water is a cause of accelerating erosion.There is also a negative socio-economic impact for the fishermen in this area.