FAO South-South Cooperation Gateway

Assessment and Environmental Control Agency - OEFA

Address
Avenida República de Panamá N° 3542 San Isidro
Country
Peru
Areas of expertise
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIOENERGY
Mandate, main activities of the institution and competencies

The Environmental Assessment and Control Agency (OEFA) is a specialized public technical agency, attached to the Ministry of the Environment, responsible for environmental control and ensuring the right balance between private investment in economic activities and environmental protection. The OEFA is also the governing body of the National Environmental Assessment and Control System (Sinefa).

The OEFA was created in 2008 through Legislative Decree No. 1013 - Legislative Decree approving the Law on Creation, Organization and Functions of the Ministry of the Environment, and began its activities of direct environmental control in 2010.

The environmental audit carried out by the OEFA is a macro-process integrated by the following functions:

The evaluation function: includes s urveillance and monitoring of the quality of the environment and its components (water, air, soil, flora and fauna). In addition, it involves the identification of environmental liabilities of the hydrocarbons subsector.

The function of direct supervision: contemplates the verification of the fulfillment of auditable environmental obligations. It also includes the power to issue preventive measures, mandates of a particular nature and requirements for the updating of environmental management instruments.

The inspection and sanction function: includes investigation of the commission of possible administrative infractions, and the imposition of sanctions, precautionary and corrective measures.

The incentive application function: through which the Register of Good Environmental Practices is administered and incentives are granted to promote over-compliance with environmental regulations.

To date, the OEFA has been responsible for mining (medium and large-scale mining), energy (hydrocarbons and electricity), fisheries (industrial fish processing and aquaculture) and manufacturing (beer, paper, cement, tannery, metal smelting, biofuel, beverage processing, sugar processing and others).

The other economic activities are under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Inspection Entities (EFA) at national, regional or local level, which make up the Sinefa. With respect to these entities, the OEFA exercises a normative function and a supervisory role to the EFA.

With regard to Modified Living Organisms (MLOs), the OEFA is competent for monitoring, controlling, supervising and sanctioning compliance with inspection obligations related to the release of MLOs.

The environmental audit carried out by the OEFA promotes effective environmental protection through transparency, citizen participation and training in environmental auditing. To this end, it has the National Environmental Complaints Information Service (SINADA) through which every citizen can file a complaint regarding facts that could constitute environmental infractions and carries out various workshops, forums, among other academic spaces addressed to the general population .

The efficient environmental control of the OEFA creates and strengthens trust between the population and companies. The early identification of non-compliance with environmental regulations prevents the generation of socio-environmental conflicts, and in those cases where conflicts persist, OEFA plays an important role in the management of these conflicts, providing technical information in the spaces for dialogue, facilitating the adoption of agreements.

Competencies:

Environmental Topics

Summary of the activities during the last two years

• Provision / supply expertise / knowledge to other countries or institutions:

• Remediation of soil in the Amazon

• Specialized training in Environmental Assessments

• Training in monitoring procedures

• Training on the procedure for the identification of environmental liabilities in the hydrocarbons subsector

• Exchange of experiences in determining penalties to discourage non-compliance with environmental obligations

  • Type of contribution (material / services / training to other countries or institutions):):
    • ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
    • INTEGRATED ENVIORNMENTAL ASSESSMENT
    • PARTICIPATORY ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
    • IDENTIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES
    • METHODOLOGY OF PENALTY CALCULATION
  • Collaboration with FAO and other institutions and organizations:
  • Dissemination of knowledge: conferences, meetings and publications: workshops, events and publications.
Legal status and Government arrangements of the institutions
  • Legal situation and government regulations about the institution: specialized technical body under the Ministry of Environment
  • Arrangements with the Government - specialized technical agency under the Ministry of Environment
Potential activities through SSC

• Potential Methods: Internship classroom, classroom workshops and training courses

• Potential activities: Internship face, classroom workshops and training courses

Name and details of the head of the institution
  • Chairman of the Consultive Board, Tessy Torres Sánchez
  • Tel: 204-9283
  • Email: [email protected]
Focal points
  •  Deputy Director of Environmental Quality Assessment, Abg. Ady Rosin Chinchay Tuesta
  • Tel: 713-1553 Anexo 106
  • Email: [email protected]