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RESEARCH PRODUCT

A DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT APPROACH TO ASSESS HOW DECENTRALISATION POLICIES MAY REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION FROM MINES IN ZAMBIA

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The economics of pollution in general and pollution control in particular is a relatively new branch of economic science. This has brought about economic and social interest due to the fact that most of the pollution is caused by economic activity such as mining. Pollution from mining has become a world-wide problem. While environmental problems vary in detail, it is a fact that mining emits damaging pollutants, a reason this study was undertaken. As a result of this, threats to the environment and human health continue to escalate. This research aimed at investigating how a Dynamic Performance Management approach, through System Dynamics, may support policy-makers and public managers in improving the usage of decentralisation policies to reduce environmental pollution from mines. The study focused on Zambia, where mining has posed challenges to the environment and the surrounding populations for a number of years without being detected or taken seriously. Taking the case for Kabwe, a town within the Central province, it was found that even in cases where the harm from pollution to human health has been known, very little has been done to curb this. In terms of public governance, the state faces new challenges of having a more efficient and effective public sector, which is able to adapt to global developments. Hence, in matters such as environmental pollution, political considerations remain at the core of every policy decision made and ultimately its implementation. One of the major elements that are used to underpin the New Public Management is decentralisation. While this has not been used successfully in the execution of policies that can create sustainable economic approaches towards mining, it still remains relevant in Zambia’s public administration. Using a Dynamic Performance Management approach, the risks or problems associated with adopting such policy measures in situations where government policy is not clearly understood and fully implemented, were studied. As a result of this, the evidence showed that implementation of any governance approach required a well-functioning public sector, which can exert pressure to be able to manage decentralisation effectively.