The Conservation Strategy of Ethiopia (CSE), a project under the Environment Protection Authority (EPA)-has recently organized a half-day workshop in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation and the Ethiopian Private Industries Association (EPIA). Business executives from both private and public enterprises attended the workshop whose theme has been the "Significance of Environmental Protection to Economic Development". The workshop, which was held at the Imperial Hotel, especially focused on the industrial sector. "Considering only the cost of extraction and neglecting the cost of refurbishment are accounting systems which completely underestimated the value of nature," said

EPIA president Berhane Mewa, one the speakers at the workshop. He underscored the need for a shift towards nature friendly actions. Understanding nature and concern for environment for a healthy life and sustainable economic development are central to the aims of the workshop.

 According to Berhane, in Ethiopia a shift in environmental thinking requires increased awareness at the level of grassroots, professional and policy makers. Berhane says lack of awareness at the grassroots level is not more critical than absence of alternatives in Ethiopia. Farmers do not have alternatives for firewood and logs to build their houses. As long as replacements are on offer in the form of modern technology environmental crisis likely to be caused at the grassroots level could easily be solved.

In the case of professional awareness, Berhane emphasized commitment and enforcement of regulations towards a healthy development of industrial economy. Professionals should rethink maintaining sustainable industrial development though the provision of new technologies and reducing effluent emission so as to protect the environment.

As regards policy makers, there seems to be an issue requiring their utmost attention. Berhane said: "It's time we should look into the various policies of Ethiopia. {For instance,} the land policy should be revisited." He meant that the policy needed adjustment in such a way as to contribute for environmental protection and sustainable development.

Dr. Tewolde Berhan G/Egziabher, general manager of EPA said there has been traditional animosity between business and environment, but this outlook is changing. He appreciated initiatives taken by business firms in Addis Ababa to minimize industrial emission. If business enterprises are serious about protecting the environment,

there will be a healthy atmosphere in the future, according to Dr. Tewolde. CSE project director Worku Damena, another speaker at the workshop, said Ethiopia is struggling to find ways to generate wealth and develop its economy to meet basic needs of its growing population. Since early 1990s, Ethiopia has been designing and implementing for stabilization of structural adjustment plans.

Economic liberalization aims at increasing exports, opening up trade and investment and strengthening market forces including the private sector. Ethiopia is an agricultural economy and, of course, dependent on natural resources. He said:

"Careless or unwise use of these resources is, therefore, not affordable to Ethiopia as it has a direct effect on productivity, health and sustainability. 

The way forward, he said, should be sustainable economic development. "But it requires determination and commitment to introduce and implement the right policies and programme. It also demands the active involvement of all sectors of the society."

Worku told the workshop that broad-based citizen participation is essential to any environmental management system. Effectiveness of environmental polices and laws depended largely on the action and participation of the private sector. Hence, business organizations need to incorporate environmental considerations into their operations.

According to Worku, activities, products and services of both public and private enterprises place a strain on the environment. In turn, the volume and quality of these activities, products and services depend on the quality and

sustainability of the environment. Environmental care is one of the best guarantees of long-term economic success.

Worku said it would have been a lost opportunity for Ethiopia if it had followed the pattern of the developed world-"pollution first, treatment later." Ethiopia needs to take the road of sustainable development right from the outset.

He said environmental protection is one of Ethiopia's development agenda. The five-year development plan underscores the need for a conservation based development policy. "All persons have the right to a clean and healthy environment," Worku quoted article 44 of federal constitution. This provision implicitly obliges all not to cause any harm or damage to the environment.

Worku underlined that in the pursuit of environmentally sound and sustainable development, the private sector has a lot to contribute on one hand and benefit from it on the other. The government is aware of the need for more comprehensive legal and institutional arrangements that enable the private sector to consider environmental factors at the early stages of development or project planning.

Tafesse Garedew, the last speaker, presented a paper entitled "Environmental and Economic Use of End-of-pipe Treatment (EDPT) plant." EDPT is a mechanism, which employs "various media-specific waste management practices to minimize the adverse impact of industrial waste on the environment". 

In the past few decades, quite a number of EDPT management techniques had been developed to lessen environmental pollution of specific industrial waste. Several techniques are also being applied to use these techniques. Encouraging results have been registered in the industrial wastewater treatment of several industrial sub-sectors including tanneries and textile plants in Ethiopia.