DRAFT SCOPING REPORT METEOROLOGICAL MASTS FOR A POTENTIAL WIND FARM IN THE ML43 MINING AREA, NAMIBIA NAMDEB Reference:Project number: 508965 508965 Oranjemund_Met_Masts_DRAFT_07052021.docx, 2021/05/072021/05/07 Revision 11 1 Revision: 1 Submission date: 2021/05/072021/05/07 Document control record Document prepared by: Zutari Namibia (Pty) Ltd Reg No 90/469 Unit 1 Mandela Offices, Cnr Nelson Mandela & Simon Bolivar Street, Klein Windhoek Namibia PO Box 5353, Ausspannplatz, Windhoek T +264 61 237 704 F +264 61 237 706 E [email protected] A person using Zutari documents or data accepts the risk of: ► Using the documents or data in electronic form without requesting and checking them for accuracy against the original hard copy version. ► Using the documents or data for any purpose not agreed to in writing by Zutari. Document Control Report title Draft Scoping Report: Meteorological Masts for the Oranjemund Wind Farm, Namibia Document code 12597 Project number 508965 Client NAMDEB Client contact Client reference Rev Date Revision details/status Author Reviewer Verifier Approver (if required) 0 2021/05/07 Draft Scoping Report Wynand Reuben Not Stephan van Loftus Heydenrych required den Berg 1 2021/05/07 Draft Scoping Report Wynand Reuben Not Stephan van addressing client comments Loftus Heydenrych required den Berg Current revision 1 Approval Author signature Approver signature Name Wynand Loftus Name Stephan van den Berg Title Senior Consultant Title Technical Director Project number: 508965 Oranjemund_Met_Masts_DRAFT_07052021.docx, 2021/05/07 Revision 1 2 Contents 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................8 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................8 1.2 Project Role Players .......................................................................................................8 1.2.1 Proponent ........................................................................................................8 1.2.2 Environmental Assessment Practitioner .........................................................8 1.2.3 Specialists .......................................................................................................9 1.2.4 Interested and Affected Parties .......................................................................9 1.2.5 Competent Authority ........................................................................................9 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Project Location ........................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Wind Resource ............................................................................................................ 13 2.3 Proposed Meteorological Masts .................................................................................. 14 3 LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT ................................................................................................................ 16 3.1 National legislation ...................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Policies, Guidelines, Plans and Strategies .................................................................. 19 3.2.1 Namibia Vision 2030..................................................................................... 19 3.2.2 Namibia’s Second National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2013- 2022) ............................................................................................................ 20 3.2.3 National Policy on Climate Change .............................................................. 20 3.2.4 National Energy Policy ................................................................................. 20 3.2.5 Company-specific Environmental Management Standards ......................... 20 4 NEED AND DESIRABILITY ............................................................................................................. 21 4.1 Energy in Namibia ....................................................................................................... 21 4.2 Namdeb’s Strategy to Reduce its Carbon Footprint .................................................... 22 4.3 Strategic Context ......................................................................................................... 22 5 ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................................................. 26 5.1 Location alternatives.................................................................................................... 26 5.2 Type of activity to be undertaken ................................................................................ 26 5.3 The design or layout of the activity .............................................................................. 26 5.4 The technology to be used in the activity .................................................................... 26 5.5 Operational aspects of the activity .............................................................................. 27 5.6 The No-Go Alternative ................................................................................................. 27 6 DESCRIPTION OF AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................... 28 6.1 Land Use and Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park ........................................... 28 6.2 Infrastructure and Access ............................................................................................ 30 6.3 Climate ........................................................................................................................ 30 6.4 Topography, Soils and Hydrology ............................................................................... 30 6.5 Biodiversity .................................................................................................................. 30 6.5.1 Flora ............................................................................................................. 30 6.5.2 Tree and shrub diversity ............................................................................... 31 6.5.3 Grass diversity .............................................................................................. 31 6.5.4 Vertebrate fauna ........................................................................................... 31 6.5.5 Reptile diversity ............................................................................................ 32 6.5.6 Amphibian diversity ...................................................................................... 32 6.5.7 Mammal diversity .......................................................................................... 32 Project number: 508965 Oranjemund_Met_Masts_DRAFT_07052021.docx, 2021/05/07 Revision 1 3 6.5.8 Avian diversity .............................................................................................. 32 6.6 Heritage ....................................................................................................................... 34 6.6.1 Related archaeological and historical information ........................................ 34 6.6.2 Buried sites ................................................................................................... 35 6.6.3 Flooded sites ................................................................................................ 35 6.6.4 Fossilized sites ............................................................................................. 35 6.6.5 Implications ................................................................................................... 36 7 IDENTIFIED IMPACTS AND PROVISIONAL ASSESSMENTS ..................................................... 37 7.1 Biodiversity impacts ..................................................................................................... 37 7.1.1 Impacts on avifauna ..................................................................................... 37 7.1.2 Impacts on other vertebrate fauna (amphibians, mammals, and reptiles) ... 39 7.1.3 Impacts on flora ............................................................................................ 41 7.2 Heritage impacts .......................................................................................................... 43 7.2.1 Sensitivity to disturbance .............................................................................. 43 7.2.2 Disturbance during the construction and operation phase ........................... 44 7.2.3 Disturbance in other areas ........................................................................... 44 7.2.4 Recommendations for mitigation measures and monitoring ........................ 44 8 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ..................... 45 8.1 Tasks to be Undertaken as Part of the Assessment Process ..................................... 45 8.2 Consultation with the Environmental Commissioner ................................................... 46 8.3 Assessment Methodology ........................................................................................... 46 8.4 Calculations ................................................................................................................