The mission of EMA is to regulate, monitor and promote the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the environment with stakeholder participation. EMA’s vision is to create a clean, safe and healthy environment for an empowered society and a sustainable growing economy by 2030.

EMA’s functions include regulating and monitoring the utilisation of ecologically fragile ecosystems through veldfire management programmes and other means. EMA is a participant in multilateral environmental agreements including the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.