The functions of SEA as stipulated in the Environmental Management Act 2002 (S12) are to assist the Authority to provide for and promote the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Accordingly the functions of the Authority are:

• to institute measures for the implementation of this Act both alone and in co-operation with other public bodies, organs of government, non-governmental organisations, private sector organisations, and members of the public;
  
• to monitor the implementation of the Act and assess its effectiveness in improving the level of protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources, and to advise the Minister on ways of giving effect to the purpose of the Act more effectively;
  
• to assist the Minister in formulating policies relating to the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;
  
• to advise and to make recommendations to the Minister and the Government either upon request or on its own initiative, on matters relating to the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;
  
• to develop in cooperation with other organs of Government, as appropriate, economic measures that encourage the sustainable management and use of natural resources and the enhancement, protection and conservation of the environment;
  
• to administer the Swaziland Environment Fund in accordance with the policies and directions of the Board of the Fund;
  
• to administer licenses issued under the Act in accordance with the provisions of this Act;
  
• to prepare a national waste strategy;
  
• to give directions to local authorities regarding their functions relating to the collection and disposal of waste in urban areas, and to perform the waste management functions listed in section 44;
  
• to give general and/or specific directions to local authorities, in order to promote the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;
  
• to liaise with bodies concerned with matters relating to the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;
  
• to monitor trends in the state of the environment and to prepare reports on the state of the environment for consideration and approval by the Minister;
  
• to prepare National Environmental Action Plans for consideration and approval by the Minister and to promote their implementation;
  
• to review environmental impact assessment reports and strategic environmental assessments reports;
  
• to undertake and promote research into matters relevant to the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;
  
• to promote, in collaboration with other appropriate bodies and organisations, training, education and public awareness programmes relating to the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;
  
• to disseminate and facilitate public access to information on the environment including creating and maintaining an environmental information registry in accordance with section 50;
  
• to facilitate public involvement in decision making concerning the environment including establishing procedures to facilitate the submission of comments on license applications under this Act;
  
• to recommend environmental standards, codes of practice, guidelines and legislation to the Minister and the Government;
  
• to publish guidelines, codes of practice and other information relating to the protection and conservation of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;
  
• to conduct inspections and take other measures to monitor compliance with this Act and to conduct investigations into alleged contraventions of this Act;
  
• to take all reasonably practical measures, to enforce this Act and other environmental protection legislation either alone or in co-operation with relevant bodies and police forces, including issuing and enforcing orders and prosecuting offences; and
  
• to perform other functions incidental or conducive to the exercise by the Authority of any of the above functions or which are assigned to it by the Minister in order to further the purpose of this Act.