1. Tunis 17th May 2011 John Horberry Lead Consultant Environmental Resources Management INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN AFRICA AfDB Operational Safeguard on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

2. AfDB is developing an Integrated Safeguard System (ISS), which includes Operational Safeguards (OS) and revised Environmental and Social Assessment Procedures (ESAPs). OSs are brief, clear and operational statements that follow Bank policy commitments and outline environmental and social requirements. OSs are being developed to be consistent with AfDB Policies (and associated lessons learnt from previous experiences), international best practices and equivalent instruments developed by other MDBs. A first draft of the OSs is under preparation.

4. Requirements for borrowers to identify and implement opportunities to preserve biodiversity, natural habitats and ecosystem services (ES). Objectives of this OS: To preserve biological diversity by the implementation of the mitigation hierarchy and biodiversity offsets; To protect natural, modified and critical habitats; and To sustain the availability and productivity of ecosystem services.

5. Identify and assess risks and potential impacts to biodiversity and ecosystem services, as part of the environmental and social assessment. Identify biodiversity and ecosystem service values for stakeholders. Apply the biodiversity mitigation hierarchy.

6. Modified habitats: minimize further degradation or habitat conversion in modified habitats. Natural habitats: ensure the project will not cause significant modification of natural habitats unless specific measures are undertaken (e.g. Biodiversity Offsets Programme). Critical habitats: implementation of Biodiversity Offsets Programme and Biodiversity Action Plan. Legally protected / internationally recognized areas: compliance with regulations and stakeholder consultation. Need to address risks associated with invasive alien species and GMOs.

7. If impacts to ES are identified in the EA an ES Review shall be performed to further identify: project impact on ES; and project dependence on ES. Undertake an ecosystem services prioritization. Facilitate participation of affected communities in the ES prioritization. Implement measures to avoid, mitigate and/or minimise adverse impacts on ES.

8. Requirements relating to: Plantation forestry and commercial harvesting; Agriculture and livestock; and Fisheries and aquaculture. Assess the type of habitat that will potentially be impacted and follow the requirements of this OS. Implement industry-specific good management practices and best available technologies. Supply chain: develop and implement a sustainable resources procurement policy, procedures and action plan.

9. Continue with an internal consultation process to improve the OS and ensure its applicability. Move into an external consultation process, including with: External peer reviewers; Multilateral Development Banks; and Civil Society Organizations / Non Governmental Organizations. Finalize the OS and integrate its requirements into the ESAPs.