Environmental and Social Safeguards Experiences and Lessons from India Panneer Selvam, ESDCQ April 13, 2005

Outline  Value of environment management in CDD projects  Examples of environmental risks and mitigation in CDD subprojects  Environment management frameworks (EMF) applied in India  FAQs  Lessons from field implementation  Challenges ahead

Value of Environmental Management in Rural CDD Projects  Rural CDD programs result in a range of environmental risks.  Help to mitigate adverse environmental risks and impacts.  Help to ensure sustainability of community investments  Provide guidance and build awareness of communities on risk management

10 Safeguard Policies  Environmental Assessment*  Natural Habitats  Forests  Pest Management  Cultural Property  Indigenous Peoples* Plus Disclosure Policy* * Most commonly triggered; Almost all the safeguard policies identify issues that may be of significance to a CDD program, and the EMF should be designed to mitigate them.  Involuntary Resettlement  Safety of Dams  Projects involving International Waters  Projects in Disputed Areas

Environmental Risks and Mitigation NRM subprojects

Brick-making – Sustainable sources of fuel and soil erosion (MP DPIP: Damoh District)

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Protected Areas - legal authorisation or use of negative list (AP DPIP: Chittoor District)

Small dams – good engineering designs and stable embankments (Raj. DPIP)

Small Dams – Good engineering design and stable embankments (Raj. DPIP Tonk District)

Small Dams– Downstream effects and water rights (MP DPIP – Guna District)

Water Supply - Drinking Water Quality (MP DPIP: Damoh District)

Water Supply – Costing considerations to avoid adverse environmental impacts (Raj. DPIP Tonk District)

Environmental Risks and Mitigation Agriculture and livestock subprojects

IPM - Technical assistance on IPM and use of negative list (MP DPIP – Tikamgarh District)

Organic Farming – scaling up pilot successes (MP DPIP)

Livestock management- shed, fodder (stall feeding) and potable water

Environmental Risks and Mitigation Cumulative impacts of subprojects

Cumulative Impacts – Groundwater Use (MP DPIP – Tikamgarh District)

Cumulative Impacts – Grazing (MP DPIP: Damoh District)

Environmentally proactive subprojects Some examples

NADEP (Organic Manure) – MP DPIP

Environmentally proactive subprojects (MP DPIP) Technical Assistance to Communities is Vital

Environmentally proactive subprojects Vermi composting (Raj DPIP)

Environmentally proactive subprojects Biogas energy linked to animal husbandry subprojects - MP DPIP

Environmental Assessment Environmental Management Plan Environmental Management System Planning and Design Implementation Tools and Strategies Monitoring and Evaluation Tools and Strategies EIA review and approval Monitoring and Supervision of Implementation Monitoring and Supervision of Management Systems Classic Integrated Environmental Management Framework

EMFs applied in India  Tools: e.g. identification of specific assessment requirements, negative list, mitigation guidelines;  Capacity Building: beneficiary awareness, community facilitators, district and state management;  Supervision and Monitoring: EMF implementation, environmental information gathering and dissemination;  Environment Audit: independent review at MTR;  Implementation Arrangements: roles and responsibilities specified in Operational Manual (including lead agency and resource groups).

Important Issues and FAQs  How do we deal with safeguards when we don't know in advance what the subprojects will be?  Who writes the EMF? Who pays for it? Where are the best practices?  Why don't we just click all the safeguard boxes in CDD projects since the menu of subprojects is so wide?  EMF approach allows for EIA on a case by case basis  EMF is prepared by a Consultant with oversight responsibility of the Bank client. Cost is covered in project preparation budget  Impacts not large enough to trigger all policies. More work for client and Bank.

Important Issues and FAQs  Is it better to have a stand-alone safeguards manual or incorporate it in the Project's Op Manual?  Should monitoring of safeguards during implementation be entrusted to the Project itself? The nodal Ministry? An environmental agency? Consultants?  To what extent can communities self-police? How is this done?  Both approaches tried and work. User friendly and concise manuals are very useful  Yes. Usually monitoring is undertaken by an independent agency contracted by the client. CDD projects in India have used universities, government agencies and NGOs  Self monitoring by communities is ideal to do. Some DPIPs have tried out monitoring by civil society groups and it is working well.

Lessons from field implementation  EMF should embody a “value adding” rather than a “policing” approach  Integrate EMF into subproject cycle  Select lead environment agency during project preparation, to start capacity building early  Environmental advocacy NGO proved more effective as lead environment agency than academic group or government organization.  User friendly tools, flexible to change  Unambiguous and comprehensive negative list of subprojects  Ongoing process of capacity building  Role of environment intelligence groups for TA and supplemental monitoring  Good practices are isolated and are not readily disseminated

Challenges ahead Planning and Design Develop institutional arrangements during preparation stage Durability – what env. management will remain after project ? Implementation Good practices are restricted to project level but weak policy linkage Greater dissemination Monitoring and Evaluation Institutional capacity and arrangements for monitoring, including community-level monitoring Safeguards in Country systems setting