SEA for the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy Ineke Steinhauer The Netherlands EIA Commission 2004 PEP Berlin

The Commission for EIA Was invited by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Ghana and the Royal Netherlands Embassy To draft ToR for the SEA for the GPRS, to monitor and coach the undertaking of the SEA and to perform a final review of the SEA. Several documents have been released by the Commission:

Objective of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) Overall framework for Ghana economic policy and development assistance to Ghana Policies in 5 priority sectors for poverty alleviation: macro-economy, production and gainful employment, human resource development and basic services, special programmes for the vulnerable and excluded and governance Main basis for implementation of policies in sectors and district levels

Why SEA The initial draft of the GPRS ( ) was criticised because environment was not treated as a cross-cutting issue Therefore environmental consequences of policy interventions were not sufficiently assessed The Ghanaian government decided to undertake SEA

Purpose of SEA 1. Identification of environmental issues, risks and opportunities of the existing GPRS Identification of win-win-options for environment and poverty alleviation and a list of dos and donts to be included in the new GPRS Assessment of compliance of District Plans with GPRS 2003 – 2005, as main mechanism for practical implementation of GPRS objectives

Management of the SEA The SEA team: 6 members: 3 from Environmental Protection Agency 3 from National Development Planning Commission Support: 1 Ghanaian consultant 1 UK consultant Netherlands EIA Commission Steering Committee

Management of the SEA SEA team carried out SEA All (27) Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved Involvement of (108 out of 110) districts Funded by Netherlands Embassy

Decision making process & SEA GPRS 2003 – 2005 already developed SEA to influence the GPRS 2006 – 2008 SEA finalised at start of development of new GPRS

SEA methodology for GPRS Assessment of all policies in GPRS 2003: Consistency analysis: Between objectives of agencies within a Ministry Between objectives of Ministries Poverty/environmental appraisal: Checklist Expert judgement by SEA team 3 point scale Reviewed by Ministry experts

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS Aspects: Livelihood of the poor Health of the poor Vulnerability of the poor Institutional support Natural resources Social cultural aspects Local economy

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS Indicators per aspect Livelihood of the poor: Access to water Access to land Access to timber resources Access to wild life Access to non timber forest products

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS Health of the poor Water quantity and quality Sanitation Air quality Medicinal plants

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS Vulnerability of the poor Drought Bush fires Floods Land degradation Crisis and Conflict Epidemics

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS Institutional support Adherence to democratic principles Human rights Access to information Natural resources Protected areas Raw materials Pollution Energy

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS Social cultural: Local communities protected Women empowered Equity Local economy: Encourages growth Uses local goods and services Promotes local investment

Alternatives For the most risky policies, the SEA team formulated alternative options Options were discussed with appropriate ministries Result: per ministry recommendations endorsed by both SEA team & ministry in advisory notes Comparison of alternatives not documented in SEA

Public participation GPRS SEA: January 2003 – August 2004 October 2003: NGOs participated in national workshop to assess policies in the GPRS February 2004: NGO workshop on review of first draft SEA report Both occasions: private industry invited, but did not show up

Presentation of final draft SEA - without picture -

SEA methodology for District Plans Sustainability appraisal: Checklist Expert judgment: Plans assessed by District staff, after appropriate training 6 point scale

Cost and duration of the SEA USD Mainly because of assessments of 108 District Plans Duration: 1,5 years

Results of the SEA Assessment led to clear recommendations for more sustainable new GPRS SEA is input for 5 cross sectoral planning groups formulating new GPRS (ready March 2005) In each planning group a member of the SEA team

Results of the SEA Better insight in sustainability of District Plans; however, in most cases not yet recommendations for new District Plans Many products: manuals, guidelines, checklists etc. Training on the job Broad awareness raising in public sector

Quality review Conclusions independent EIA Commission Negative Costs not assessed Expert judgment not transparent, not reproducible, not substantiated enough Relationship assessment and recommendations not clear Not enough involvement of private sector No monitoring plan

Quality review Conclusions independent EIA Commission Positive Broad awareness raising of environmental and social issues (all ministries; all districts) Clear recommendations for GPRS NGOs involved Good basis for phase III: selection and in depth analysis of selective sectoral and district SEAs Ghana owned Good spin off

Results of the SEA: spin off In a number of ministries: SEA approach copied to redefine budgets, existing and new policies and make these more sustainable New budget lines for environmental objectives Strengthened role for EPA in ministries priority setting Set up of environmental units

Influence on final decision Not yet clear: new GPRS in development Some district plans improved; most pending Optimism: Implementation of SEA recommendations made a conditionality by donors for new funding (multi donor budget support)

How further? Phase III (2004 – 2008): GPRS: inclusion of the recommendations in new GPRS Sustainability of District plans improves, trough translating assessment results in new district plans and SEA pilots for districts SEA pilot for sectors, coupled to on-the-job training in pilots (rather than general training) Institutionalize SEA (make it independent from donors) Update national environmental action plan as framework for new GPRS Organise SEA experiences workshop in Africa in 2006