Bank-Netherlands Partnership Program (BNPP)
(Completion Report Format for Projects under the Global and Regional Initiatives Component)
Date of this Completion Report1: January 23, 2001.
I.
Basic Project Information
1. Name of Activity: Environmental and socioeconomic impact study and risk reduction
in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean: A regional pilot project.
2. Trust Fund Number: TF021812
3. Closing Date: December 31, 2000.
4. When Approved? 6/98____3/99_____6/00_____Other_____ 12/98 X
5. BNPP Sector to which Project is Attached (specified in the name of the Trust Fund):
Educ./Culture/Dev.___Energy___Environment_
X _Gender___Governance___
Health (incl. WSP)___Poverty___Rural/Dev.___Urban/Dev.___Water/Res./Mngm.___
Other /specify/ e.g. WTO, InfoDev, WDR_________________
Exception (TF022934 and TF023172)_______________
6. Amount allocated: At approval (US$): 1,370,000. Decrease (US$): 37,477.
Total Grant Amount (US$): 1,332,523.
7. Actual Disbursements (estimates):
CY98 (US$)_n/a_CY99 (US$)_ 919,759_CY00 (US$)_ 389,025 _
8. Total amount (US$) disbursed to date (SAP data): 1,108,814
9. Total amount (US$) committed to date (SAP data): 199,970 (to be fully distributed
by March 31, 2001)
10. Executed by:
11.
Bank___X_____
Recipient (specify)______________
Task Manager: Arsenio Rodriguez
Contact Point if TM is not available: Armando Guzmán
Resource Management Staff: Marie-Claude Haxaire
12. Contact in Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in NL (if any):
Mr. Leo Van Maare
Director Environment Division
Ministry of Development Cooperation
The Hague, Netherlands
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Previous progress report dated February 29, 2000.
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13. Objectives (per component):
Central America
This component was conceived as part of the reconstruction efforts of the Bank in the
region where emergency and rehabilitation activities have been also carried out as an
immediate response to natural disasters. The Bank has recognized that the challenge is
not only to support the restoration of the countries but also to increase their resilience to
face future events by better managing natural and human resources. A principal aim of
this project component was to undertake an assessment of environmental factors
related to natural disaster vulnerability and report the findings in a report to serve
the donor community as a reference for the reconstruction and future development
of Central America. This main objective was successfully achieved. The initial
findings were reported at the meeting of the Consultative Group (CG) for the
reconstruction of Central America (CA) held in Stockholm on 25-28 of May 1999.
Mexico
This component was developed to analyze the effects of hurricanes on the landscape,
vegetation and human decisions and thus obtain recommendations to mitigate future
events in the area of operation of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.
Caribbean
Under this component it was expected to provide assistance to Caribbean countries in
preparation of project proposals for Bank and donor’s financing in the field of prevention
and mitigation activities for disaster management at the national and regional level.
It was also expected to foster cooperation and integration of national institutions within a
regional network to share technical information and best practices.
14. Project Activities:
 Provide technical assistance for development of communications and promotional
materials used in different events including: Stockholm CG, Central America
Presidential Summit, Inter-agency Meeting on Environmental Management &
Vulnerability, and the Preparatory Meeting of NGOs in Stockholm.
 Produce an inventory of information and data, generalized map of risk and
vulnerability and three case studies.
 Provide support to technical consultations on integrated coastal zone management;
shared watershed management; vulnerability assessment; water resources assessment;
natural areas within MBC; the impact to farmers and indigenous groups; and
insurance and financial sectors.
 Implement a study on vulnerability and sustainability indicators to analyze the added
value of regional integration as a follow up to Stockholm CG meeting.
 Technical assistance for the preparation of project proposals to be followed up at the
national level (i.e. Honduras and Nicaragua).
 Technical assistance to develop maps of vegetation and land use on scale of the
peninsula, biological corridor and details in focal areas; geomorphology of Quintana
Roo (most exposed state on the peninsula); geo-hydrology of Quintana Roo and
vulnerability of landscape of Quintana Roo for hurricane impact .
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Technical assistance to assess the effects on coastal geomorphology and to evaluate
the effects on forests and population.
Technical assistance to design monitoring methodology for the biological corridors.
Technical assistance to implement workshops on adoption of building codes and
regulations at the country level (a case in the Caribbean).
Technical assistance to develop environmental indicators and vulnerability
assessment in the Caribbean.
Technical assistance for the preparation of institutional components of the Emergency
Recovery and Disaster Management Program for Organization of Eastern Caribbean
States (OECS) and the Dominican Republic Emergency Recovery programme in
Granada.
Technical assistance for the preparation of institutional components of the Emergency
Recovery and Disaster Management Program for Organization of Eastern Caribbean
States (OECS) and the Dominican Republic Emergency Recovery programme in St.
Vincent.
Technical assistance for the Environmental Impact Assessment studies in Granada
and St. Vincent.
Technical assistance to analyze legal framework of best environmental practices in
the Caribbean and to develop a data base of best environmental practices.
15. Expected output:
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Central America
Preparations for Stockholm CG i.e. audiovisual for CA Presidential Summit,
synthetic document for CG, preparatory meeting of NGOs in Stockholm, review of
regional projects to be presented, etc.
Vulnerability assessment. Inventory of information and data, map of risk, stakeholder
consultations, natural areas, etc.
Preparation of specific project proposals at the national level (one or two countries).
Mexico
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Vegetation maps of the Yucatan Peninsula including changes in vegetation and land
use obtained with digital interpretation of satellite imagery.
Digitized topographic and geomorphologic maps of the Peninsula and more
specifically in Quintana Roo.
Maps of hydrological risk impacts caused by sea level fluctuations and torrential
water flows; the distribution of precipitation on the Peninsula and reconstruction of
precipitation during hurricanes; vegetation plots (eco-architectural maps) which show
the effects of the hurricane on different types of vegetation and individual trees;
coastline effects and resulting influences on wetlands of Quintana Roo; vegetation
map of the corridor Sian Kaán Calakmul and vulnerability map of Quintana Roo.
Windows in the vegetation map in the area of the corridor Sian ka’an – Calakmul.
Structure of a monitoring system based on remote sensing and field data of the area
projected for the biological corridor between Sian Ka’an and Calakmul.
Key for the recognition of eco-unit types in aerial photographs and video images for
monitoring of changes in vegetation.
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Analyses of the relation between hurricane impact, forest development phase, tree
species and soil characteristics; the impact of past hurricanes on actual land use and
of local provisions to mitigate future impacts; and the effect of hurricane Gilbert on
120 different tree species (uprooting, stem breaking, crown damages), in relation with
their development phases (dbh).
Description of the effects on human populations in Quintana Roo.
Caribbean
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Workshops on adoption of building codes and regulations in one Caribbean country.
Environmental indicators and vulnerability assessment in the Caribbean.
Institutional analysis of the Emergency Recovery and Disaster Management Program
for Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Dominican Republic
Emergency Recovery programme in Granada.
Institutional analysis of the Emergency Recovery and Disaster Management Program
for Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Dominican Republic
Emergency Recovery programme in St. Vincent.
Environmental Impact Assessment studies in one or two Caribbean countries.
Analysis of the legal framework of best environmental practices in the Caribbean and
data base of best environmental practices.
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II.
Completion Report
1. Reporting period (project period):
From December 1998 to December 2000.
2. Completion date: December 31, 2000.
3. Project output:
Central America
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Technical assistance for Stockholm CG preparations:
Audiovisual presentations prepared, delivered and shown in Stockholm. A total of
150 copies (English version) were made and distributed as follows: 100 at the
Stockholm meeting and 50 to CCAD-SICA. The prototype for the Spanish version
for the XX Presidential Summit was made.
Report on the Inter-agency Meeting on Environmental Management & Vulnerability:
Lessons learned from Mitch (San Salvador 3-5 March 1999).
SICA final mission report including documents and presentations of the Secretary
General and the Director of Environment Division, articles on press conferences and
a special report prepared by CICAFOC.
Page on internet developed under CCAD’s web site to have an integrated document
for the meeting of CG in Stockholm. The page was maintained and continuously
updated by CCAD with the support of INCAE before the meeting.
Final integrated document containing 31 environmental regional projects under 8
programs worth US$ 63 million was prepared in both English (100) and Spanish
(100). Copies of the final document was distributed in Stockholm by CCAD.
Environmental and vulnerability assessment
Three case studies were selected and prepared by USGS, UNEP and World Bank
staff. A total of eight hundred (800) copies of the vulnerability maps were prepared
and distributed by UNEP/GRID Sioux Falls, EROS Data Center with support of
UNEP Regional Office for Latin-America and the Caribbean and The World Bank.
Copies of the case studies and maps were distributed during the Stockholm meeting
on CD-ROM (a total of 600 were distributed among Central American agencies,
UNEP, CCAD and The World Bank) together with hard copies of the maps.
Additional notes describing the contents of the CD-ROM were prepared.
An “Inventory of Data on Environmental Information System for the Reduction of
Vulnerability in Central America” was prepared by CATIE in coordination and
consultation with SICA, CCAD, UNEP, CEPREDENAC and The World Bank. A 3year US$ 18 million project proposal was also prepared by CATIE with the following
four components: geo-referenced information vulnerability and risk ($ 3.8 M),
watershed vulnerability analyses and methodologies ($ 6.2 M), basic cartographic
data ($ 5.5 M) and local risk mapping ($ 2.4 M).
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Three regional project proposals on integrated coastal zone management were
prepared and included in the integrated document presented at the CG meeting in
Stockholm.
Consultation meeting on shared watershed management organized and executed in
San Salvador, El Salvador on 29-30 April 1999. A report of the activity was prepared
by CICAFOC with The Bank’s support.
Consultation meeting on vulnerability assessment organized and executed by
CICAFOC in Choluteca, Honduras on 23-24 April 1999. A specific project proposal
and a report on the meeting were prepared by CICAFOC with The Bank’s support.
CEPREDENAC prepared a specific project proposal with the support of The Bank
that was included in the integrated document.
CRRH prepared project proposal on water resources management with the support of
The Bank that was included in the integrated document.
Consultation meeting on natural areas within the MBC organized in Managua,
Nicaragua on 14-16 April 1999. With the support of The Bank, a report on the
meeting was prepared by CICAFOC and an additional project proposal was prepared
by IUCN. The proposal was included in the integrated document.
Consultation meeting with small-scale farmers and indigenous groups organized in
San Salvador, El Salvador on 7 and 8 May 1999. With the support of The Bank, a
report on the meeting was prepared by CICAFOC. The consolidation of this and
other three consultations organized by CICAFOC took place during the same session
(i.e. CBM, vulnerability assessment and watershed management).
Consultation meeting on insurance and financial sectors was organized and executed
by the Bank in Washington DC on April 6, 1999. A follow up meeting took place at
INCAE in Alajuela, Costa Rica on March 23 and 24, 1999 where a project proposal
was drafted by a core group of the participants. The project proposal was included in
the integrated document.
Study on vulnerability and sustainability indicators to analyze the added value of
regional integration as a follow up to Stockholm CG meeting consultations took place
in Mexico and Chile with the full participation of ECLAC and UNEP.
Project preparation funds
A World Bank project concept document (PCD): Nicaragua Disaster Vulnerability
Reduction Project (Project ID: 64196) was developed and a first draft submitted in
June 1999. The main objective of this project would be to reduce future economic
and human losses stemming from natural disasters by providing the country with
technical assistance and financial support. The PCD was further developed by the
Bank. Four international experts (a hydrologist, geomorphologist, geologist with
experience in disaster planning and prevention, and a civil engineer specialized in
disaster resistant construction) hired by the Bank accompanied a local team in visits
to some 44 cities in Nicaragua and identified urgent projects for approximate US$ 5
million. Another similar project for Honduras, “Natural Disaster Mitigation”
amounting US$ 10.82 million, was approved by the Bank in May 2000.
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Mexico
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Vegetation map of the Yucatan Peninsula (North of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche,
Quintana Roo and Yucatan States) at scale 1:250.000.
Vegetation maps (3) of changes in vegetation and land use obtained with digital
interpretation of satellite imagery in the period between 1974 and 1996 (dates can
shift depending on availability of satellite imagery) of the Peninsula.
Digitized topographic and geomorphologic maps of the Peninsula.
Map of hydrological risk impacts caused by sea level fluctuations and torrential water
flows.
Windows (1:50.000) in the vegetation map in the area of the corridor Sian ka’an –
Calakmul (based on aerial photographs).
Structure of a monitoring system based on remote sensing and field data of the area
projected for the biological corridor between Sian Ka’an and Calakmul. System
which can be applied in other corridors.
Digitized topographic and geomorphologic maps of Quintana Roo (1:250.000 with
windows of 1:50.000 – 1-10.000).
Map of the distribution of precipitation on the Peninsula (1:250.000) and
reconstruction of precipitation during hurricanes (ventanas).
Detailed eco-architectural maps of vegetation plots which show the effects of the
hurricane on different types of vegetation and individual trees (1: 1.000 – 1: 5000).
Key for the recognition of eco-unit types in aerial photographs and video images
(1:5000) for monitoring of changes in vegetation.
Analysis of the relation between hurricane impact, forest development phase, tree
species and soil characteristics.
Map of hydrological risk impacts caused by sea level fluctuations and torrential water
flows (1:250.000).
Vulnerability map of Quintana Roo (1:250.000).
Analysis of the impact of past hurricanes on actual land use and of local provisions to
mitigate future impacts.
Map with effects on coastline and resulting influences on wetlands of Quintana Roo.
Description of the effects on human populations in Quintana Roo.
Vegetation map of the corridor Sian Kaán Calakmul (1:250.000).
Analysis of the effect of hurricane Gilbert on 120 different tree species (uprooting,
stem breaking, crown damages), in relation with their development phases (dbh).
Caribbean
Workshops on adoption of building codes and regulations in the Dominican Republic.
Development of environmental indicators and vulnerability assessment in the
Caribbean.
Preparation of institutional components of the Emergency Recovery and Disaster
Management Program for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and
the Dominican Republic Emergency Recovery programme in Granada.
Preparation of institutional components of the Emergency Recovery and Disaster
Management Program for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and
the Dominican Republic Emergency Recovery programme in St. Vincent.
Environmental Impact Assessment studies in Granada.
Environmental Impact Assessment studies in St. Vincent.
Legal framework of best environmental practices in the Caribbean.
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Data base of best environmental practices in the Caribbean.
4. Is project output in accordance with planned output? Indicate and explain
differences:
The project output for Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean is in accordance with
planned output. Furthermore, in some instances the project outputs and results exceeded
expectations in terms of useful tools, mainstreaming of conservation and corridor
concepts, and generation of knowledge. A close collaboration with CCAD was also
instrumental in the conceptualization and supervision of the various investments such that
they were responsive to needs and priorities of Central America.
It must be noted that the disbursement of these funds coincided with the switch-over from
a Legacy System in the Bank to the SAP administrative system and this resulted in some
delays and complications in the management and administration of the funds. However,
these shortcomings were overcome and no result or outcome was compromised.
5. Project results:
The main project results can be summarized as follows:
 Baseline assessment of the ecosystems and their vulnerability in the region.
 Strategic communicational approaches for the promotion of sustainable development
initiatives with local and international investors.
 Assessment of linkages between environmental services and their management and
reduction of vulnerability and socioeconomic impact to natural disasters.
 Better coordination of regional and national initiatives, for example the project
established interaction between key institutes that manage ecological and social
information and research.
 Strengthening of the regional institutional frameworks to maintain a more effective
communication with the international community.
6. Are results in accordance with expectations at start of project? Indicate and
explain differences.
The results fully satisfied the original expectations.
7. Follow-up: who will do what with project output? Planned follow-up activities if
any.
The World Bank in coordination and consultation with its partners and clients will
support the following activities for which additional funding is sought.
 Follow-up mapping activities for the region and the establishment of a regional
program and network to monitor its changes.
 Implementation of the Communications Strategy.
 Promotion of the recognition of the MBC and active participation of the productive
sectors in their projects.
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Fostering an increased participation of indigenous and “campesino” communities in
the co-management of the MBC resources.
Identification and valuation of the MBC’s environmental services.
Implementation of an institutional strengthening strategy by continuing the technical
assistance to regional organizations like SICA.
8. Expected impact and conditions to be met to secure this impact.
A greater level of interaction between governments, NGOs and private sector in decisions
related to land use, environmental mitigation and vulnerability is expected. This
expectation may be secure by mainstreaming the environmental and socioeconomic
elements to the national and regional development plans.
9. Overall assessment:
The project implementation was satisfactory and has expanded the local knowledge on
the potential impact of natural hazards on people and the environment, the role that
environmental degradation plays in aggravating such impact and the practices that can
reduce the region’s vulnerability to disasters. The project has also produced and
delivered to decision makers and general public a wide range of critical information on
the region (i.e. hydrological, topographic, geomorphologic, vegetation, socioeconomic,
etc.) This information has improved the general understanding of the relationship
between natural hazards, population, infrastructure and the environment and serves the
donor community as a reference for the reconstruction and future development of Central
America.
Filled-in by: Armando Guzmán, Consultant
Date: January 23, 2001.
Information on the Central America, Mexico and Caribbean components was provided by
the relevant task managers.
The World Bank. Washington D.C.
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List of acronyms:
CATIE:
CCAD:
Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Training.
Central American Commission For Environment And Development Environment Division.
CEPREDENAC: Coordination Center for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America.
CG:
Consultative Group for the reconstruction and transformation of Central America.
CIAT:
International Center of Tropical Agriculture.
CICAFOC: Indigenous and “Campesino” Coordinating Group for Community Agro-Forestry.
ECLAC:
Economic Commission for Latin-America.
EIS:
Environmental Information System.
EROS:
Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center (EDC), USGS.
GIS:
Geographic Information Systems.
GRID:
UNEP Global Resource Information Database
INCAE:
Central American Institute of Administration and Economics.
IDB:
Inter-American Development Bank.
NASA:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
NOAA:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Department of
Commerce.
OAS:
Organization of American States.
OECS:
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.
PAHO:
SICA:
USGS:
UNEP:
UNDP:
USAID:
WB:
Pan-American Health Organization.
Central American Integration System.
United States Geological Survey.
United Nations Environment Programme.
United Nations Development Programme.
United States Agency for International Development.
The World Bank.
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