INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET
CONCEPT STAGE
Report No.: AC5237
Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 04/19/2010
I. BASIC INFORMATION
A. Basic Project Data
Country: OECS Countries
Project ID: P117871
Project Name: OECS Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project
Task Team Leader: Niels B. Holm-Nielsen
Estimated Appraisal Date: March 14, 2011 Estimated Board Date: July 12, 2011
Managing Unit: LCSUW
Lending Instrument: Adaptable Program
Loan
Sector: Flood protection (100%)
Theme: Natural disaster management (40%);Climate change (35%);Other urban
development (20%);Land administration and management (5%)
IBRD Amount (US$m.):
0.00
IDA Amount (US$m.):
30.00
GEF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
PCF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
Other financing amounts by source:
BORROWER/RECIPIENT
5.00
Climate Investment Funds
20.00
EC: European Commission
40.00
65.00
B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN]
This regional program intends to measurably decrease the vulnerability of people and national
economies in the Eastern Caribbean to climate change and natural hazards. The development
objectives are to:
(i)
Improve the integration of disaster vulnerability reduction and climate resilience in
national development strategies and management of public infrastructure;
(ii) Reduce the risk of loss of human life due to natural hazard induced structural failure of
critical public infrastructure.
C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN]
This regional project will support regional agencies and interested government agencies in 6
island states (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St.
Vincent) develop capacity and tools to assess and communicate disaster risk to the general public
and to decision makers in different sectors. Furthermore, for participating IDA/IDA Blend
countries that solicit investment projects, the project will finance investments in disaster
vulnerability reduction of public infrastructure and private housing. Climate change models and
scenarios will be used to inform risk assessments and assist with the development of improved
designs and cost benefit analyses of development activities. The project will help strengthen
existing project implementing units, enabling them to execute substantial investments in climate
resilience. Funding from the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (Part of the Climate
Investment Fund) made available for the Eastern Caribbean states, as well as grant funding from
the European Commission could compliment the sub-regional project.
A TWO-TIER APPROACH
The regional project in the format of a horizontal APL is a two-tier engagement, which will
build on ongoing sub-regional collaboration and result on national investments in risk reduction.
The approach is illustrated in Figure 1 below.
Tier 1: Sub-regional Collaboration:
a.
A sub-regional approach to disaster risk reduction takes advantage of the common hazard
profile shared by the 6 participating island states. Physical attributes include similar
vulnerabilities to sea level rise, intensifying hurricanes and changes in rainfall variability and
intensity. Socioeconomic communalities include similar financial challenges (little room for
debt financing), ongoing political and financial collaboration through Organization of Eastern
Caribbean States Secretariat and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, shared scientific
community and research capacity through the University of the West Indies, and collaboration
with CARICOM institutions on disaster risk management (Caribbean Disaster Emergency
Management Agency) and climate change adaptation (Caribbean Community Climate Change
Center).
b.
At a sub-regional level, the proposed engagement will build on the ongoing collaboration
among OECS countries (and in particular, the sub-regional states) regarding climate monitoring,
hazard identification and monitoring, institutional strengthening and capacity building.
Activities will include (i) data collection and establishment of data sharing protocols, (ii)
capacity building for generating and interpreting risk assessments, (iii) development and sharing
of risk assessment application for policy purposes, (iv) critical infrastructure risk identifications.
Tier 2: National Investments:
c.
The second tier will upon request provide investments for national level infrastructure
projects in IDA or IDA blend countries (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the
Grenadines), identified through risk assessments, which integrate climate change models and
scenarios with existing hazard and vulnerability data.
Project Components. National investments in each of the four IDA/IDA blend countries will
finance disaster vulnerability reduction organized around the following three components:
Component 1. Disaster Risk Identification. Activities will focus on the identification and
integration of risk reduction activities and technologies in disaster risk management and
development planning. Activities will include the development of baseline data and data
infrastructure, risk reduction studies and similar activities, training and workshops in
vulnerability reduction and assessment, integration of geospatial technology in risk reduction and
studies and training related to vulnerability identification and risk baseline development. In
addition to training and institutional development this component may include the purchase of
specific hardware and software to improve the analysis and integration of geospatial, risk and
vulnerability information within the national development framework and to improve
vulnerability reduction and disaster response capacity.
Participants under this component may include the National Emergency Management
Organization and their local, district and national committees; Ministry of Communications and
Works, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Physical Planning, public service authorities and related
agencies, and regional institutions.
Component 2: Disaster Risk Reduction. Civil works will be executed to include new
construction and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure in order to reduce their vulnerability to
natural hazards and climate change. Works will be focused on priority public infrastructure.
Works will likely focus on transportation, education and health infrastructure and may include
activities such as design and construction of a new hospital complex, rehabilitation or new
construction of clinic facilities, major road repair or realignment, construction of strategic sea
defense works and rehabilitation of replacement of bridges. Included under works is the
potential for the design, development and preparation of priority works construction projects to
assist the Governments engaging construction funding available from other donors in the region.
Other infrastructure related works may include construction of water capture and tank storage
capacity and similar activities in the water sector and possible small scale risk reduction
activities in electric sector.
The project may fund supporting studies required for the development of works packages such
as coastal zone studies relating to the design of specific sea defenses, hydrologic/hydraulic
investigations, geotechnical investigations and associated pre-engineering and engineering
efforts required to support engineering design. During the execution of the works components,
specific activities will include the integration of the new building code in the works development
process and will introduce hazard/risk analysis and climate change impact analysis to assist in
the design and construction of resilient infrastructure.
Under an ongoing effort, some of the participating governments have implemented relocation
programs to move at risk population to safer environs. The program is focused on communities
located in areas where high hazard exists and in many cases have already been exposed to
damages from events such as hurricane Ivan, Dean, and most recently (2009) tropical storm
Omar. Typically, these areas are currently exposed to recurrent storm surge, severe cliff erosion,
landslide exposure and other hazards that pose a recurrent and high probability risk to life and
property. The relocation program is variously tailored based on community participation and
economic capacity. The project may consider supporting these activities by providing for
associated studies, construction design and construction of replacement housing.
Component 3: Project management and implementation support. - Activities under this
component relate to the institutional support and capacity development for project management
and execution. Activities include training, staffing and development activities associated with
project execution such as consulting services and support for:
a.
preparation of preliminary designs and tender invitation documents for all civil,
mechanical and electrical works;
b.
preparation of pre-qualification reports where necessary;
c.
assistance in the evaluation of tenders, preparation of tender the evaluation reports,
selection of the winning bidder and negotiation of contracts;
d.
supervision of the quality of works.
D. Project location (if known)
Project works may be undertaken in the principal islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines such
as St. Vincent, Bequia, Canoaun, and Union Island, on Grenada, on St. Lucia and on Dominica.
Works contemplated relate to the repair and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, possible
new facility construction, limited application of erosion control and sea defense structures to
protect critical infrastructure, possible support for housing construction under existing disaster
relocation programs.
E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN]
Project Coordination Units (PCU) will manage country specific investments projects covering all
activities of Tier 2 and some of the activities in Tier 1. PCUs, under the Ministries of Finance in
Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines already have project management
capacity and have managed several World Bank projects investing in public infrastructure. The
existing PCUs have in the past performed generally satisfactorily and continue to do so. A PCU
in Dominica would require additional institutional strengthening assistance if Dominica is to
participate in the 2 tier investments. Coordination of safeguard requirements will be managed
through the PCUs. A review of past safeguard performance will be conducted during project
preparation and addressed in the appraisal stage ISDS.
F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists
Mr Gerald E. Meier (LCSAR)
Ms Tiguist Fisseha (LCSUW)
II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY
Safeguard Policies Triggered
Yes
No
TBD
Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01)
X
An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) will be prepared for the
project based on candidate subprojects proposed by participating governments. These are
expected to be small works focusing largely on rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. There is
a possibility that new works will be included and the ESMF will provide procedures for the
application of Bank safeguards including information on subproject screening and
categorization. The ESMF will provide guidance on the scope of studies necessary to complete
for each subproject as well as outline the information required in the necessary subproject
Environmental Management Plans (EMPs). If subprojects include hospital or clinic construction
and rehabilitation guidance will include handling of medical waste and hazardous waste
disposal. The studies and management plans related to each subproject should be completed prior
to the start of any works on a particular subproject.
Safeguard Policies Triggered
Yes
No
TBD
It is likely that the majority of works will be relatively minor in nature. These are works
where the environmental impacts are limited to the construction phase. During project
preparation the client will develop a technical manual to guide management of construction
impacts. This manual will provide guidance on all aspects of construction, including the
management of construction camps, disposal of construction waste, management of borrow pits,
quarries etc. The manual will be disclosed locally and referenced as a legal covenant in all
construction contracts.
Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04)
X
No works have been proposed affecting Natural Habitats. Erosion control and sea defense
works thus far proposed and focused on mitigating existing landslides to protect public
infrastructure. Candidate sea defense works are located in areas of existing landslide and
exposed to high energy environments. During project preparation, candidate worksites will be
identified and reviewed for potential application of this policy. In the case of future undefined
works, this policy along with all other Bank safeguards will be included in the screening
procedures provided under the project ESMF.
Forests (OP/BP 4.36)
X
Pest Management (OP 4.09)
X
There are no plans presently to include subprojects which involve the use the pesticides,
herbicides or activities relate to the management of pests. During project preparation, based on
the candidate projects proposed and the criteria for including future projects, a final
determination will be made regarding the application of this safeguard. In the case of future
undefined works, this policy along with all other Bank safeguards will be included in the
screening procedures provided under the project ESMF.
Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11)
X
While no works have been identifies in sensitive areas, this safeguard is triggered as there is
the small likelihood for encountering sites of cultural historical significance, particularly in the
case of new construction. Known sites will be identified in the ESFM and assessment and policy
implementation requirements will be provided. In the case of small works procedures for chance
find will be provided together with appropriate small works contract clauses.
Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10)
X
Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12)
X
During project preparation, a decision will be made as to whether to support the relocation of
persons in high risk areas by assisting with the construction of relocation housing. Additionally,
the project may support the relocation of road infrastructure requiring the purchase of private
lands. During project preparation, a Resettlement Policy Framework will be prepared and will
include the preparation of a social assessment and Resettlement Action Plans as required.
If a social assessment is needed it will among other aspects include: (a) a diagnostic
analysis of potential impacts and opportunities for communities, taking into account
differentiated impacts among various types of vulnerable groups (women, elderly, the disabled,
children, etc.); (b) consultation and participatory processes of potentially affected and
beneficiary communities; and the findings from this analysis and consultation will be
incorporated into the project design and resettlement processes.
Safeguard Policies Triggered
Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37)
Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50)
Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60)
Yes
No
X
X
X
TBD
Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment
III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN
A. Target date for the Quality Enhancement Review (QER), at which time the PAD-stage ISDS
would be prepared: 11/08/2010
B. For simple projects that will not require a QER, the target date for preparing the PAD-stage
ISDS: N/A
C. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed.
The specific studies and their timing1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS.
ESMF and the Resettlement Policy Framework will be developed prior to appraisal.
IV. APPROVALS
Signed and submitted by:
Task Team Leader:
Approved by:
Regional Safeguards Coordinator:
Comments:
Sector Manager:
Comments:
1
Mr Niels B. Holm-Nielsen
04/16/2010
Mr Glenn S. Morgan
04/16/2010
Mr Guang Zhe Chen
04/18/2010
Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the
InfoShop and (ii) in-country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected
persons.