INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Public Disclosure Copy Report No.: ISDSC1038 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 28-Sep-2014 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 29-Sep-2014 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Cote d'Ivoire Project ID: P149801 Project Name: REDD+ Readiness Preparation in RCI (P149801) Task Team Laurent Valiergue Leader: Estimated Board Date: Managing Unit: GENDR Sector(s): Forestry (100%) Theme(s): Climate change (100%) Financing (In USD Million) Total Project Cost: 3.80 Total Bank Financing: 0.00 Financing Gap: 0.00 Public Disclosure Copy Financing Source Amount Borrower 0.00 Readiness Fund of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility 3.80 Total 3.80 Environmental B - Partial Assessment Category: Is this a No Repeater project? B. Project Objectives The development objective is to reinforce the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire’s capacity to design a socially and environmentally sound national strategy to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Key results are: - Institutions strengthened at national, regional, and departmental levels; these institutions will be coordinating and implementing REDD+ readiness effectively and put in place an operational grievance and redress mechanism; - A National REDD+ Strategy (including analysis of options for the development of a benefit sharing plan) incorporating SESA outcomes and recommendations is prepared in a consultative manner and Public Disclosure Copy validated by national stakeholders. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) for managing potential social and environmental risks of agreed REDD+ strategy options is prepared and validated. C. Project Description This REDD+ Readiness Preparation grant will provide funding to support Côte d’Ivoire in the amount of US$3.8 million in carrying out a subset of activities outlined in its R-PP. The full R-PP includes all activities necessary for Côte d’Ivoire to become ready for REDD+ as well as additional complementary activities estimated to cost up to US$19 million. For a list of all activities to be financed under the R-PP by all partners please refer to the R-PP submitted by the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. ). Project Components FCPF will finance six major components of the R-PP that have been prioritized by the REDD+ Permanent Executive Secretariat (PES): • National Readiness Management Arrangements (Component 1a): Activities will support the appointment of the staff of the Permanent Executive Secretariat (PES); PES travel expenses as well as the purchase of a vehicle, a computer and office supplies as well as their maintenance. • Consultation and Participation Process (Component 1c): Activities will include recruiting staff to support the training/capacity building for the REDD+/ FLEGT civil society platform and its regional branches in the agro-ecological zones as well as substantial fieldwork in awareness raising. • Assessment of Land Use, Land Use Change Drivers, Forest Law, Policy and Governance (Component 2a): Activities will include a study on the history of land use and future strategic options; a national study Public Disclosure Copy of wood use for energy; and an analytical study on the potential of reforestation at the national level; along with accompanying validation workshops. • REDD+ Strategy Options (Component 2b): Activities will include support for interministerial workshops to feed into the development of REDD + strategy options. • REDD+ Implementation Framework (Component 2c): Activities will assess the relevant existing feedback and grievance redress mechanisms and arrangements (FGRMs), and either strengthen the existing FGRMs or, as necessary and appropriate, establish a new FGRM, to address any relevant feedback and grievances during the REDD+ readiness process. In addition, analysis and consultation on options for the development of a benefit sharing plan (for carbon and non-carbon benefits) will be carried out. • Social and Environmental Impacts during Readiness Preparation and REDD+ Implementation (Component 2d): Activities will support the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) and the development of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). Support is limited to technical assistance, analytical studies, capacity building, goods, operating costs, and consultation processes and does not include the implementation of site-specific REDD+ programs on the ground. The activities have been prioritized based on the comparative advantages of the FCPF, on-going work supported by other development partners and the likelihood of follow up work by other actors active in the REDD+ space in Côte d’Ivoire. D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The project management unit (the REDD+ Permanent Executive Secretariat) will be at the Ministry Public Disclosure Copy of Environment (MINESUDD) in Abidjan but the project is of a national scope and will take place throughout the country. This project does not entail activities on the ground. Rather, it is focused on providing technical assistance to the government for the development of technical and institutional capacities to participate in a future international REDD+ mechanism. E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies The Recipient's capacity is at best moderate. An existing project on management of parks is being well managed as concerns safeguards and is managed by an entity under MINESUDD, allowing for transfer of experience and lessons learned. World Bank agricultural projects are also ongoing in the country and have involved developing safeguards expertise in areas related to this project. It is likely however that the REDD+ Permanent Executive Secretariat (PES) will need considerable training and support to become sufficiently proficient in managing key safeguard issues. The Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) for the national REDD+ Readiness process will be led by the REDD+ Permanent Executive Secretariat (PES) and carried out through inclusive consultations, and in close coordination with other analytical studies / processes. The exercise will be directly supervised by a National SESA Overseeing Committee, made up of representatives from government, civil society, and the private sector. This Committee will be in charge of overseeing the preparation of the SESA and of ensuring it feeds into the preparation of the National REDD+ Strategy. The SESA exercise itself will assess the national capacity needs required for the country to be capable of monitoring and implementing the safeguards related to a national REDD+ mechanism and will make recommendations for institutional strengthening. F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Public Disclosure Copy Alexandra C. Bezeredi (OPSOR) Lucienne M. M'Baipor (GSURR) Abdoulaye Gadiere (GENDR) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes The Strategic Environmental and Social BP 4.01 Assessment (SESA) to be carried out under the project will serve to identify, avoid, mitigate and compensate the potential negative environmental and social impacts associated with future activities to be supported by the final REDD+ strategy by providing guidance and key elements for the preparation of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). The SESA will also influence the final national REDD+ strategy, by ensuring that social and environmental risks are factors in the preparation of the strategy. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 Yes The application of this policy seeks to ensure that all options proposed in the National REDD + Strategy take into account the conservation of Public Disclosure Copy biodiversity, as well as the numerous environmental services and products that natural habitats provide to human society. Overall, REDD+ activities are expected to have significant positive impacts on natural habitats, as the country puts in place an effective strategy to reduce loss of natural forests. The SESA will address issues related to natural habitats and potential impacts of the National REDD+ Strategy, which will later be included in the ESMF. Forests OP/BP 4.36 Yes Overall, REDD+ activities are expected to have significant positive impacts on forest, in that the main goal of the program is to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, while contributing to the well-being of forest- dependent communities. Potential impact of the National REDD+ Strategy on natural forests will be assessed through the SESA and included in the ESMF. The SESA and associated ESMF will reflect the requirements of the Bank’s Operational Policy regarding forest management, in particular as these relate to the establishment of plantations. Public Disclosure Copy Pest Management OP 4.09 Yes Agricultural intensification and reforestation activities, among others, are REDD+ activities which could require pest management in the course of project implementation. The SESA will address critical issues related to pest management, as necessary, and these will also be included in the key elements of the ESMF, as well as in a specific plan related to pests and pesticides management. Physical Cultural Resources OP/ Yes REDD+ activities are likely to be implemented BP 4.11 in areas containing sites deemed physical cultural resources by rural communities living there (e.g. holy/secret sites such as sacred groves, sacred forests, etc.). Though it is not anticipated that the project will have negative impacts on any such sites, the SESA will address issues related to a chance find of physical cultural resources and potential impacts of the National REDD+ Strategy, which will later be included in the ESMF and a specific dedicated framework. Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No The country has over sixty ethnic groups , Public Disclosure Copy whose linguistic and cultural identities and interrelationships are diverse and complex, but nonw are Indigenous Peoples. The SESA will, however, take into account the interests of all relevant stakeholders, in particular, vulnerable populations, consult with them adequately, ensure that they participate in, and benefit from REDD+ activities. The five main cultural clusters are: the dominant Akan-speakers, who make up 42 percent of the population, mainly in the center, east and south- east; Northern Manding (Mandé), mainly in the north-west; Voltaic peoples, including Senoufo in the north and Lobi in the central region; Krou in the south-west; and Southern Manding (Mandé) in the west. Around 28 percent of the population of Côte d'Ivoire consists of migrants from elsewhere in Africa; the largest number of these come from Burkina Faso, while others are from Mali, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Benin, Liberia, Senegal and Mauritania. Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP Yes REDD+ activities will trigger Involuntary 4.12 Resettlement in situations involving involuntary restrictions of access to legally designated Public Disclosure Copy parks, protected areas, or forest management / reforestation areas. The policy aims to avoid involuntary resettlement to the extent feasible, or to minimize and mitigate its adverse social and economic impacts in cases where resettlement or other involuntary restrictions cannot be avoided. Through the SESA process, any issues related to land acquisition or involuntary resettlement will be identified, and a Resettlement Policy Framework will be prepared. With regard to restrictions of access to protected areas, parks, forest concessions, etc., a Process Framework will be prepared as well. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No The project does not involve dams. Projects on International No N/A Waterways OP/BP 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No N/A 7.60 III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 30-Sep-2017 Public Disclosure Copy B. 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: Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing will be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS The main safeguard instrument to be launched is the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA). The SESA exercise will be launched, once the consultancy team hired, and will be completed under the close supervision of a National SESA Overseeing Committee, composed of representatives from the government, civil society, and the private sector. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), three related frameworks and one plan: - Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF); - Process Framework; - Physical Cultural Resources Management Framework; - Pests and Pesticides Management Plan; will complement the set of safeguards instruments. IV. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Laurent Valiergue Approved By: Regional Safeguards Name: Alexandra C. Bezeredi (RSA) Date: 28-Sep-2014 Coordinator: Public Disclosure Copy Practice Manager/ Name: Benoit Bosquet (PMGR) Date: 29-Sep-2014 Manager: 1 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.