The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 07/29/2024 | Report No: ESRSC04421 Feb 07, 2025 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Operation Data Operation ID Product Operation Acronym Approval Fiscal Year P504548 Investment Project Financing (IPF) SuPER 2025 Operation Name Suriname Preparedness and Enhancing Resilient Communities Project Country/Region Code Beneficiary country/countries Region Practice Area (Lead) (borrower, recipient) Suriname Suriname LATIN AMERICA AND Urban, Resilience and CARIBBEAN Land Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Republic of Suriname Ministry of Public Works 09-Dec-2024 27-Feb-2025 Estimated Concept Total Project Cost Review Date Public Disclosure 17-Jul-2024 22,200,000.00 Proposed Development Objective To (i) enhance climate adaptation and reduce flood risk in Greater Paramaribo, and (ii) increase access to resilience- enhancing community infrastructure and services. B. Is the operation being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project Activities The project will support: (i) priority investments in local/community-level flood management and secondary/tertiary drainage systems in Greater Paramaribo, to complement ongoing primary drainage infrastructure investments, (ii) improvements to national-local emergency preparedness and response, and (iii) community-led preparedness and resilience activities, such as maintenance of tertiary drainage infrastructure, among others. D. Environmental and Social Overview Feb 07, 2025 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) D.1 Overview of Environmental and Social Project Settings Suriname is a small, natural-resource-rich, upper-middle-income country located in South America, bordering Brazil, French Guiana and Guyana. The project will support flood management investments in two prioritized areas of the Greater Paramaribo area (Paramaribo city center, Winti Wai/Rahemal) while other activities will be undertaken nationally. Suriname is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and suffers from periodic flooding due to heavy rainfall. About 67% of the population lives in the capital city of Paramaribo and the neighboring Wanica District. Flood impacts are exacerbated by insufficient maintenance of the existing drainage system, combined with insufficient drainage capacity. Paramaribo Centrum and Winti Wai/Rahemal have been identified as high priority in the Urban Drainage Masterplan 2024. The city center experiences regular flooding affecting critical public services, businesses, and urban activities as well as damage to buildings, roads and infrastructure. The Winti Wai/Rahemal area is a low income urbanized locality affected by regular, long-duration flooding due to lack of drainage. Suriname is inhabited by four Indigenous Peoples (IPs) groups and six Maroon tribes, in about 230 villages. Number of IPs is 20,344 (3.8% population) and 72,553 Maroons (14.7%). In recent years there have been tensions between IPs and the government related to land titling within legally unrecognized IP territories. Limited access to health and education contribute to the vulnerability of IPs and they have been traditionally excluded from participation or planning of projects that have significant impact on their communities. Gender gaps persist in representation in planning processes for infrastructure design and investments. Women’s voices Public Disclosure and participation in community consultations are limited, with women rarely having roles in decision-making and technical matters resulting in lack of consideration of gender-sensitive needs in design. D.2 Overview of Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Managing Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The Project will be implemented by the Ministry of Public Works’ (MoPW) Saramacca Canal Unit (SCU), the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for the ongoing Saramacca Canal System Rehabilitation Project (SCSRP, P165973). The SCU has been performing satisfactorily, is compliant with all E&S, fiduciary and project management requirements and has built up experience in World Bank procedures and regulations. The SCU will have overall responsibility (across all Components) for: (i) monitoring, coordination, and supervision of project activities, (ii) procurement and FM, and (iii) reporting on fiduciary matters, E&S management, and overall project progress to the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank, in cooperation with key technical stakeholders such as the Ministry of Finance’s Bureau of Community Projects (BCP), and the Ministry of Regional Development (MRD). The SCU has an environmental specialist and a social specialist. Both are competent and familiar with World Bank Policies and Standards. The SCSRP is under the safeguards policies but both specialists have attended the 5 day in person ESF training held in St Maarten as well as the online Incident Response and Reporting training and continue to benefit from continued engagement with the Bank. The technical aspects of sub-component 2.1 would be led by the BCP, which is currently implementing a second round of the Caribbean Development Bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund, as well as a GoS annual budget allocation for community subprojects. The BCP is the only government community grants mechanism targeting communities and districts nationwide, operating in both coastal areas and the hinterland. The BCP staff comprise technical, fiduciary and Feb 07, 2025 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) community officers that would oversee activities under this proposed Project. The technical aspects of sub-component 2.2 will be overseen by the MRD. During project preparation, the adequacy of E&S staffing and capacity at the SCU and BCP will be assessed and strengthened as needed. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate A.1 Environmental Risk Rating Moderate The Environmental Risk Rating is considered Moderate due to (i) the possible occupational and community health and safety risk during drainage upgrading works; (ii) traffic management issues related to transporting equipment and materials through residential areas; and (iii) waste management. The potential environmental, health and safety impacts related to the project activities (increasing drainage capacity of access channels/drains, removal of bottlenecks, improved connectivity, and rehabilitation of sluices and pumps in this area) include occupational health and safety; waste disposal of the waste cleared from the canals and possible traffic management if equipment or small machinery is required for the maintenance works. The impacts are likely to be short-term and reversible that would be addressed by incorporating mitigation measures into an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)/E&S Guidance in line with good international industry practice (GIIP) delineated in the WB Group General Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. The Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the TA activities will be Public Disclosure reviewed to ensure environmental and social requirements are included, in line with the ESF. In addition, the Grant Manual to be developed for sub-component 2.1 will include E&S assessment steps as these are small scale and low- cost activities. An exclusion list will be prepared which for example will exclude substantial and high E&S risk activities. The environmental risk rating will be further assessed during preparation and will be reviewed periodically throughout project implementation to ensure it continues to accurately reflect the level of risk. Moderate A.2 Social Risk Rating Social Risk Rating is considered Moderate based on the information available a the Concept stage. Both components are anticipated to have a predominantly positive impacts on local communities, with no significant adverse effects expected. Under Component 1, both high priority drainage areas are vulnerable to recurrent and long-duration flooding and thus it’s not foreseen that there will be disproportionate project-related negative impacts vis-à-vis vulnerable/non-vulnerable groups. However, among the main overall Project risks identified are elite capture and the exclusion of vulnerable populations from project design and benefits. The Project may inadvertently exclude certain groups, such as IPs & Maroons, women, and other marginalized populations, if their needs and perspectives are not adequately considered in planning and implementation. Also, tensions could arise or be exacerbated within communities, especially if there are disagreements over priorities, resource allocation, or decision-making processes. To mitigate these risks, it's crucial to carry out proper stakeholder engagement and inclusive and participatory planning processes that prioritize community voices and foster transparency. Beneficiary selection criteria need to be carefully elaborated to ensure inclusive access to the poorest and most disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities, equitable regional and ethnically balanced distribution of funds. For Component 2, the project team will conduct an assessment of community vulnerabilities during Preparation. The insights gained from the latter will feed Feb 07, 2025 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) into project design. Furthermore, the CDD approach will emphasize local communities at the center of design and decision-making to avoid risks of exclusion. The Social Risk Rating will be further assessed during Preparation and will be reviewed periodically throughout Project Implementation to ensure it continues to accurately reflect the level of risk. B. Relevance of Standards and Policies at Concept Stage B.1 Relevance of Environmental and Social Standards ESS1 - Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Relevant Activities under the Project are anticipated to be local and small scale. During project implementation, once the specific activities and sites have been identified an E&S assessment of the interventions will be undertaken and mitigation measures developed. Under Component 2, the Grants manual will provide guidance on E&S aspects and all community activities will be screened for potential E&S impacts. The requirements set out in paragraphs 14–18 of ESS1 will be applied to TA activities as relevant and appropriate to the nature of the risks and impacts. All documents pertaining to TA activities will be reviewed to ensure consistency with ESS 1–10. The Project will build upon ongoing consultations undertaken through the SCSRP and BCP’s engagement with communities including with IPs. ESS10 - Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant Key stakeholders will be those benefiting from the Project, including municipalities, communities and households in Public Disclosure the two prioritized areas (Paramaribo centrum, Winti Wai/Rahemal) and beyond as Component 2 is expected to be nation-wide. Other interested parties include, state agencies, municipal entities who may possibly influence and make decisions on project implementation and/or have an interest in the Project. Vulnerable and disadvantaged groups include, but not limited to, poor families, IPs, people with disabilities, women-headed households, and Youth. The Borrower will prepare a SEP to include: (i) stakeholder identification and analysis; (ii) planning for stakeholder engagement; (iii) consultations and information disclosure; (iv) GRM with channels to uptake SEASH related complaints; and monitoring and reporting. For Component 2, local communities will be at the center of decision- making and will actively participate to identify, prioritize, design and implement initiatives. ESS2 - Labor and Working Conditions Relevant The Project will hire Direct Workers as well as Contracted Workers (employees of contractors). During Preparation, use of Community Workers will be determined potentially for the implementation of the CDD component. A comprehensive Worker categorization will be documented in the A-ESRS and further refined in the LMP. The Borrower will develop and disclose the LMP after project Effectiveness in a timeframe to be determined in the ESCP. The LMP will include requirements for a Code of Conduct to address contractor behavior, especially related to SEA/SH, and pertinent training to be provided to all workers. A Worker Grievance Mechanism will be established for all Project workers. Site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs)/E&S Guidance will be prepared as applicable and proportionate to the level of risk which will provide detailed guidance on the applicable Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (ESHS) regulations and arrangements for ensuring their due application. ESS3 - Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Relevant Feb 07, 2025 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) Pollution risks associated with the activities include inadequate disposal of waste. The canals are poorly maintained and drainage is affected due to sediment and (minimal) trash accumulation and vegetation growth. Extensive amount of waste is not anticipated and discussions will be held to find adequate methods and locations to dispose of the cleared materials. Current practices of the Ministry of Public Works will also be assessed. Procedures to be followed will be detailed in the ESMP/E&S Guidance and Grants manual. ESS4 - Community Health and Safety Relevant Disturbance to surrounding communities may occur while works are being undertaken although it is anticipated to be limited due to the nature and scale of the works. To address potential risks and adverse impacts that might affect community health and safety, measures including those related to SEA/SH, will be included in the ESMPs. The Grants manual to be developed for Component 2 will include Community Health and Safety considerations. ESS5 - Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Not Currently Relevant Work will be limited to in-situ rehabilitation (or potentially limited construction on publicly owned land) of existing secondary and tertiary infrastructure, and no physical or economic displacement under ESS5 is envisaged. Also, under Component 2, activities which could lead to land acquisition will be excluded to ensure quick implementation of the envisioned small sub-projects. The Project exclusion list which will be part of the POM will exclude activities that could cause resettlement impacts. ESS6 - Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Not Currently Relevant Resources Public Disclosure ESS6 is not relevant. Component 1 activities will not involve significant degradation or conversion of natural habitats since the works are limited to maintenance and rehabilitation of existing structures. Under Component 2, trainings for agro-forestry activities to enhance resilience of agricultural activities of small scale farmers will be undertaken. ESS7 - Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Relevant Local Communities ESS7 is relevant due to the national scope of Component 2, which activities could benefit Indigenous Communities. A standalone Indigenous Peoples Plan will not be necessary; instead, the SEP will address the requirements of meaningful consultation in the context of IPs. The Grievance Mechanism of the SEP will be culturally appropriate and accessible to IPs. Site specific subprojects benefiting Indigenous Communities will also follow the requirements of ESS7. The BCP which has been managing the Caribbean Development Bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund and other government programs have been interacting with IP communities and have existing networks and channels for IP consultations. BCP has been conducting dialogue in IP communities on their priorities and the types of activities that are envisioned under Component 2. The Project will benefit and build upon the existing tools of communications with IPs. ESS8 - Cultural Heritage Relevant ESS8 is relevant. Project activities could involve excavations and movement of earth, which could affect artifacts, human or ecological elements, located entirely beneath, partially above, or entirely above land or water surface. The Feb 07, 2025 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) encounter of unknown cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, may be impacted directly or indirectly by project-supported activities. Chance Find Procedures (CFP) as part of ESMPs and other E&S documents will be included considering national legislation and requirements under ESS8. ESS9 - Financial Intermediaries Not Currently Relevant ESS9 is not relevant. FIs will not be involved in the Project. B.2 Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Operations on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Operations in Disputed Areas No B.3 Other Salient Features Use of Borrower Framework No Use of Common Approach No Public Disclosure C. Overview of Required Environmental and Social Risk Management Activities C.1 What Borrower environmental and social analyses, instruments, plans and/or frameworks are planned or required by Appraisal? Prior to project effectiveness the following will be prepared: - Stakeholder Engagement Plan - Environmental and Social Commitment Plan During Implementation, once the exact locations of the activities are known under Component 1, an E&S Assessment will be undertaken based on which Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs)/E&S Guidance will be developed proportionate to the risks. A Grants Manual will be developed for Component 2. The Grants Manual will include a screening checklist, an exclusion list of activities, the E&S procedure to follow, potential impacts and mitigation measures proportionate to the E&S risks identified. Labor Management Procedures will also be prepared during Implementation and within the timeframe outlined in the ESCP. The Bank team will closely monitor the implementation of the E&S instruments, review E&S reports by the client and carryout out regular implementation support missions. Feb 07, 2025 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Suriname Preparedness And Enhancing Resilient Communities Project (P504548) III. CONTACT POINT World Bank Task Team Leader: Artessa Saldivar-Sali Title: Senior Infrastructure Specialist Email: asaldivarsali@worldbank.org TTL Contact: Bruce MacPhail Job Title: Senior Social Development Specialist Email: bmacphail@worldbank.org IV. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects V. APPROVAL Public Disclosure Task Team Leader(s): Artessa Saldivar-Sali, Bruce MacPhail ADM Environmental Specialist: Aradhna Mathur ADM Social Specialist: Ramon E. Anria Feb 07, 2025 Page 8 of 8