The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage ( ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 06/30/2023 | Report No: ESRSC03665 Sep 25, 2023 Page 1 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Operation Data Operation ID Product Operation Acronym Approval Fiscal Year P180864 Investment Project Financing (IPF) Burundi Climate 2024 Operation Name Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project Country/Region Code Beneficiary country/countries Region Practice Area (Lead) (borrower, recipient) Burundi Burundi EASTERN AND Environment, Natural SOUTHERN AFRICA Resources & the Blue Economy Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Ministry of Finance Ministry of Environment, Agriculture 12-Feb-2024 15-Apr-2024 of Burundi and Livestock of Burundi (MINEAGRIE) Estimated Concept Total Project Cost Public Disclosure Review Date 08-Jun-2023 100,000,000.00 Proposed Development Objective To scale-up integrated landscape management and enhance livelihood resilience of fragile communities in target collines (hills) of Burundi. 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 proposed investment project (US$100 million) seeks to strengthen the Government of Burundi’s capacity to anticipate, prevent and mitigate impacts from climate change in Burundi’s priority fragile colline hotspots identified as being at high-risk hotspots from combined effects of climate, land degradation, and socio-economic vulnerability. The proposed project will strengthen Burundi’s capacity at national, watershed and colline scales to anticipate, monitor and act on intensifying climate and land-related risks. Focus will be placed on building local capacity in Burundi to co-design and co-implement a multi-sector and cross-sectoral process for achieving climate resilience while strengthening climate- Sep 25, 2023 Page 2 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) resilient livelihoods to improve the economic prospects of households in targeted areas. Proposed project components are as follows: • Component 1. Enabling environment for climate resilience • Component 2. Sustainable landscape management • Component 3. Community livelihood resilience support • Component 4. Project Implementation Support • Component 5. Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) Component 1: Enabling environment for climate resilience (indicative amount US$10 million equivalent) 1. The activities of this component will improve policy, regulations, administrative procedures, and institutional capacity. It will enable a whole-of-society climate and land governance approach and cross-sector collaboration among key stakeholders: mandated national governments, local governments, civil society, academia, businesses, farmer cooperatives, schools, and households, including socially marginalized and disadvantaged groups. As such, this component will finance economy-wide and select sector-specific reforms: i) policy & regulatory framework to strengthen the policy and regulatory environment for key national stakeholders and businesses to facilitate more integrated and coordinated management, programmatic planning and investment for addressing climate change and land degradation risks in Burundi; and (ii) institutional capacity support to strengthen institutional, technical, and human capacity of line agencies and government sector departments for improved climate risk management. This approach will support vertical integration of political jurisdictions from local, national, regional, and international levels and a horizonal integration among multiple sectors. This component will finance goods, services, and possibly some works to provide technical assistance, policy, and planning support, as well as to cover recurrent expenditures, including operating costs. Expected outputs will be enhanced support to planning at national, sub-basin/watershed levels for effective climate risk management, sustainable landscape management, climate resilience and integrated water resources management, including within protected areas, as well as institutions equipped to address rising climate and land risks. Component 2: Sustainable landscape management (indicative amount US$40 million equivalent) 2. This component will finance the scale-up of sustainable landscape management (SLM) Public Disclosure activities at watershed-level (terracing, reforestation, locally adapted farmer-led irrigation systems), including management of at-risk, vulnerable hillsides in protected areas. The sub-components will include activities to: (i) prepare integrated watershed management plans, and (ii) restore and bring landscapes under sustainable management. National-level leadership, technical guidance, and strategic policy planning will be tailored to each watershed’s needs. Specific Watershed Sustainable Landscape Management (SLM) execution plans will be developed for each priority watershed targeted by the project and serve as the basis for identifying the package of land restoration activities needed on each watershed. Leveraging Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs), landscape restoration and integrated watershed management measures (such as micro catchment water harvesting, managed aquifer recharge) will alleviate landslide, erosion, and flood risks currently affecting people, food production, livelihoods, and infrastructure. Strong stakeholder engagement is key to ensure that proposed NBS activities will be appropriate for the local context and to build local ownership, so the interventions are likely to be sustained over the long term . The component will finance goods, services, and civil works, including High-Intensive Labor Works providing employment opportunities for local communities to conduct the tree replanting works, as well as recurrent expenditures, including operating costs. Component 3. Community livelihood resilience support (indicative amount US$40 million equivalent) 3. This component will invest in activities to increase livelihood resilience of the project targeted communities. The subcomponents are likely to include investments to: (i) prepare and mainstream Climate Change Action Plans (CCAPs) into commune development plans; (ii) implement climate-resilient livelihood support; and (iii) improve land security through land certification at scale in each target colline. This component will mobilize commune and colline leaders and equip them to prepare climate action plans, strengthen local early warning – early action systems and contingency plans and zoning regulations. It will also finance direct climate-resilient investment packages to support vulnerable communities’ livelihood resilience and income diversification. This component builds on the lessons and successes of the Burundi Landscape Restoration and Resilience Project (P160601) and continues investing in community land tenure security, as an enabling condition for climate-resilient livelihood enhancement. The component will finance goods, services, and Sep 25, 2023 Page 3 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) civil works, as well as recurrent expenditures, including operating costs. 4. Across the components, the project will prioritize equity, inclusion, and social cohesion – the essential ingredients for long-term resilience in the face of multi- risk fragility observed in Burundi’s collines. The project will have a well-developed gender and social inclusion focus because the proportion of women in the collines is disproportionately larger than elsewhere in the country (men are more likely to migrate to cities for work). The project will thus prioritize the inclusion of marginalized groups, including women, youth, Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs, notably those driven out of their homes by climate-related disasters, or 89 percent of all IDPS as per latest IOM data), refugees, returnees, Batwa communities and other ethnic minorities, single mothers, and people with disabilities. Working closely with the ongoing social protection projects in the Burundi portfolio (see Annex 3), the project will build on ongoing efforts to prepare a national registry to identify the most vulnerable, as well as evidence from humanitarian operations to locate the most climate-afflicted and displaced. Other examples of project interventions to address social cohesion are upscaling colline-level land certification and registration activities to include recognition of land rights for the most vulnerable (widows, female- headed households, marginalized groups); digital cash-for-work transfers to local marginalized batwa communities for land restoration labor work; and providing space for community dialogue to addressing conflict-related trauma to further reduce social conflict risks and foster inclusion. These measures will help build shared prosperity and reduce multi-risk fragility in Burundi’s colline landscapes. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1 Overview of Environmental and Social Project Settings Burundi is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Africa and stretches over 27,834 square kilometers and is a home to four topographical zones with significant differences in altitude (from 772 to 2'670 meters): the Ruzizi Plain, Public Disclosure the Congo-Nile Ridge, the central plateau, and the depressions of the East and north-East. The climate of Burundi is equatorial in nature and is marked by the average annual temperature ranges from 17 to 23 degrees Celsius. In most parts of the country, there is a dense network of permanent watercourses and many drainage axes belonging to two major African watersheds, the Nile basin and the Congo River basin. Additionally, Burundi is very rich in natural lakes including Lakes Tanganyika, Cohoha, Rweru, Kanzigiri and Rwihinda. The Project will target fragile Colline (or hillside) communities, landscapes, and institutions across Burundi. Hillside settings in Burundi are prone to soil erosion and, also identified as hotspots of climate change risks including floods and landslides. The flood analysis found the western and eastern most parts of the country are at particularly high risk (IOM, 2022). Burundi also faces challenges related to water pollution due to inadequate agricultural and sanitation practices, which affects public health and aquatic life. In terms of sensitivity/protected areas, Burundi has 16 protected areas (National Parks, Nature reserves, Natural Monuments and Protected Landscapes, the Hot Springs of Muhweza) covering over 143,000 ha, which is 5.6% of the total national territory and almost 30% of the total available natural ecosystems. Burundi has a low Forest cover in the order of 11% of the total land area. It is not yet possible to assess the extent this can be affected by the project as the specific areas covered are still to be defined. Burundi has three major categories of forests and woodlands – the Albertine Rift Montane Forest, the Central Zambezian Wet Miombo Woodlands, and the Victoria Basin Forest Savannah. Today, forests occupy less than 11% of Burundi’s total land area. According to FAO, in 2020, forests accounted for 10.9% of the total land area, or 2,800 km². Of which, an estimated 1,670 km² was primary forest and 1,130 km² was planted forests. Burundi’s forests provide significant ecosystem services and are culturally important to the country’s local communities (USAID, 2021). According to the latest report published by ISTEEBU (Institut des Statistiques et d’Etudes Economiques du Burundi) In 2021, the use of firewood has increased from 6,086,610 tons in 2010 to 10,655,944 tons in 2017, an increase of 57.1%. Sep 25, 2023 Page 4 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) Around one third of Burundi’s land is considered as highly degraded or extremely degraded. The most degraded lands are in the centre, centre west, and along the western border of the country. Eight of the poorest regions of the country (Muyinga, Ruyigi, Gitega, Cankuzo, Kayanza, Kirundo, Karusi and Rutana), are also amongst the most degraded ones (Green Climate Fund, 2022). Agriculture is the source of livelihood for most of the population in Burundi, employing about 90% of the labor force and contributing around 30% of the country’s GDP [IMF, 2022]. It is also largely practiced on a small scale and dependent on climatic conditions. The expected impacts of climate change pose a significant threat to agriculture production and investing in climate-smart agriculture is key. In Burundi, climate change exacerbates the “fragility trap” as intensifying heavy rainfall events followed by steep landslides degrade scarce lands, and create community tensions over access to scarce lands, disrupting tenuous community social cohesion and reopening wounds in this post-conflict fragile country. Indeed, between 80-95% of court cases ongoing are related to land ownership disputes. Social and contextual complicating factors, such as a rapid urbanization, high population growth, conflict-induced traumas, high youth unemployment, and the increasing scarcity of land 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 Environment, Agriculture and Livestock (MINEAGRIE). Since 2018, MINEAGRIE has been managing Burundi Landscape Restoration and Resilience Project (P160613) under the World Bank’s safeguard policies. PIU staff of this project is therefore familiar with the World Bank’s safeguard policies. However, their experience related to ESF is limited, and capacity assessment and building will be required. The current PIU of the Burundi Landscape Resilience and Restoration Project (BLRRP) has been appointed by MINEAGRIE as the Public Disclosure Project Preparation Unit. During project preparation, an institutional capacity assessment for E&S risks management will be performed and reflected in the ESMF document. MINEAGRIE will hire and maintain at least one (1) dedicated Environmental Specialist and one (1) Social Specialist with gender/GBV knowledge, whose skills and experience will be deemed suitable by the Bank and who will be hired through a competitive process using project preparation advance (PPA) funds. Government Implementing agencies (OBPE, DPAE, Direction Générale du Patrimoine et & DGPATI, IGEBU), except OBPE which has been implementing component 3 of “Burundi Landscape Restoration and Resilience Project (P160613) under the World Bank’s safeguard policies do not have experience to carry out project activities under ESF requirements. ESF training to focal point of these agencies will be conducted. Other involved Ministries: (Prime Ministry, Justice Ministry, Ministry of interior, community development and public security, Ministry of Finance, Budget and economic planning) have limited experience related to ESF requirements, and capacity assessment and building will be required to manage ESF requirements during the preparation and implementation phases. The recruited E&S specialists will be responsible for the oversight of environmental and social aspects of the project, including the drafting of the environmental and social risk management instruments. ESF training for key PIU staffs will be conducted. The Bank will request the PIU to recruit third-party E&S experts to assist the E&S impact screening with recommendations on mitigation measures. This will be reflected in the ESMF and ESCP documents. There will be capacity building of the borrower to meet the ESF requirements. The project design has dedicated one subcomponent to ESF capacity building. Sep 25, 2023 Page 5 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Substantial A.1 Environmental Risk Rating Substantial The project risk is rated as Substantial at this stage. However, it will be reevaluated at the next stage to consider all potential environmental benefits. The project shall promote the adoption of more sustainable and resilient land-use practices that will contribute to landscape restoration resulting in forest growth, carbon sequestration, aquifer recharge, and water availability. It will also promote strengthen policy and legal frameworks for land governance and climate risk management Potential negative impacts are expected to be site-specific, short-term, and reversible. This actual substantial risk rating is based on (i) the activities to be funded under components 2, 3 & 5 (physical investments in landscape restoration through integrated watershed management solutions, farmer-led irrigation, climate-smart agriculture, community livelihood resilience support activities, and sustainable energy access solutions, etc. ); (ii) a wide range of small-scale interventions in different settings and sectors (agroforestry, irrigation, energy access solutions, smart-agriculture, and value chain, vulnerable hillsides in protected areas, etc.); (iii) various technical assistance activities under comp. 1,2, 3 (legal/policy framework for climate and land governance, institutional capacity for climate resilience planning, National Climate Resilience Investment Program, integrated watershed management plans, mainstream Climate Change Action Plans (CCAPs) into commune development plans, etc.), (iv) client’s ESF capacity to identify and manage E&S risk as this is their first ESF project; and (v) key environmental risks and impacts related to the project activities. The project is expected to generate significant environmental benefits. Potential adverse environmental risks and impacts including road safety and occupational health and safety risks are Public Disclosure expected under all project components. Proposed TA activities under components 1, 2 &3 will lead to potential downstream direct and indirect environmental impacts when implemented through future investments. Activities under components 2, 3&5 will have some adverse environmental impacts during the construction phase including dust, noise, management and disposal of debris and other construction related waste. Agroforestry, farmer-led irrigation, landscape restoration activities and climate-smart agriculture could lead to loss of biodiversity, land and soil degradation, loss of water to rivers and wetlands, introduction of invasive species, potential water contamination due to the use of agrochemicals and pesticides, and hazardous waste. Landscape restoration and famer-led irrigation activities may also entail cumulative impacts on water quality and quantity, aquatic ecology and irrigated lands; risk of bush fire; OHS hazards for the workforce/labor work, soil erosion due to earthworks and runoff. Promotion of charcoal briquettes and improved cookstoves could entail explosion risk and other workplace safety risks. Since communities in Burundi is dependent on biodiversity for agricultural products, fisheries, forests, and medicinal plants, impacts on ecosystems and associated ecosystem services would present an environmental risk for communities as well. During operation, the project supported activities would generate agricultural waste, wastewater, air emission, noise etc. However, these environmental risks and impacts will be site specific, temporary, and reversible by applying good construction and agroforestry practices Lastly, the ability for the World Bank to supervise environmental and social risk management may be limited in some targeted areas, where security issues may arise. Other contextual risks include climate-related hazards, such as floods, landslides, land degradation, droughts and heatwaves. A.2 Social Risk Rating Substantial The social risk has been determined to be substantial at this stage. Overall, the project is expected to have positive impacts by strengthening the Government of Burundi’s capacity to anticipate, prevent and minimize impacts from climate change in Burundi’s priority fragile colline hotspots identified as being at high-risk from combined effects of Sep 25, 2023 Page 6 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) climate, land degradation and socio-economic vulnerability. Nonetheless, proposed activities might lead to potential adverse risks and impacts associated with the large-scale of the activities (country-wide), coverage of Batwa and refugee population who may be excluded from the benefits of the project or suffer opposition due to current social practices, potential conflicts resulting from beneficiary selection and primary support to women. Currently, the main social risks of the project are : (i) the risk of exclusion to the benefits of the project linked to a lack of transparency and communication adapted to different collines’ and population’s needs; (ii) risk of opposition and resistance to women taking part in the land certification process due to current social practices and norms; (iii) community health and safety related to the spread of communicable diseases or traffic safety; (iv) labor conditions, community labour in collines restoration not being entirely voluntary and children participating in degrading work in the local value chains and during land restoration activities; (v) physical and/or economic reinstallation due to land acquisitions; (vi) GBV/SEA/SH; (vii) potential conflicts that may arise between agricultural development and conservation needs. These adverse risks will be specified during feasibility studies (viii) the potential negative impacts on SSAHUTLC rights and livelihoods, including access to land and natural resources. . For the above mentioned risks, the project information will effectively shared, understood, and accessible to all stakeholders through the SEP and its meaningful consultations. the project will implement targeted gender inclusion programs and awareness campaign; will develop robust health and safety protocols, including disease prevention measures and traffic safety plans ; develop a strong LMP regarding work conditions, develop comprehensive resettlement plans, strong GBV action plans establishing reporting mechanisms, training project staff on prevention and response; will Conduct thorough environmental and social impact assessments will help identify potential conflicts between agricultural development and conservation needs. The project will integrate sustainable land management practices, promoting dialogue between stakeholders, and finding mutually beneficial solutions that will help minimize conflicts and promote sustainable coexistence. Will Public Disclosure develop strong IPPs to enhance the rights and livelihoods of batwa communities, including access to land and natural resources. This may involve implementing land tenure reforms, providing livelihood support programs, and ensuring the active participation of affected communities in decision-making processes. Regarding the risk of exclusion, more specifically, it is important to consider the risk of social biases excluding certain groups from the benefits of the project both during capacity training and in the design of activities. Under component 1, this relates not only to taking into consideration different groups within the institutions, but also in ensuring that capacity assessments consider how the activities will contemplate different beneficiary groups (e.g. community engagement that considers women, farmers, children, disabled members, and marginalized ethnic groups to participate as local agents of change and sustainability). Under component 3, the concern of exclusion concerns the development of colline-level, multisector climate action plans to build climate resilience, as well as local contingency plans. Additionally, activities such as systematic land certification, strength 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 ESS1 is relevant due to impacts and risks that may be caused by various project activities to be implemented within project areas. Components 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, will lead to potential environmental and social risks and impacts , including SEA/SH, described under section II, A. above Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC). To manage environmental and social risks associated with the project, a project-level Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) in line with the Bank's Environmental and Social Standards and the WB Environment, Health and Sep 25, 2023 Page 7 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) Safety (EHS) Guidelines, which shall be disclosed both in-country and on the Bank's website prior to completing Appraisal.The ESMF, as defined in ESS1, should set out the principles, rules, guidelines, and procedures to assess the environmental and social risks and impacts. In the case of this project, the ESMF should include: (a) an overview of the baseline conditions and a summary of key anticipated environmental and social impacts, including those related to SEA/SH ; (b) an analysis of potential impacts and risks that may occur and mitigation measures that might be expected to be used; (c) a gap analysis of relevant E&S regulatory framework and the ESSs in Burundi; (d) E&S management procedures for subproject screening including TAs, E&S audit, assessment, approval, implementation, supervision and M&E; (e) the E&S related eligibility criteria or exclusion list for subproject selection; (f) a review of existing institutional capacity on E&S management and arrangements for staffing, capacity building and budget; (g) an Environmental and Social Code of Practice (ESCOP) for small-scale construction and/or renovation activities; (h) CERC section of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF); and a (i) guidance for the preparation of a sub-project level environmental and social impact assessments and preparation of sub-project specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), during the implementation phase. In addition, the ESMF shall include a biodiversity screening approach and generic mitigation measures that address any threats to biodiversity conservation including threats on critical habitats, endangered species (fauna and flora) including threats caused by invasive species an integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP),and Animal/Livestock Health Care Waste Management Plan, including expired or defective pharmaceuticals. The ESMF shall include guidance on E&S screening and classification of site- specific project activities and the development of site-specific ESIA and Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP)s to be prepared as needed during implementation and prior to the carrying out of subproject. Site-specific ESIAs and ESMPs will be in compliance with applicable national legislation, the ESSs of the WB, and will be required to implement all applicable good practices, including the WBG's EHS Guidelines. The scoping of coverage of site-specific Public Disclosure instruments will be defined at the next stage. This ESIA will include: (a) national E&S regulatory framework and the Bank EHS Guidelines; (b) an analysis of potential risks and impacts from activities during the design, construction and operation phase respectively, and corresponding mitigation measures including the management of air emission, wastewater, noise, solid waste and OHS hazards in accordance with World Bank EHS guidelines and with reference to GIIP to address E&S risks; (c)a biodiversity assessment in compliance with requirements of ESS6 to mitigate the impacts on flora and fauna species;(d) an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP). Prior to Appraisal, a gender sensitive social assessment scoping component 1, 2 and 3, undertaken as part of the ESMF will be prepared to help understand potential social risks and their magnitude. It will be important to ensure equitable outcomes and address gender disparities, promoting inclusivity and social justice. It will help identifying and mitigating gender-based barriers, harnessing the potential of all individuals and fostering sustainable development. The result of the social assessment will also inform the preparation of subsequent site-specific Environmental and Social assessments. A GBV risk assessment will be undertaken for the Project, including analysis around SEA/SH risks under the project. Based on this assessment, the Project will produce a SEA/SH Prevention and Response Action Plan, as an annex to the ESMF, to ensure that risks emerging from project interventions,, especially in the context of labor use are adequately addressed. A code of conduct for all workers and project personnel, addressing SEA/SH and outlining applicable sanctions, is expected to be in place. Regarding climate and disaster related risks, activities would be equipped to mitigate risks posed by climate change and natural hazards. The TORs for any TA activities under the project, produced by the client, will refer to relevant ESSs and incorporate relevant assessments to ensure that activities and outputs are consistent with ESF requirements. This entails capacity building in Type 3 TA as well as Type 1 TA (Development of a National Climate Resilience Investment Program) and Type 2 TA (policy and legal frameworks for land governance and climate risk management and strategic planning for landscape management and climate resilience IWRM at the watershed level), and a strategic environmental and social analysis (SESA) may be applied to Sep 25, 2023 Page 8 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) Type 1 TA and Type 2 TA. All requirements in the ESMF will be reflected in the ESCP to be prepared and disclosed by the Borrower by Appraisal. It will also include monitoring and reporting activities and a requirement to strengthen the capacity of the project workers throughout project implementation. ESS10 - Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant In consultation with the Bank, the Borrower will need to prepare and implement an inclusive Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) proportional to the nature and scale of the project and its associated risks and impacts. The SEP will be in place by appraisal to ensure that a road map for consultation, information-sharing, active inclusion, and complaints management of stakeholders. This can only be done, once a precise stakeholder mapping exercise has been undertaken, based on some knowledge of the location of project activities. Mapping will also include private and public sector stakeholders, whose input is necessary to finalize the text in sector reforms and ensure that activities undertaken under all components are transparent and inclusive. The Borrower will need to engage in meaningful consultations with all stakeholders throughout the project life cycle paying particular attention to the inclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. These vulnerable groups and individuals may need additional attention to ensure that they participate in consultations and their specific concerns and needs are addressed and that supplemental measures are put into place to ensure they have full access to project benefits. Consultations with women will be held independently in safe and confidential spaces and will remain focused on understanding women’s and girls’ experiences as a whole, their wellbeing, health, and safety concerns; no inquiries regarding personal experiences of abuse and violence will be made. Consultations with women will also provide an opportunity to identify and confirm safe and accessible reporting channels for SEA/SH complaints. If needed, a special strategy will be implemented to insure the consultation and implication of the Batwas communities. The Borrower will provide Public Disclosure stakeholders with timely, relevant, understandable, and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally appropriate manner, that is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination, and intimidation. Adequate measures will be in place to elicit the views of rural communities who may be illiterate. A feedback loop will ensure that stakeholders are informed about how their views have been integrated in project implementation. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and other diseases, there is risk of social exclusion, therefore the SEP will need to contain special provisions for stakeholders identified as part of the COVID-19 crisis and recovery efforts. Consultations will be carried out in line with the Bank’s Technical Note on Public Consultations and Stakeholder Engagement to prevent the project becoming a vector for the coronavirus. Community liaison officers or NGOs from affected communities will undertake stakeholder engagement activities, under the guidance of the PIU. Consultations will consider the Burundian context, and Bank requirements, of the spread of COVID-19. The project team will ensure timely diffusion of information on social behavior and good hygiene practices in the COVID-19 pandemic context, and that any stakeholder engagement events be preceded with the procedure of articulating such hygienic practices. Public gatherings, including public hearings, workshops, and community meetings, should be avoided while considering national restrictions. Further, minimize direct interaction between project agencies and beneficiaries / affected people. To the extent possible, stakeholder engagement should be undertaken in small-group sessions, such as focus group meetings. As part of the Environmental and Social Assessment the Borrower will maintain and disclose a documented record of stakeholder engagement, including a description of the stakeholders consulted, a summary of the feedback received and a brief explanation of how the feedback was considered, or the reasons why it was not. The SEP will be updated regularly by the PIU E&S staff. The SEP will include a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) sensitive to SEA/SH to collect, address and solve issues faced by beneficiaries, stakeholders and other interested parties. The GRM will focus on the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized individuals or groups, and it will include specific measures to ensure the ethical and safe intake and management of SEA/SH-related complaints, including Sep 25, 2023 Page 9 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) response and information-sharing protocols for timely service referrals and reporting. It will be culturally appropriate and accessible for the Batwa communities. ESS2 - Labor and Working Conditions Relevant The project will include direct workers composed of the Project Implementing Unit (PIU) staff,contracted workers employed by contracted and subcontracted companies, and community workers. At this stage, it is still unknown if other types of workers may be needed. The Project Coordination Unit will include cluster specialists who will oversee identifying the project activities, would be primarily comprised of contractual staff, that is, full-time consultants working for the government and a few seconded civil servants. All Cluster Specialists will be competitively selected. Confirmation with the Borrower can determine what category the Task Force civil servants fall into to accurately determine the risks. At this stage , it is unknown whether and how the project will include community workers. The A- ESRS will include an explanation of the foreseen need of community workers (for which activities, scope), and how this will be managed by the project. Requirements on employment terms and conditions, non-discrimination and opportunity for community workers will be explicitely discussed. Most activities will be conducted by firms that hold service contracts with the Borrower; therefore, all applicable ESS2 requirements must be followed by the firms. This includes not only the firm with the service contracts but also the firms that they subcontract, which is where the most significant risks of non-compliance are generally observed. The scale of labour influx into project areas remains unclear at this stage but the project will aim at hiring local labour, except for skilled workers who cannot be found in project locations. The most significant risks are unfair treatment and discrimination in the hiring process, occupational health, and safety, working conditions, and grievance management for laborers. During project preparation, the Borrower will develop and implement (i) required labour terms and conditions as part of Labour Management Plan Public Disclosure (LMP); (ii) a worker’s Grievance Mechanism (GM) which could address all workers complaints, including the ethical and safe management of SEA/SH-related complaints; and (iii) sensitization related to the availability of worker’s GM and to the respect of code of conduct to prevent and address potential harassment, child labour, gender discrimination or SEA/SH-related misconduct issues, intimidation and/or exploitation during the implementation of the activities financed under this project. Codes of conduct will specifically address SEA/SH, including violence against children and prohibition of any sexual contact with minors, and outline applicable sanctions, and workers and project personnel will receive trainings and awareness-raising on SEA/SH risks, including the codes of conduct. The LMP will set the assessment of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) risks and impacts related to project activities as they are defined through preparation and proposed measures to manage those risks – in tandem with sub-project E&S instruments. To ensure health and safety of workers during the farming activities, the Borrower incorporate Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. These plans will include procedures on investigation and reporting of incidences and non-conformance, emergency preparedness and response procedures and continuous training and awareness to workers. The LMP will be implemented by the PIU with the support of the Bank's specialists. The ESMF shall include sections on Environment Health and Safety (EHS) based on the World Bank Group EHS Guidelines and subsequent instruments (ESIA/ESMP) and will (i) conduct a risk-based assessment of all civil works, briquette production, value chain activities, land restoration activities, farmer-led irrigation activities climate-smart agriculture investments, etc. and provide appropriate safety measures, (ii) develop and implement site specific Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) plans and an OHS manual for charcoal briquette production in line with World Bank Group Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. ESS3 - Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Relevant Sep 25, 2023 Page 10 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) ESS3 is relevant to project activities. The project will support physical investments in land restoration through integrated watershed management solutions on colline, farmer-led irrigation, climate-smart agriculture, and climate- Resilient livelihoods. Hazardous and nonhazardous wastes: These activities are likely to result in the generation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. For ex. land restoration activities will entail debris materials, wastewater, the excavated material, topsoil, organic waste (removed invasive plants or plants infected by diseases or insect pests), etc. The waste management will be further assessed, and mitigation measures based on the environmental mitigation hierarchy will be proposed during the EA process. Water: It is expected to be used for famer-led irrigation activities, charcoal briquette production, agroforestry activities including the setup of nurseries, and for private-sector development of local value chains / social entrepreneurship incubation, etc. With farmer-led irrigation activities, the proposed project is a potentially significant user of water and a detailed water balance will prepared during implementation, as part of the environmental and social assessment, and it will be maintained, monitored, and reported periodically. Pesticides: The project will minimize the use of low toxicity pesticides for project activities and will promote the use of organic fertilizers to the extent possible. It will not involve use of chemical pesticides for agroforestry activities. However, community livelihood resilience activities may require animal health and disease management. The ESMF and the environmental and social assessment will assess the project’s potential use of pesticides and fertilizers during project preparation and include mitigation measures and good practices accordingly. Nonetheless, based on the available information up to date, sections on Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) will be developed and included as part of the ESMF and subsequent ESA instruments. Soil erosion and runoff: agroforestry, famer-led irrigation and land restoration may entail soil erosion and sedimentation if good practices in landscape restoration and erosion control are not applied correctly under component 2. Erosion is key contextual challenge and erosion issues will be addressed at the early stage of the project and subprojects and that their design Public Disclosure will define specific measures that aims at minimizing the erosion risks during both implementation and operation phases Indirect and cumulative risks and impacts will be in the ESMF and subsequent ESIA/ESMP reports shall include increased rates of natural resources exploitation, increased of irrigated lands; changes in land use pattern; impacts on biodiversity because of the expansion of agroforestry activities, increased use of agrochemical in community agroforestry, etc. Raw materials and resource efficiency. Energy solutions may entail extraction of raw materials (sand, clay, etc.). All of these materials will be obtained from licensed, commercially operating quarries or borrow pits localized within the project areas, prioritizing the use of areas already under exploration over the opening of new ones. Risks and impacts associated with the ancillary works are addressed in the ESMF and will be further identified and addressed in any subsequent ESA instruments (ESIA, ESMP). Other environmental impacts associated to the small- scale infrastructure construction and operation such as dust emission, wastewater discharge, noise impacts during construction and operation are site specific, limited, and easy to be managed. These impacts will be assessed during the EA process and adequate mitigation measures and environment monitoring plans as part of the EA instruments will be also developed. At this stage, the project is not expected to result in significant GHG emissions, water use, and energy use, however these assumptions will be confirmed during preparation. The proposed project will promote improved water efficiency through rainwater harvesting facilities installed at farm level. Value chain activities shall promote energy and resources efficiency along the selected value chains, from production to domestic consumption and markets. GHG emissions climate-resilient livelihood support activities will depend on the species, products, and the productivity. All terms of reference and final deliverables, for any technical assistance and studies to be carried out under the Project shall be prepared, adopted, and completed in form and substance satisfactory with ESS3. ESS4 - Community Health and Safety Relevant Sep 25, 2023 Page 11 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) ESS4 is relevant. The Project is required to include assessments of risks and impacts of project activities to health and safety in project affected communities in all phases of the project cycle. Community Health and Safety (CHS) risks and impacts could relate to the design and safety of infrastructure, traffic and road safety, waterborne disease, or community exposure to nuisance and public/animal health issues, water pollution resulting from food crops/agroforestry and farmer-led irrigation activities and the development of associated markets and value chains, misuse and inappropriate storing and handling of pesticides and fertilizers, and inappropriate waste management practices are also a potentially serious risk to the safety. Burundi is dependent on biodiversity for agricultural products, fisheries, forests, and medicinal plants, impacts on ecosystems and associated ecosystem services would present an environmental risk for communities as well. In Burundi, rainfall tends to increase with altitude, and it typically amounts to around 1,200/1,400 millimeters per year on the plateau, while it drops below 1,000 mm in the west and east, which is the warmest and least rainy area of the country. In mountainous areas, rainfall reaches 1,700 mm per year. Rainfall associated surface water run-off landscape restoration activities and other small-scale civil works could mobilize and transport pollutants such as sediment, oils, chemicals, and other materials into the water environment or affecting community socioeconomic assets. The ESMF to be prepared will include provisions to review bidding documents to ensure tendering companies include measures to manage risks in relation to community health and safety. The ESMF shall also address potential traffic and road safety risks to workers including drivers, affected communities and road users throughout the project life cycle, and where appropriate, will develop measures and plans. Subsequent instruments (ESIA and ESMPs) shall assess and include measures and actions to address road safety risks. The IPMP to be prepared as section parts of the ESMF will identify all the risks/impacts and establish standardized measures to mitigate risks associated with increased pesticide use and veterinary drugs. Further discussions shall be held with the Client during project preparation to determine if pesticides use will be anticipated Public Disclosure during implementation and/or operation phase. The ESMF and subsequent ESA instruments will scope and assess the risk of the project to ecosystem services and/or habitats, and measures incorporated into the project and subproject design. Workplace safety culture is another contextual issue and OHS/CHS issues will be addressed at all stages of the project and subprojects and accounted for in the design. Risk factors related to low capacity in OHS/CHS issues shall be mitigated via capacity building activities. COVID-19 risks could be exacerbated by the project and need to be addressed at the community level through responsible action. The Borrower will put measures in place to prevent or minimize the spread of the infectious disease/COVID-19 to the community in in line with WHO guidelines on “Key considerations for repatriation and quarantine of travelers in relation to the outbreak of novel coronavirus 2019- nCoV” as well as the Africa CDC guideline on “Africa CDC Guidance for Assessment, Monitoring, and Movement Restrictions of People at Risk for COVID-19 in Africa”. Such guidelines will be included in the ESMF. The Project will also support information and awareness-raising measures in the community. Due to a larger presence of stakeholders, increased job opportunities, the implementation of trainings, as well as of workers coming from outside of the community, SEA/SH risks will also need to be addressed in site-specific environmental and social assessments and action plans. Gender-based violence (GBV), SEA/SH, and the spread of sexually transmitted and communicable diseases, may occur especially as the communities are rural and remote A GBV risk assessment will be undertaken for the Project. Based on this assessment, the Project will produce a SEA/SH Prevention and Response Action Plan (annexed to the ESMF) to ensure that SEA/SH risks emerging from project interventions, especially in the context of labor use as well as land rights and livelihoods activities, are adequately addressed. As part of the project’s accountability and response framework, a code of conduct will be put into place, and the GM shall be developed and designed to address SEA/SH complaints safely and confidentially. A community awareness-raising strategy will likewise be developed to inform the communities about identified risks and consequences, prohibited behaviors, and GM procedures to report SEA/SH incidents safely and confidentially, including locally available GBV service providers. Sep 25, 2023 Page 12 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) In addition, the project will elaborate a referral pathway for SEA/SH survivors, which will include, at a minimum, quality medical services, psychosocial assistance, and legal support These mitigation measures to manage potential risks of GBV and SEA/SH linked with the project, and to avoid forced labour, will be included as part of the ESMF and subsequent ESMPs, SEP and RPF, as well as in the bidding documents and contracts for contractors. Contractors will likewise need to incorporate core SEA/SH risk mitigation measures , including SEA/SH training and a code of conduct for workers. Security issues never and should not hinder project implementation; however, should circumstances change, we will create a security management plan to evaluate risks and mitigate potential threats. All terms of reference and final deliverables for any technical assistance and studies to be carried out under the Project shall be prepared, adopted, and completed in form and substance satisfactory with ESS4. ESS5 - Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Relevant The Project will support land certification activities under component 3, which will target private (farmer-owned lands). Landscape restoration, will also encroach on private farmlands, but following the example of the parent project, full farmer consent will be a pre-requisite for intervention (with full community mobilization upstream). While no large-scale resettlement is foreseen, impacts on livelihoods are expected, the extent of which can be determined based on a detailed social analysis to be performed during preparation. To mitigate land acquisition as much as possible, the Borrower will opt for sites that are already owned by the government and free of leaseholders and squatters. A Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) shall be prepared before Project Appraisal to set out the principles to ensure that the impacts of land acquisition and resettlement are either avoided, minimized, or mitigated, allowing people affected by the project to improve or, at the very least recover their livelihoods and previous standards of living. Any land requirements and impacts on livelihoods will be addressed under Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) Public Disclosure which will be prepared for each intervention and will be aligned with the Project’s RPF. All RAPs need to be monitored throughout the project and adjustments will need to be made as necessary. A final audit will need to be conducted to determine if people’s pre-project situation has been re-established or improved. ESS6 - Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Relevant Resources This ESS6 is relevant to this project. This is designed to generate environmental benefits by landscape restoration in selected landscapes and strengthening policy and legal frameworks for land governance and climate risk management. Vulnerable hillsides in protected areas will be targeted in (1) KIBIRA National Park, Congo Basin part; (2) RUVUBU National Park MUYINGA, KARUSI and RUYIGI bank-Ramsar Site no. 2148;(3) Protected aquatic landscapes of the North constituted by the Northern Lakes; (4) The Natural Forest Reserve of Bururi, and famer-led irrigation systems could affect farm land biodiversity and ecosystem services. In addition, construction materials will be required for sustainable energy solutions such as, improved cookstoves. According to a report from USAID (2021), the country is home to an estimated 597 bird species, 203 mammalian species, 89 species of reptile, 49 species of amphibians, and over 300 species of fish, including four species of lungfish. Burundi also has numerous endemic plant species, many of which are found in the Albertine Rift Montane Forests. In the country, there are 3 major categories of forests and woodlands – Albertine Rift Montane Forest, Central Zambezian Wet Miombo Woodlands, and Victoria Basin Forest Savannah. The Albertine Rift Montane Forest, with high levels of biodiversity and endemism, is largely a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest, while the Miombo Woodlands and Victoria Basin Forest Savanna are a mix of tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands. The Kibira National Park in Burundi represents one of the last remaining intact stretches of Afromontane forests in the region, providing an important habitat for Sep 25, 2023 Page 13 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) many endemic species. It is also a water catchment area for the hydrological basins of the Congo River and the Nile River. Burundi also has a variety of aquatic ecosystems including marshes, lakes, ponds, and streams. The country contains over 1,180 km² of wetlands (5% of the country’s land cover), which are concentrated around Lake Tanganyika and the Ruvubu River in the East and provide essential ecosystem services. The ESMF and ESIA processes during preparation and/or implementation stages will outline the characteristics of these various habitats under the project activities related to PAs and include relevant baseline information and an assessment of the data quality of that information. The assessment processes shall consider not only fauna, flora, species of conservation issues, but also the integrity/fragmentation of habitats. Impacts resulting from both construction activities and O&M activities, emergency events such as forest fire, and indirect impacts such as increased access to previously inaccessible high- biodiversity areas shall also be considered. In addition, the ESMF and ESIA processes will ensure that the proposed specific activities in selected provinces will be assessed in compliance with ESS6 requirements to mitigate the impacts and risks to flora and fauna species, particularly avoid impacting native or endemic species, to avoid any further degradation or conversion of natural/critical habitats and to enhance the biodiversity protection. An analysis of alternatives to investigate the ways and means to minimize the impacts and risks on the natural habitats and other sensitive environmental, social and cultural receptors and to avoid /minimize unvoluntary resettlement during feasibility studies. Moreover, careful attention will be paid to restoration activities to ensure that biodiversity is maintained and that native species are not inadvertently replaced with invasive species or other species that would alter the current habitat. The ESMF and ESIA processes will address the potential use of invasive species and will include mitigation activities accordingly. It is envisioned that the ESMF and ESIA processes will also consider operational phase issues. All terms of reference and final deliverables, for any technical assistance and studies to be carried out under the Project shall be prepared, adopted, and completed in form and substance satisfactory with Public Disclosure ESS6. ESS7 - Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Relevant Local Communities ESS7 is relevant to the project as activities shall target Batwa communities. Batwa communities have historically faced discrimination and marginalization. They have been denied access to education, healthcare, and other basic services, which has contributed to their poverty and social exclusion. Moreover, their land rights have not been recognized, and they have been displaced from their ancestral lands, leading to further marginalization and impoverishment. Priority will be given to the avoidance of impacts on the cultural heritage of Batwa and that FPIC will be sought when such impact is unavoidable. The parent project didn’t have any adverse impacts on Batwa communities. Nevertheless, as the exact location of project activities has not yet been defined, an Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) shall be prepared before Appraisal. Once the project area is defined, and if determined that Batwas are situated in the project area, an Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) will be prepared. The project will ensure that batwa communities are appropriately informed and can share in the benefits of the project in an inclusive and culturally appropriate manner with provisions included in the SEP, as well as provide their complaints through the GRM. The project will respect the human rights, dignity, aspirations, identity, culture, and livelihoods of Batwas communities and avoid adverse impacts on them or, when avoidance is not possible, minimize, mitigate or compensate for such impacts. Women and girls in Batwa communities face additional challenges and are particularly vulnerable to violence and exploitation. Gender- based violence is prevalent, and women and girls are often subjected to sexual violence and other forms of abuse. This is compounded by the fact that they have limited access to justice and support services due to their social status and economic situation. Additionally, they often lack access to education and healthcare, which further exacerbates Sep 25, 2023 Page 14 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) their vulnerability. Considering this context, the project will ensure that Batwas women are independently consulted with female facilitators in safe and confidential conditions. ESS8 - Cultural Heritage Relevant ESS8 is currently considered relevant. While project activities are not expected to have a negative impact on tangible or intangible cultural heritage, the relevance of this E&S standard will be further assessed during project preparation. Although the actual project sites are currently not known it is likely that some locations will be within, or adjacent to historical sites and important heritage sites, which also have inherent cultural value. In 2014, the ritual Burundian drum dance was placed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. There is no UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site in Burundi but there are 10 sites which are on UNESCO's tentative list. These 10 sites includes Gishora, Mugamba, Muramvya, Gasumo (the southernmost source of the Nile), Lake Rwihinda Natural Reserve, Lake Tanganyika, Rusizi National Park, Kibira National Park, Ruvubu National Park, the Kagera waterfalls and German Gorge - Faille des Allemands. In addition, local communities maintain shrines, sacred groves, forest reserves, etc., and have developed years of belief systems and customary practices around some of the sites, “collines”, and forests. Once the provinces are selected and activities are determined, the cultural heritage investigation and assessment will be conducted as part of the ESMF and ESIA processes. The project will avoid encroaching on historically or culturally meaningful sites with appropriate community engagement for full buy-in and appropriation of activity by recipients. Priority will be given to the avoidance of impacts on the cultural heritage of Batwa and that FPIC will be sought when such impact is unavoidable. The ESMF shall include a section on protection of Cultural Heritage and guidelines for chance find procedures (CFP) as well as for Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMPs). The SEP shall also incorporate specific considerations for engaging local communities and traditional authorities on the management of these issues Public Disclosure associated with known cultural sites and artifacts in the project areas. All terms of reference and final deliverables, for any technical assistance and studies to be carried out under the Project shall be prepared, adopted, and completed in form and substance satisfactory with ESS8. ESS9 - Financial Intermediaries Relevant ESS9 is currently considered relevant (adopting the precautionary approach at Concept stage). Innovative financing options such as lines of credit through financial intermediaries for private-sector development of local value chains / social entrepreneurship incubation, could be explored. The approach will be clarified during feasibility studies and will be decided by appraisal. 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 Sep 25, 2023 Page 15 of 16 The World Bank Burundi Colline Climate Resilience Project (P180864) This project will not use the Borrower’s Environmental and Social Framework in the assessment, nor in the development and implementation of investments. However, it will comply with relevant national legal and regulatory requirements. Use of Common Approach No N/A 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? III. CONTACT POINT World Bank Task Team Leader: Arame Tall Title: Senior Environmental Specialist Email: atall2@worldbank.org Public Disclosure 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 Task Team Leader(s): Arame Tall Practice Manager (ENR/Social) David Seth Warren Recommended on 30-Jun-2023 at 18:08:11 EDT ADM Environmental Specialist: Cyrille Valence Ngouana Kengne ADM Social Specialist: Boyenge Isasi Dieng Sep 25, 2023 Page 16 of 16