INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET
APPRAISAL STAGE
Report No.: ISDSA817
Public Disclosure Copy
Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 01-Oct-2012
I. BASIC INFORMATION
1. Basic Project Data
Country: Middle East and North Africa Project ID: P130343
Project Name: MENA- Desert Ecosystems and Livelihoods Knowledge Sharing and
Coordination Project (P130343)
Task Team Taoufiq Bennouna
Leader:
Estimated 10-Oct-2012 Estimated 21-Feb-2013
Appraisal Date: Board Date:
Managing Unit: MNSEN Lending Technical Assistance Loan
Instrument:
Focal Area: Multi-focal area
Sector: General agriculture, fishing and forestry sector (30%), General water, sanitation
and flood protection sector (30%), Other industry (30%), Other Renewable
Energy (10%)
Theme: Biodiversity (20%), Other rural development (20%), Other environment and
natural resources management (20%), Water resource manageme nt (20%),
Climate change (20%)
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Financing (In USD Million)
Financing Source Amount
BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00
Global Environment Facility (GEF) 1.00
Total 1.00
Environmental C - Not Required
Category:
Is this a No
Repeater
project?
2. Global Environmental Objective(s)
The proposed project development objective is to strengthen networks among selected organizations
by sharing experience and knowledge on key desert ecosystem management issues.
3. Project Description
The proposed project would consist of the following three components.
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Component 1: Knowledge Management and Sharing (GEF: US$ 800,000).
The aim of this component is to establish and strengthen existing networks between national
institutions to encourage management and sharing of knowledge on key issues related to sustainable
Public Disclosure Copy
desert ecosystem management and their associated livelihoods. It will contribute to respond to main
the questions related to desert issues as presented below. This will help build a community of
practice aimed at providing guidance to policy-makers on matters related to the sustainable
development of desert ecosystems.
Institutions in the five participating countries will submit eligible activities for financing to the OSS,
among them the following:
(i) Workshops or training sessions: Organize workshops (with a sectoral or a multi-sectoral
focus with deserts as a central theme) bringing together relevant stakeholders from MENA-DELP
participating countries to share knowledge and information about pilot MENA-DELP country
projects, other relevant desert ecosystem and livelihood enhancement experiences (in participating
countries as well in other countries), as well as emerging knowledge on related policy guidance.
(ii) Study tours: Organize study tours to share information on pilot MENA-DELP country
projects or other similar projects (in participating and/or other countries).
(iii) Web-based Networks: Organize moderated internet discussions through web-based networks
between sectoral experts on key issues, emerging lessons and related policy implications related to
the sustainable use of desert goods and services in the context of a given productive sector.
The organization of the project workshops as well as the steering committee meetings will be, when
possible, associated to international conferences such as UNCCD, UNCCC or UNCBD COP.
An additional responsibility of the OSS would be to prepare a short summary report of the activity
and publish it for broader dissemination.
Component 2: Monitoring and evaluation (GEF: US$ 100,000).
The proposed objectives of this component are two-fold: (i) Establish a Programmatic level
monitoring system for the MENA-DELP program based on aggregating national project level
indicators and results, (ii) Establish a specific M&E system for the regional project. The
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implementing regional organization, the OSS, will be responsible to develop these 2 M&E systems
and will elaborate a comprehensive annual progress reports on program level results OSS, to be
disseminated to all the stakeholders, including the Bank and GEF.
In order to create a positive feedback loop between M&E and knowledge management, the regional
project M&E system will incorporate a dedicated information system which will: (i) allow for the
collection of data and information on desert ecosystems, livelihoods and sustainable management
practices; (ii) disseminate information through a dedicated website; (iii) provide a link and a platform
for exchange of information between partners; (iv) include a centralized GIS database; (v) include a
monitoring evaluation with predefined indicators to facilitate analysis, consistency and monitoring of
activities; and (vi) moderate virtual discussions through existing or new web-based networks, as
proposed under Component 1.
Component 3: Project Coordination (GEF: US$ 100,000).
This component will mainly finance project management costs of the OSS (up to a maximum of US
$44,000), and the travel and meeting-related costs of the project Steering Committee.
Key issues related to desert ecosystems:
Key questions to be addressed are, among others, the following;
� What are the relationships between a democratic society and a sustainable approach to
eradicate poverty and create growth in desert areas?
� Who are `the winners' and `the losers' of current policies concerning deserts ecosystems and
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livelihoods?
� What are the negative impacts and spillovers of current development policies and programs
on desert ecosystems and livelihoods?
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� What are the main aspects of climate risks on local production systems?
� What are the main forms of adaptation to climate change and variability that have to be
supported in desert ecosystems in a sustainable manner?
� What are the main aspects of innovative policies aimed at supporting the diversification of
livelihoods in desert areas?
� How can environmental policies and regulations be better designed to allow for th e
sustainable use of natural resources in order to generate employment and improved livelihoods while
preventing the degradation of the resource?
� What policy levers are important to encourage ecotourism and cultural tourism?
� What is the current experience in incorporating a focus on ecotourism in a country's tourism
strategy, and what elements are important to increase the market share of ecotourism?
� What are different income generation options for desert communities that use desert goods
and services optimally and what policies and actions are needed to make sure these are realized in a
sustainable way?
� How can policies and related regulations be designed to encourage better water management
and protection of biodiversity?
4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard
analysis (if known)
The project is intended to engage the four participating countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, and
Morocco) under the MENA-DELP.
5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists
Abdoul-Wahab Seyni (AFTCS)
Andrew Michael Losos (MNSEN)
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6. Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional)
Environmental Assessment OP/ No Project activities will not result in any adverse
BP 4.01 environmental and social impacts.
Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No
Forests OP/BP 4.36 No
Pest Management OP 4.09 No
Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No
BP 4.11
Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No
Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No
4.12
Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No
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Projects on International No
Waterways OP/BP 7.50
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Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No
7.60
II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management
A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues
1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the Restructured project.
Identify and describe any potential l arge scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts:
The project is rated category C. The project will have a global positive impact on sustainable
development of desert ecosystems. It integrates a strong dimension of political and institutional
participation and capacity building. Furthermore, it supports current and future initiatives, at
sectoral and multi-sectoral levels, with positive cumulative impacts. The proposed project brings a
real added value to on-going initiatives and puts a strong emphasis on disseminating value-added
technologies and techniques. It will ultimately contribute to disseminate initiatives aimed at
diversifying local livelihoods.
2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities
in the project area:
3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse
impacts.
4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an
assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described.
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5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure
on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people.
B. Disclosure Requirements Date
Technical Assistance Project
For a TA project which will finance the preparation of a specific safeguards instrument, please
indicate type of document disclosed, if any.
N/A
If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources policies, the
respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/
Audit/or EMP.
If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why:
N/A
C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the
ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting)
The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information
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Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ]
World Bank's Infoshop?
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Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ]
place in a form and language that are understandable and
accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs?
All Safeguard Policies
Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ]
responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of
measures related to safeguard policies?
Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ]
in the project cost?
Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ]
include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures
related to safeguard policies?
Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ]
with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in
the project legal documents?
III. APPROVALS
Task Team Leader: Taoufiq Bennouna
Approved By
Sector Manager: Name: Lia Carol Sieghart (SM) Date: 02-Oct-2012
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