Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB) ASIA-PACIFIC FCPF CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT ON REDD+ P175928 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) May 2021 THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN 1. ANSAB will implement the Asia-Pacific FCPF Capacity Building Project on REDD+ Project (the Project). The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (hereinafter the Bank) has agreed to provide financing for the Project. 2. ANSAB will implement material measures and actions so that the Project is implemented in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). This Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) sets out material measures and actions, any specific documents or plans, as well as the timing for each of these. 3. ANSAB will also comply with the provisions of any other E&S documents required under the ESF referred to in this ESCP and the timelines specified in those E&S documents. 4. ANSAB is responsible for compliance with all requirements of the ESCP even when implementation of specific measures and actions is conducted by CSOs receiving sub-grants. 5. Implementation of the material measures and actions set out in this ESCP will be monitored and reported to the Bank by ANSAB as required by the ESCP and the conditions of the legal agreement, and the Bank will monitor and assess progress and completion of the material measures and actions throughout implementation of the Project. 6. As agreed by the Bank and ANSAB, this ESCP may be revised from time to time during Project implementation, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes and unforeseen circumstances or in response to assessment of Project performance conducted under the ESCP itself. In such circumstances, ANSAB will agree to the changes with the Bank and will update the ESCP to reflect such changes. Agreement on changes to the ESCP will be documented through the exchange of letters signed between the Bank and the ANSAB. ANSAB will promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 7. Where Project changes, unforeseen circumstances, or Project performance result in changes to the risks and impacts during Project implementation, ANSAB shall provide additional funds, if needed, to implement actions and measures to address such risks and impacts. 2|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY MONITORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING Project Secretariat, ANSAB Prepare and submit to the Bank regular monitoring reports on Six-monthly environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) performance as a section of the biannual project reports regarding compliance in accordance with the requirements of ESCP. B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS Project Secretariat, ANSAB With its nature, the Project will focus on capacity building activities, and The Bank will be notified within 48 hours it is unlikely that the incidents and accidents will occur that will have or after learning of the incident or accident. A likely to have a significant adverse effect on the environment, local report would be provided within a communities and the workers. If occurred, ANSAB will promptly notify timeframe acceptable to the Bank, as the Bank of any such incident or accident. ANSAB will provide sufficient requested. detail regarding the incident or accident, indicating immediate measures taken or that are planned to be taken to address it. Subsequently, as per the Bank’s request, ANSAB will prepare a report on the incident or accident and propose any measures to prevent its recurrence. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Project Secretariat, ANSAB Establish and maintain a Project Secretariat with qualified staff in place A Project Secretariat and one M&E to support management of E&S risks. A dedicated M&E Specialist will specialist will be established within 30 days serve as the focal person for monitoring environmental and social after Project effectiveness, and will be standard compliance, accidents and incidents with assistance from the maintained throughout the Project Project team and coordination with the sub-project teams. implementation. 1.2 MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS Project Secretariat, ANSAB Selection criteria and screening procedures for selection of sub-projects Application form will be developed before will integrate objectives and provisions of relevant Environmental and the call for proposals and the sub-grantees Social Standards in the Operations Manual to ensure implementation of will be supervised throughout Project the Project consistent with the Bank’s ESF and this ESCP. implementation. 3|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES Project Secretariat, ANSAB Adopt and implement the Labor Management Procedures (LMP) The LMP will be adopted at approval and Sub-grantees developed for the Project that defines the labor and working condition implemented, and updated as needed provisions consistent with national legislation, as required, and ESS2. throughout project implementation The LMP will be a living document and will be reviewed and updated as more information become available while implementing the Project. 2.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM FOR PROJECT WORKERS Project Secretariat, ANSAB Establish, maintain and operate a grievance mechanism for the Project Grievance mechanism will be operational Sub-grantees workers, that is consistent with the ESS2 and is described in the LMP. within 30 days after Project effectiveness. It Project workers will be informed on the purpose of grievance mechanism will be maintained throughout Project and how to use it. Measures will be put in place to make the grievance implementation. Workers will be informed mechanism easily accessible to all project workers, and also to protect of grievance mechanism at the time of the workers against any reprisal for its use. recruitment. 2.3 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OHS) MEASURES Project Secretariat, ANSAB Adopt and implement occupational, health and safety (OHS) procedures OHS procedures will be developed within 30 Sub-grantees for the Project with measures that meet the required standard of the days after Project effectiveness. Procedures World Bank, country-specific national labor acts, including Nepal’s Labor will be implemented throughout the Act 2017 and Labour Rules, 2018. duration of the project. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 3.1 Not currently relevant ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY 4.1 Relevant aspects of this standard should be considered, as needed, in Throughout Project implementation Project Secretariat, ANSAB actions 1.2 and 2.3 above. Sub-grantees ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT 5.1 Not currently relevant 4|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES 6.1 BIODIVERSITY RISKS AND IMPACTS While the Project will not finance physical activities with potential Throughout Project implementation Project Secretariat, ANSAB impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services, capacity building activities on benefit-sharing, participatory and sustainable forest management etc. will be designed incorporating the principles of ESS 6. ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES 7.1 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PLAN The Project will engage indigenous people and their organizations as the Throughout Project implementation Project Secretariat, ANSAB important stakeholders during the operation. Measures for inclusion of Sub-grantees indigenous people will be implemented, in accordance with ANSAB’s Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy, consistent with ESS7. 7.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM The Project will respond to concerns and grievances of Project-affected Adopted by the Project effectiveness, and Project Secretariat, ANSAB parties, including the indigenous people. For this purpose, ANSAB will maintained throughout Project Sub-grantees establish, maintain and operate a grievance mechanism in order to implementation receive and facilitate resolutions of such concerns and grievances. Grievance mechanism will be described in the Operational Manual and will be available to communities and on the websites of ANSAB and sub- grantees. ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE 8.1 The Project will finance no civil works, but project activities will Throughout Project implementation Project Secretariat, ANSAB be designed taking into consideration and respecting tangible and Sub-grantees intangible cultural heritage. ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES 9.1 Not currently relevant 5|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN PREPARATION AND Continue to implement annual cycle of Project Secretariat, ANSAB IMPLEMENTATION public information, citizen engagement, civil Sub-grantees Project is demand driven and project activities will be prepared society, and action plan development and and implemented through meaningful consultations with implementation with citizens beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders, including indigenous peoples, women, youth, persons with disabilities. OM will describe principles and process for stakeholder engagement consistent with ESS10. 10.2 PROJECT GRIEVANCE MECHANISM Adopted by the Project effectiveness, and Project Secretariat, ANSAB The Project will respond to concerns and grievances of Project-affected maintained throughout Project Sub-grantees parties related to the environmental and social performance of the implementation. project in a timely manner. For this purpose, ANSAB will establish, maintain and operate a grievance mechanism, that is consistent with the ESS10 in order to receive and facilitate resolutions of such concerns and grievances. GM will be described in the Operational Manual and will be available to communities and on the websites of ANSAB and sub-grantees. CAPACITY SUPPORT (TRAINING) 6|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY CS1 Project staff and consultants will receive training on the Project, and its Throughout Project implementation Project Secretariat, ANSAB environmental and social provisions, at the beginning of the Project. The orientation training will cover the following: • Environmental and Social Safeguard, including ESCP • Labor Management Procedures, including Occupational Health and Safety • Project grievance mechanism • Stakeholder engagement including indigenous people and most vulnerable groups • Stakeholder engagement and disclosure • Reporting of incidents/accidents Other trainings will be carried out as identified during the implementation of the Project 7|Page