The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 10/25/2020 | Report No: ESRSC01624 Oct 25, 2020 Page 1 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Romania EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA P175308 Project Name Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Urban, Resilience and Investment Project 12/15/2020 3/29/2021 Land Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Proposed Development Objective The Project Development Objective is to facilitate access to safer, disaster resilient, inclusive, and sustainable schools for Romanian students and teachers of the Project participating schools. Public Disclosure Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 118.61 B. Is the project 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 [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The proposed Project addresses development challenges related to issues of safety, inclusion and sustainability in school infrastructure in Romania. An analysis of the World Bank of the status of school infrastructure in Romania has illustrated serious deficiencies in the safety of students, teachers and school building users, inadequate designs that fail to provide universal access, and which may contribute to the dropout rate of students and poor learning outcomes and a lack of focus on sustainability. This proposed Project of €100 million will substantively intervene in ~70 of the highest risk schools. This includes development of technical documentation, execution of civil works and outfitting the schools with modern furnishing, digital requirements, renewable energy and energy efficient systems and bringing the schools up to appropriate Oct 25, 2020 Page 2 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) safety, sanitary and hygiene standards. These schools will provide a demonstration of the process to intervene in high-risk schools and options for seismic strengthening (retrofit/refurbishment versus demolish/ rebuild) that can guide further investments in the educational sector and other public infrastructure. Project financing will cover necessary analytical studies, design, civil works and furnishings for participating schools to ensure their: a) Safety and resilience: Earthquake resistance, reduction in extreme heat and cold impacts (which are expected to increase with climate change) on learning through adequate heating and cooling systems, appropriate air ventilation, adherence with fire safety norms (including monitoring and warning, fire suppression systems and adequate building egress), storm resistance, and ensuring that schools and predominant school routes are not under risk from flood and landslide – all considering current and future climates. Safety measures will also consider the enhanced ability for physical distancing, appropriate handwashing and sanitation facilities and appropriate indoor bathrooms which is urgently needed to ensure safety in the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies. The sanitation facilities will be provided in the short-term through temporary container facilities and in the long-term through renovated and/or reconstructed schools. Safer and resilient schools can be designated as evacuation and emergency shelters in emergencies. b) Inclusiveness: Designs will include access for students with disabilities, such as ramps and disability friendly bathrooms, access to appropriate bathrooms for both genders, consideration of facilities for teachers, administrative staff and students returning to work after maternity leave, and other aspects. The design will support increased participation of poor and marginalized students through provision of hot meals through cafeterias, access to childcare and lactation rooms to boost female Roma student enrolment/re-enrolment. Moreover, design elements (such as Public Disclosure breakout spaces, access to digital learning, etc.) will aim to reduce absenteeism and drop-out of key student demographics, such as boys. Safer space design will also include features that promote a positive school climate that fosters learning. c) Sustainability: Buildings will be improved for increased energy efficiency (lighting, insulation etc.), modernized in terms of heating and cooling, and where feasible include renewable energy options (i.e. solar rooftops), rainwater harvesting, use of reflective/green roofs or greenery/water elements, and zero waste facilities will be introduced. The Project will consider the sustainability of school networks from a student population perspective, aiming to prioritize interventions in schools where student populations are increasing and/or where double or triple shift schooling is underway. The Project will have 5 Components: Component 1: Demonstrating Integrated Investment in School Infrastructure. This component will finance preparatory studies, civil works and supervision in the ~70 highest risk schools, as well as outreach to communities and arrangements for students temporarily displaced during construction. Component 2: Investing in Clever Classrooms. This component will support the development of modern classrooms for the ~70 schools retrofitted and rehabilitated or demolished and rebuilt under Component 1. Component 3: Technical Assistance and Investment in Foundations to Reach Scale in School Infrastructure.This component will provide technical assistance f ocused on streamlining processes, building capacity, and developing the necessary investment architecture for a long-term program aimed at schools across Romania. Oct 25, 2020 Page 3 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) Component 4: Project Management. This component will focus on expanding and supporting staff capacity that is needed to ensure successful implementation of the activities carried out under the proposed Project within the Ministry of Education and Research Project Management Unit (PMU) and in associated stakeholder groups. Component 5: Contingent Emergency Response Component (zero EURO allocation). This component will allow undisbursed funds to be quickly reallocated from the other components in response to an imminent or eligible emergency or crisis that has occurred. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The Project activities would be focused in two to three main areas: the Bucharest-Ilfov region and one to two regions outside Bucharest. These regions will be prioritized based on seismic risk, rural disadvantage challenges, low socio- economic development and limited possibility of leveraging EU Funding. However, at this stage of preparation, the specific project locations have not yet been fully identified. The proposed Project addresses challenges related to issues of safety, inclusion and sustainability in school infrastructure. Serious deficiencies in school infrastructure in the safety of students, teachers and school building users, inadequate designs that fail to provide universal access, which may contribute to the dropout rate of students and poor learning outcomes exist in Romania. The project prioritizes schools that are under high risk of complete collapse or serious damage in an earthquake risking the lives of students, Public Disclosure teachers and administrative staff. Current estimates indicate that 1,057 schools covering 317,718 students are under this extreme risk. More than 4,000 schools by some estimates – do not yet meet fire codes. Moreover, 25 percent of schools rely on archaic heating systems – such as fireplaces – that increase the risk of fire initiation. Poor air quality in buildings built in early 1960s or 1970s, overcrowded schools, infrastructure gaps related to access to water, sanitation and waste management (e.g. 30-35% schools do not have indoor bathrooms, 10% do not have adequate sewerage, mostly in rural areas) further adversely impact the learning environment. Furthermore, a majority of Romanian schools lack appropriate facilities for students with disabilities. Universal access is rare, with 70 percent of schools failing to have ramp access, and 85 percent with no bathrooms for the disabled. Other groups that are affected, include students with special needs, Roma students, children from rural areas, migrant or low-income households, teenage/young mothers, as well as children from low income households who do not have digital access. The planned rehabilitation and reconstruction interventions to selected schools will have minor and temporary negative environmental and social impacts such as relocation of children and teachers/staff into temporary locations, dust and noise pollution, disturbance on existing traffic flows, safety, and access to public buildings, exposure of students and teachers during the construction works, exposure of workers and building occupants to hazard materials (e.g., asbestos containing materials, medical waste) before and during demolition and rehabilitation activities and poor occupational health and safety practices. However, these potential environmental and social impacts of project activities can be managed through robust and well-implemented mitigation measures, which will be outlined in the project Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and subsequent site-specific ESMPs that will be prepared under the Project. Oct 25, 2020 Page 4 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) No involuntary resettlement impacts are anticipated as all civil works will be carried out within their existing footprints and/or publicly owned land. Since the project has an unfunded CERC component, an RPF is being prepared, just in case additional land will be required in any of the sub-projects or in the CERC component in case it is activated. There will be no deployment of security forces in the implementation of any of the project activities. Labor related risks, typically associated with a large and diverse workforce, child labor, labor influx and gender-based violence (GBV) issues are minimal. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The Ministry of Education and Research (MoER) will be the main project implementing agency. A PMU will be set up for the purposes of this project. MoER has experience with the preparation and implementation of projects supported by the World Bank and has over 20 years of experience on the rehabilitation of school infrastructure. Presently, there is an education project under implementation – Romania Secondary Education Project (ROSE; P148585) – by MoER with the WB’s financial support. This will be, however, the first operation supporting higher education applying the Bank’s ESF. The client is therefore assumed to have limited capacity to apply the new ESF and to prepare the environmental and social risk management measures and instruments like ESMPs. Borrower's capacity to manage the E&S risks will be specifically assessed during the project preparation to determine capacity gaps and developed through project specific training on ESF and on other environmental and social management aspects including those related to rehabilitation/renovation works. Specific capacity building measures such as the presence of qualified social and environmental specialist(s) to support the PMU, and training needs will be identified. The task team will conduct an institutional capacity assessment prior to appraisal and support the MoER team in the development of a capacity enhancement improvement plan as part of the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP). The task team will also look into the extent at which beneficiary institutions will be involved in project implementation, their capacity to Public Disclosure meet ESF requirements, including in the area of ensuring that vulnerable and disadvantaged groups have access to project benefits. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate Environmental Risk Rating Moderate The Project’s environmental risks are anticipated to be moderate. Although the long-term impacts of the Project are likely to be positive, its activities carry several risks that are mainly generated by the activities under Components 1, 2 and 3. The potential environmental risks are mainly associated with civil works for the rehabilitation, reconstruction, expansions of classroom blocks, demolitions of walls during renovations, replacement or roofing materials, installation of water and sanitation facilities including cleanup and land rehabilitation of old, non-septic toilets, seismic retrofitting and energy efficiency specific works. The environmental risks associated with these works are classified as moderate under the World Bank ESF. The moderate risk rating is proposed because the likely impacts will be site specific, limited to the immediate surroundings and can be managed through the implementation of cost- effective mitigation measures. At this stage of preparation, the specific schools where physical works will take place are yet to be identified, but based on the project description of the possible activities, key environmental and social issues will be related to (i) waste management of construction spoils, (ii) health and safety of students, teaching staff and visitors during the construction phase, (iii) disruption of classes as a result of air and noise pollution during construction (iv) erosion from earth works and run-off, and (v) impacts on water quality and quantity etc. However, no large scale and/or irreversible adverse impact, direct or indirect, is expected to occur from activities under the Oct 25, 2020 Page 5 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) proposed project. No adverse impacts such as involuntary land acquisition, impacts on biodiversity and habitats are expected. Although the Client has some experience with the previous projects on the Bank’s safeguards, there is no experience and limited capacity in applying the ESF, and therefore, significant efforts will be required to build the capacity of in the application of the new ESS. The above specified environmental risks will be managed through robust and well-implemented mitigation measures, which will be outlined in the Project’s Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) that will be prepared by MoER. The ESMF will clearly set out the environmental and social assessment requirements of the activities under the two components and provide guidance on the preparation of site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and/or checklists, as well as the Contractors’ Codes of Conduct. ESMF will refer to activities that can be addressed with good engineering and construction practices, as well as by preparing and implementing adequate mitigation measures and applying the adequate work-related health and safety practices (OHS aspects) during construction both for the construction workers and the related communities. As the project will also include Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC), the ESMF will respectively provide for environmental and social guidelines for such emergency cases. Social Risk Rating Moderate The overall social impact of the Project will be positive, with additional social risks and potential benefits associated with the social inclusion aspects of the project. The Project will invest in school infrastructure in 2-3 selected geographical areas on the basis of a prioritized list of schools ranked according to criteria such as high seismic risk, number of students, etc. The project will support the development of modern classrooms (digital, quality and safe classrooms with flexible spaces). The education sector in Romania is suffering from a range of social exclusion Public Disclosure challenges, ranging from rural-urban divide in enrollment and attainment and quality of education, high drop-out rates, and challenges to integrate minority groups. Project activities are expected to mostly have localized minor/moderate environmental and social impacts. Therefore, impacts can be readily defined, mitigated and monitored. The planned civil works activities would have minor and temporary negative impacts such as relocation of children and teachers/staff into temporary locations, dust and noise pollution, disturbance on existing traffic flows, safety, and access to public buildings. The key potential social risks associated with project activities, relate to community health and safety; exposure of workers and building occupants to hazard materials before and during demolition and rehabilitation activities; unsafe working conditions; and poor occupational health and safety practices. No involuntary resettlement impacts are anticipated as all civil works. There will be no deployment of security forces in the implementation of any of the project activities. Labor related risks, typically associated with a large and diverse workforce, child labor, labor influx and gender-based violence (GBV) issues are minimal. All contractors and workers employed in construction activities are likely to be local. The ESMF and subsequent site-specific ESMPs will include measures to mitigate these risks. This Project, being primarily an infrastructure project, can only address these national social challenges in a limited manner, but the Project design and implementation modalities will build in social inclusionary measures through stakeholder engagement, consultations on school design options, accessible GRM and participatory monitoring. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: Oct 25, 2020 Page 6 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) The standard is relevant. The associated environmental impacts would be limited and typically include - dust, noise, on-site safety and waste management. All potential environmental risks and impacts are predictable, expected to be temporary and reversible, low in magnitude, and site specific. The expected environmental impacts may include also health impacts related with inadequate handling and disposal of asbestos containing material. In addition, considering that the project’s civil works will mainly be undertaken in school premises, it is critical to maintaining the health and safety of students, teachers and school staff, vendors, visitors and nearby communities throughout the construction phase. It is also critical to ensure proper movement of heavy goods vehicles to avoid accidents. Although the types of potential investments have been identified, the final list of buildings for retrofitting and reconstruction will only be finalized during project implementation. Hence, the management of environmental and social issues will apply a framework approach, and the Client will prepare an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), that sets out the principles, guidelines and procedures to assess the environmental and social risks and impacts, and measures and plans to reduce, mitigate and/or offset such risks and impacts during design, construction and operational phase of the project. The ESMF document will be prepared based on requirements of the national laws and regulation as well as the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and its Environmental and Social Standards (ESS), WB Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs), and Good International Industrial Practices (GIIP). The ESMF will including guidelines on conducting environmental screening, identifying potential impacts, and mitigation and monitoring activities for different types of potential sub-projects. The ESMF will provide (a) potential environmental and social risks and impacts and well known generic mitigation measures for different groups of potential investments; (b) the content and the structure of the site-specific ESMP which will be prepared once the Public Disclosure specific project schools have been identified; (d) description and requirements for the monitoring plan and implementing responsibilities in this regard; and (e) proposed ESMF implementing arrangements, and necessary ESF capacity building activities for the PMU and other participating entities. Additionally, taking into account the health and safety issues related to COVID 19, the ESMF will include a section specifying the necessary actions to address these risks at the project level, in line with the national guidelines and the WB Note on “COVID-19 considerations in construction/civil works projects”. Based on the results of the environmental and social screening, the ESF instruments to be applied will be identified, including: Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) will be prepared for the individual sub-projects during the project implementation. The ESMPs will be prepared in compliance with ESS1 requirements to identify and assess potential environmental and social risks and impacts specified in the ESS2, ESS3, ESS4, ESS5, ESS6 and ESS8 for each proposed sub-project. The ESMPs will detail (i) mitigation plan that specifies the measures to be taken during the construction and operation of a sub-project to eliminate or offset adverse environmental and social impacts, or to reduce them to acceptable levels; (ii) supervision, monitoring, and reporting on ESMP plan; and (iii) implementing arrangements, including capacity building activities and necessary financial resources. A Chance Finds Procedure will be developed and integrated into the ESMP, defining which procedure to follow if a previously unknown cultural heritage is encountered during project activities. Such Chance Find Procedures will be included in all contracts relating to civil works in the project, including associated facilities, if any. Furthermore, the ESMP document might include a set of appropriate sector specific management plans, such as Waste Management Oct 25, 2020 Page 7 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) Plan, Materials Supply Plan, and Traffic Management Plan, etc., for addressing risks and impacts associated with specific details of potential sub-projects, as relevant. Cultural Heritage Management Plan. For the section of schools categorized as historical buildings, a Cultural Heritage Management Plan may also be prepared. Apart from the site-specific ESMPs, the above documents will be prepared, disclosed and publicly consulted by Appraisal. In addition, the Client will, in agreement with the Bank, develop an Environment and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), which will set out the measures and actions required for the project to achieve compliance with the ESF over a specified timeframe. A Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) will also have to be prepared in the case that additional land will be required in any of the sub-projects or in the CERC component in case it is activated. Environment and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP). In addition, the Client will, in agreement with the Bank, develop an Environment and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), which will set out the measures and actions required for the project to achieve compliance with the ESF over a specified timeframe. Stakeholder Engagement Plan. A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) will be prepared and implemented in accordance with ESS10 (see below). Labor Management Procedures. Labor Management Procedures (LMP) will be prepared in accordance with national law and ESS2, and contractors will on this basis prepare their sub-project Labor Management Plans (see below). These E&S documents will address, in an adequate manner, the key risks and impacts of the project, and will provide sufficient detail to inform stakeholder engagement and Bank decision making. The Borrower will provide to the Bank and disclose final or updated documentations as specified in the ESCP by Appraisal. Public Disclosure If there are significant changes to the project that result in additional risks and impacts, particularly where these will increase the level of overall project risk rating and impact project-affected parties, the Borrower will consult with WB and provide information on such risks and impacts and consult with project-affected parties as to how these risks and impacts will be mitigated. The client will disclose an updated ESCP, and will identify the tools, guidelines, and instruments to be used to manage and mitigate the impacts and risks. The draft ESMF, SEF, LMP, RF and ESCP will be subject to meaningful and participatory stakeholder consultations in participating cities and the affected areas of the project and proposed subprojects. These documents will be disclosed to all stakeholders in participating project-specific sites, in formats and languages understandable by the local population. They will also be disclosed on the WB external website prior to appraisal. The Project Management Unit (PMU) established by MoER will have the full responsibility for the implementation and supervision of the ESMF and related site-specific ESMPs. It is recommended that designated Environmental and Social specialists are recruited by the PMU to ensure environmental and social compliance of the project/sub- projects, including day-to-day supervision (jointly with the technical staff and site-supervision engineers), guidance to sub-project applicants, review of documents etc. All environmental and social management actions will be commensurate with the expected risks for addressing all specific environmental and social impacts and determining adequate mitigation measures. Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: Oct 25, 2020 Page 8 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) Use of Borrower Framework is not considered at this stage. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Key stakeholders, especially those that are marginalized and vulnerable will be identified during project preparation. A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) will be prepared as a standalone document, which will both guide the initial stakeholder engagement activities at national level during project preparation as well as blueprint for subsequent stakeholder engagements at sub-project level during design and implementation of sub-projects. The SEP will ensure a systematic and socially inclusive engagement strategy between the project and affected people and other stakeholders throughout the project duration. The SEP will include the definition of all stakeholders (direct, indirect and other interested parties), the engagement strategy and plan as well as a plan for disclosure of relevant project documents and lastly, as a key part, will include the details of project level grievance redress mechanism. The SEP will be disclosed in-country on the MoER website and in other relevant places by Appraisal. Since details of sub-projects may not be known by Appraisal, subproject specific SEPs are expected to be prepared during project implementation. Particular efforts will be paid to the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the SEP and the development of appropriate engagement strategies. During project preparation, studies will be undertaken to identify such groups and identify suitable modalities for engagement with them. The Stakeholder Engagement Framework will acknowledge the challenges of broad consultations and continuous engagement across all stakeholder groups under the social distancing constraints imposed by the Covid19 pandemic. Public Disclosure The stakeholder engagement activities will start during the early preparation of the project and will continue parallel with the implementation of the project. Due to Covid19 pandemic, consultations/SEP activities will be either virtual or conducted under the social distancing measures depending on the circumstances releated with COVID19 pandemic. In addition, COVID 19 guidance will also be followed and embedded in relevant E&S instruments to guide civil work activities. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions The project will comprise considerable civil works and will impact various types of project workers. Hence, the ESS2 on Labor and Working Conditions apply. Project workers will include: Direct workers, contracted workers, primary supply workers, and civil servants. At this stage where specific sub-projects are not defined, MoER will prepare Labor Management Procedures (LMP), specifying the types of workers in the project (Direct Workers, Contracted Workers, and Primary Supply Workers). Where civil servants are involved, they will remain subject to the terms and conditions of their existing public sector employment agreement, unless they are legally transferred to the project. Key aspects of the LMP pertaining to contracted workers, such as Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), adequate working conditions, adequate living conditions in the unlikely event of work camps, nondiscrimination and equal opportunities in employment, a wage policy, measures to prevent child and/or forced labor, a functioning grievance and redress mechanism for workers, Oct 25, 2020 Page 9 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) etc. will be included in the Contractors' ESMP . Community workers are not expected to be engaged in the Project. The LMP will be based on the Romanian national labor code and relevant international conventions accessed by Romania, and will be compliant with WB ESS2. The LMP will also include a Code of Conduct for laborers engaged in major civil works and also a detailed worker’s grievance mechanisms for Project workers. During Project implementation, the LMP will be revisited and updated as required and as additional project activities unfold entailing additional labor related risks or issues. Labor-related requirements pertaining to occupational health and safety issues relevant to the various construction activities will also be incorporated into the activity-specific ESMPs and also bid documents for all investments. Bidding documents will make explicit reference to these aspects to ensure the commitment of selected contractors to adhere to ESS2 principles, and generic LMP for the contracts will be included. A worker specific GRM will be established and maintained for the Project proportionate to its potential risks and impacts. In addition, construction contractors and subcontractors will be required to provide a GRM for their personnel, as part of their C-ESMP. The GRM will be designed at an early stage and will be formally established by project effectiveness and before any disbursements. Complaints received and resolved will be reviewed during the implementation support missions. The project will generate a series of OHS risks such as: dust and noise emissions, hazardous, including ACM, and non- hazardous waste management, etc. Respectively, the ESMF document will specify that OHS related specified risks and impacts and mitigation measures, consistent with the WBG EHS General Guidelines will be required to be included in all site-specific ESMPs, covering COVID 19 issues as well, as relevant. Furthermore, ESMF will set up the procedure for identification, removal, storage, and transportation of hazardous materials, along with the requirements for Public Disclosure protection and training of operating workers on site and notification of risks for any community members who might be exposed to such risks. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The overall level of environmental risks associated with the project is considered moderate. Project’s physical activities refer to structural retrofitting or demolish/rebuild, functional upgrading, and energy efficiency investments of selected education infrastructure. The expected environmental risks are associated with small/medium scale construction activities like care, handling and storage of construction material, waste, excessive noise and dust levels, and management of asbestos containing material, if present. Those most likely to be affected are students, teachers, and people living in close to the construction sites. Mitigation measures such as dust suppression, vehicle maintenance etc. will be applied to minimize the impacts and residual impacts are expected to be limited in scope and duration. Noise will likely be generated from use of construction machinery and vehicle movements. The relatively small/medium scale nature of the works suggest that noise levels will not be excessive and of a long duration. Construction works will be scheduled to take place mainly during school vacations to limit the impact on students and persons in the respective buildings. Waste management: Liquid and solid waste will mainly include excavated soil, oils from construction machinery, concrete blocks, metal and glass pieces from demolished walls etc. The selected works contractors will be required to develop detailed Waste Management Plans (WMPs) prior to commencement of the civil works and enforce these during contracts implementation. WMPs will include specific instructions on how the waste will be segregated, stored and disposed at approved sites. In particular, the WMPs will consider the proper management of hazardous waste such as asbestos and asbestos containing materials (ACM) in accordance with the WBG EHS Guidelines for removal, transport and final disposal. Water: Due to the nature of Oct 25, 2020 Page 10 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) proposed renovation/retrofitting works, it is not expected that the project will have significant water and energy use. Vegetation and soil loss: Loss of vegetation and faunal habitat will be minimal. Energy and resource efficiency will be promoted through incorporation of green procurement clauses in civil works contracts. At present, the project team will need to examine the need for GHG accounting. The approach to the GHG accounting will be detailed in the appraisal stage ESRS. ESS4 Community Health and Safety Community health and safety impacts of the project are expected to be associated with noise and dust emissions, traffic management and temporary blockades, disturbances to local communities associated with presence of construction workers. The project ESF instruments will identify CHS impacts during the construction and operational phases on community health and safety, mitigation measures, monitoring and reporting requirements. The ESMF will include CHS risks and mitigation measures. The site-specific ESMPs will include Community Health and Safety Plans as relevant, and assessment of the risk and impact of the project on the health and safety of the nearby communities during the project life cycle, including those who, because of their particular circumstances, may be vulnerable. Considering all these, the ESMF and site specific ESMPs, will include relevant mitigation measures to be strictly followed during the implementation of civil works, and also measures ensuring health and safety of communities Public Disclosure residing in and around the sites of the project intervention that will be mandatory for adherence by contractors’ workers. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The Project will retrofit or reconstruct schools on existing public lands and hence, no land acquisition is anticipated under the project. However, in view of the CERC component and the unlikely case of additional land requirements, the Client will prepare a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF), based on national law and compliant with ESS5 to guide any case of involuntary land acquisition and resettlement. The RPF will include a gap analysis between Romanian resettlement and expropriation laws, and the WB requirements under ESS5. The gaps will be identified, and measures will be put in place to bridge these gaps in order to ensure that any land acquisition and resettlement under the project will based on Romanian legal framework as well as be compliant with ESS5. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources Potential environmental risks and impacts associated with this ESS have been screened and determined to be minimal given the project’s context and timing. The project physical activities will take place within existing school compounds, however, the ESMF will provide guidance on screening and instituting mitigation measures to ensure that project activities do not impact negatively on any critical or sensitive natural habitats, especially wetlands or Oct 25, 2020 Page 11 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) biodiversity and living natural resources. In the unlikely event that significant risks and adverse impacts to biodiversity and habitats have been identified, a biodiversity management plan (BMP) will be prepared either as a standalone document or as part of the construction ESMP. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities This standard is not relevant. There are no Indigenous Peoples identified within the project areas, or in Romania. ESS8 Cultural Heritage This standard is relevant for the Project. The major part of the project will comprise retrofitting or reconstructing existing school infrastructures, and as such will not have any adverse impact on any known physical, cultural assets. In case any physical culture assets are discovered during implementation, a Chance Find Procedure will be included in the ESMF. For schools classified as historical buildings, a Cultural Heritage Management Plan will be prepared as part of the ESMP, in close coordination with the Ministry of Culture and National Identity and in compliance with ESS8. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries This standard is not relevant for the Project as no FIs are involved. Public Disclosure C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No III. WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DUE DILIGENCE A. Is a common approach being considered? No Financing Partners None yet. Some additional schools may be funded by the EU. B. Proposed Measures, Actions and Timing (Borrower’s commitments) Actions to be completed prior to Bank Board Approval: • ESMF will be prepared, disclosed, consulted and cleared by the WB prior to Appraisal. • SEP will be prepared, disclosed, consulted and cleared by WB prior to Appraisal. • LMP will be prepared and cleared by WB prior to Appraisal. • Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) will be prepared, disclosed, consulted and cleared by WB prior to Appraisal Oct 25, 2020 Page 12 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) • Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) will be prepared, disclosed, consulted and cleared by WB prior to Appraisal • ESCP: The WB and MoER will agree on an Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), which will set out the material measures and actions required for the project to meet the ESSs over a specified timeframe. The ESCP will be prepared, disclosed and cleared by WB prior to appraisal and will form part of the legal agreement. Possible issues to be addressed in the Borrower Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): The ESCP will detail all the above material measures and actions to address the potential social and environmental risks of the project, including: • Hiring and maintaining in the PMU staff an Environmental and a Social Specialist and keeping them during the entire project implementation; • Capacity Building Plan on Environmental and Social Standards, including ESF training for strengthening the capacity of PMU, participating entities, as necessary; • The incorporation of references to WB E&S and OHS Standards and COVID 19-related requirements in all the bidding documents for contractors, subcontractors, and Supervising Engineers; as well as reporting on OHS accidents and injuries and COVID 19 cases. • The preparation and disclosure of the site-specific ESMPs prior to the commencement of any works, including an Environmental, Health and Safety Plan. • The obligation for contractors/subcontractors to prepare subprojects’ Labor Management Plans and a Code of Conduct to be signed by all workers prior to start working; • Preparing and implementing Resettlement Action Plans during project implementation, as relevant. • Prepare and implement Labor Management Procedures (LMPs) and/or Grievance Mechanism for all Direct Public Disclosure and Contracted Workers • Project level Grievance Redress Mechanism established and operationalized. • Monitor the progress made on implementing the agreed measures for mitigating environmental and social risks. C. Timing Tentative target date for preparing the Appraisal Stage ESRS 07-Dec-2020 IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Alanna Leigh Simpson Title: Lead Disaster Risk Management Specialist Telephone No: +1-202-458-2933 Email: asimpson1@worldbank.org Contact: Zuzana Stanton-Geddes Title: Disaster Risk Management Specialist Telephone No: 5786++687 / 32-2-5520687 Email: zstantongeddes@worldbank.org Contact: Alina Sava Title: Education Specialist Oct 25, 2020 Page 13 of 14 The World Bank Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools (P175308) Telephone No: 5247+391 Email: asava@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Implementing Agency(ies) V. 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 VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Zuzana Stanton-Geddes, Alina Sava, Alanna Leigh Simpson Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Varalakshmi Vemuru Recommended on 01-Oct-2020 at 10:30:31 GMT-04:00 Safeguards Advisor ESSA Agnes I. Kiss (SAESSA) Cleared on 25-Oct-2020 at 16:01:43 GMT-04:00 Public Disclosure Oct 25, 2020 Page 14 of 14