Republic of Moldova Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience (P504278) ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) July 18, 2024 1|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN 1. The Republic of Moldova (the Borrower) will implement the Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project (the Project), with the involvement of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) as set out in the Loan Agreement. Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development (MoIRD) and Ministry of Environment (MoE) together with its agency State Hydrometeorological Service (SHS), will serve as Implementation Agencies, each leading the technical work for their respective Part. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank) has agreed to provide financing for the Project, as set out in the referred agreement. 2. The Borrower shall ensure that the Project is carried out in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) and this Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), in a manner acceptable to the World Bank. The ESCP is a part of the Loan Agreement. Unless otherwise defined in this ESCP, capitalized terms used in this ESCP have the meanings ascribed to them in the referred agreement. 3. Without limitation to the foregoing, this ESCP sets out material measures and actions that the Borrower shall carry out or cause to be carried out, including, as applicable, the timeframes of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring, and reporting arrangements, and grievance management. The ESCP also sets out the environmental and social (E&S) instruments that shall be adopted and implemented under the Project, all of which shall be subject to prior consultation and disclosure, consistent with the ESS, and in form and substance, and in a manner acceptable to the World Bank. Once adopted, said E&S instruments may be revised from time to time with prior written agreement of the World Bank. 4. As agreed by the World Bank and the Borrower, this ESCP will be revised from time to time if necessary, during Project implementation, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes and unforeseen circumstances or in response to Project performance. In such circumstances, the Borrower and the World Bank agree to update the ESCP to reflect these changes through an exchange of letters signed between the World Bank and the Borrower, represented by the Minister of Finance. The Borrower shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 2|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY MONITORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING Prepare and submit to the World Bank regular monitoring reports on the Submit semestral reports to the World MoF shall and shall cause environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) performance of the Project, including but Bank throughout Project relevant Implementing not limited to the implementation of the ESCP, status of preparation and implementation, commencing after the Agencies per the respective implementation of E&S instruments required under the ESCP, contractor ESHS Effective Date. Submit each report to Implementation Agreements, performance, stakeholder engagement activities, and functioning of the grievance the World Bank no later than fifteen as set out in the LA mechanism(s). (15) days after the end of each reporting period. B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS MoF shall and shall cause Promptly notify the World Bank of any incident or accident related to the Project Notify the World Bank no later than relevant Implementing which has, or is likely to have, a significant adverse effect on the environment, the forty-eight (48) hours after learning of Agencies per the respective affected communities, the public or workers, including, inter alia, cases of sexual the incident or accident. Implementation Agreements, exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment (SH), and accidents that result in death, as set out in the LA serious or multiple injury. Provide sufficient detail regarding the scope, severity, and Provide subsequent report to the World possible causes of the incident or accident, indicating immediate measures taken or that Bank within a timeframe acceptable to are planned to be taken to address it, and any information provided by any contractor the World Bank. and/or supervising firm, as appropriate. Subsequently, at the World Bank’s request, prepare a report on the incident or accident and propose any measures to address it and prevent its recurrence. C CONTRACTORS’ MONTHLY REPORTS Submit the monthly reports to the MoF shall and shall cause Require contractors and supervising firms to provide monthly monitoring reports on World Bank upon request relevant Implementing ESHS performance in accordance with the metrics specified in the respective bidding Agencies per the respective documents and contracts, and submit such reports to the World Bank upon request. Implementation Agreements, as set out in the LA 3|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE a. Establish and maintain a PIU as set a. MoF shall maintain the Office for External Assistance Programs Management out in the legal agreement. Hire one a. MoF (OEAPM), which shall function as the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), with environmental and one social specialist qualified staff and resources to support the management of ESHS risks and not later than ninety (90) days after the impacts of the overall Project, including one qualified full time environmental Effective Date and retain them and one qualified full time social specialist. throughout Project implementation. b. Each Implementing Agency shall appoint a qualified environmental and social b. Implementing Agencies b. Not later than ninety (90) days after focal point, and this shall be reflected in the relevant implementation the Effective Date or before launching agreement, as set out in the Loan Agreement. procurement processes, whichever is c. MoF and OEAPM shall develop, adopt, and implement the Project Operations earlier. Manual (POM) with clear references to the roles and resources required to c. POM, satisfactory to the World Bank, c. MoF and Implementing implement E&S assessment and management tools prepared for the Project. shall be adopted by OEAPM prior to the Agencies. Effective Date and by the Implementing Agencies through the relevant implementation agreements, as set out in the Loan Agreement. Thereafter, implement throughout Project implementation. 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INSTRUMENTS MoF and Implementing a. Implement the ESMF throughout a. Adopt and implement an Environmental and Social Management Framework Agencies Project implementation. (ESMF) for the Project, consistent with the relevant ESSs. The ESMF has been prepared, disclosed, consulted, and adopted prior to appraisal. MoF shall and shall cause relevant Implementing Agencies per the respective Implementation Agreements, b. Prepare, disclose, consult, and cause relevant implementing agencies to adopt and b. prior to launching the bidding as set out in the LA implement the site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans process for the Project activity (ESMPs)/ESMP checklists, as set out in the ESMF. Activities requiring land that requires the adoption of such acquisition or that are considered of substantial or high risk, shall be ineligible to ESMP/ ESMP checklists. Once receive financing under the Project as set out in the ESMF. adopted, implement the respective ESMP throughout Project implementation. 4|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project 1.3 MANAGEMENT OF CONTRACTORS As part of the preparation of MoF shall and shall cause Incorporate the relevant aspects of the ESCP, including, inter alia, the relevant E&S procurement documents and relevant Implementing instruments, the Labor Management Procedures, and code of conduct, into the ESHS respective contracts. Agencies per the respective specifications of the procurement documents and contracts with contractors and Implementation Agreements, supervising firms. Thereafter ensure that the contractors and supervising firms comply as set out in the LA and cause subcontractors to comply with the ESHS specifications of their respective contracts. 1.4 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Throughout Project implementation. MoF shall and shall cause Ensure that the consultancies, studies (including feasibility studies), capacity building, relevant Implementing training, and any other technical assistance activities under the Project are carried out in Agencies per the respective accordance with terms of reference acceptable to the World Bank, that are consistent Implementation Agreements, with the ESSs. Thereafter ensure that the outputs of such activities comply with the as set out in the LA terms of reference. 1.5 CONTINGENT EMERGENCY RESPONSE FINANCING a. Ensure that the CERC Manual includes a description of the ESHS assessment and a. The preparation and adoption of the management arrangements, including the Environmental and Social Management CERC Manual and CERC-ESMF MoF shall and shall cause Framework for the CERC Part, consistent with the relevant ESSs that will be prepared Addendum in form and substance relevant Implementing for the implementation of the CERC Part, in accordance with the ESSs. acceptable to the World Bank is a Agencies performing the withdrawal condition Section III.B.1b. of CERC activities per the Schedule 2 to the Loan Agreement for respective Implementation Agreements, as set out in the the Project. LA b. Adopt any required E&S instrument and include it as part of the respective b. Adopt any environmental and social (E&S) instruments which may be required for bidding process, if applicable, and in activities under the CERC Part of the Project, in accordance with the CERC Manual any case, before the carrying out of the and ESMF for CERC part and the ESSs, and thereafter implement the measures and relevant Project activities for which the actions required under said E&S instruments, within the timeframes specified in E&S instrument is required. Implement said E&S instruments. the E&S instruments in accordance with their terms, throughout Project implementation. 5|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES a. Prepare, disclose, adopt and implement Labor Management Procedures (LMP) for the a. Adopt LMP not later than sixty (60) MoF shall and shall cause Project, including, inter alia, provisions on working conditions, management of days after the Effective Date, or relevant Implementing workers relationships, occupational health and safety (including personal protective before launching any procurement Agencies per the respective equipment, and emergency preparedness and response), code of conduct (including processes, whichever is earlier, and Implementation Agreements, relating to SEA and SH), forced labor, child labor, grievance arrangements for Project thereafter implement the LMP as set out in the LA workers, and applicable requirements for contractors, subcontractors, and supervising throughout Project firms. implementation. 2.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM FOR PROJECT WORKERS MoF shall and shall cause Establish, operate and maintain a grievance mechanism for Project workers, as described Establish grievance mechanism prior to relevant Implementing in the LMP and consistent with ESS2. engaging Project workers and Agencies per the respective thereafter maintain and operate it Implementation Agreements, throughout Project implementation. as set out in the LA ESS 3: WASTE MANGEGEMENT, RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 3.1 WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN a. Adopt the project WMP no later than MoF shall and shall cause a. Adopt and implement a Waste Management Plan (WMP), to manage hazardous and sixty (60) days from the Effective Date, relevant Implementing non-hazardous wastes, including e-waste consistent with ESS3. and thereafter implement throughout Agencies per the respective Project implementation. Implementation Agreements, b. Include applicable provisions from the WMP in site-specific ESMPs. as set out in the LA b. Same timeframe as for the adoption and implementation of site-specific ESMPs under action 1.2 (b) above. . 3.2 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT Same timeframe as for the adoption MoF shall and shall cause Incorporate resource efficiency and pollution prevention and management measures in and implementation of ESMPs under relevant Implementing the ESMP to be prepared under action 1.2 (b) including, inter alia, measures to address: Action 1.2 (b) above. Agencies per the respective noise and dust emissions and the generation of e-waste, construction waste, including Implementation Agreements, hazardous and non-hazardous waste, all in manner consistent with ESS3. as set out in the LA 6|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY 4.1 TRAFFIC AND ROAD SAFETY Same timeframe as for the adoption MoF shall and shall cause Incorporate measures to manage traffic and road safety risks as required in the ESMPs to and implementation of ESMPs under relevant Implementing be prepared under action 1.2 (b) above Action 1.2 (b) above Agencies per the respective Implementation Agreements, as set out in the LA 4.2 COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY MoF shall and shall cause Assess and manage specific risks and impacts to the community arising from Project Same timeframe as for the adoption relevant Implementing activities, including, inter alia, behavior of Project workers, risks of labor influx, and implementation of ESMPs under Agencies per the respective communicable diseases relating to the presence of labor (response to emergency Action 1.2 (b) above. Implementation Agreements, situations, and include mitigation measures in the ESMPs to be prepared in accordance as set out in the LA with the ESMF. ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT Not currently relevant. ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES Not currently relevant. ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES Not currently relevant. Not relevant Not relevant ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE Not currently relevant. Not relevant Not relevant ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES Not relevant. Not relevant Not relevant 7|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION Adopt and Implement a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the Project , consistent Implement the SEP throughout Project MoF shall and shall cause with ESS10, which shall include measures to, inter alia, provide stakeholders with timely, implementation. relevant Implementing relevant, understandable, and accessible information, and consult with them in a Agencies per the respective culturally appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, Implementation Agreements, discrimination, and intimidation. The SEP has been prepared, disclosed, consulted, and as set out in the LA adopted before project appraisal. 10.2 PROJECT GRIEVANCE MECHANISM Establish, publicize, maintain, and operate an accessible grievance mechanism , to Operate the Grievance Mechanism and MoF shall and shall cause receive and facilitate resolution of concerns and grievances in relation to the Project, maintain it throughout Project relevant Implementing promptly and effectively, in a transparent manner that is culturally appropriate and implementation. Agencies per the respective readily accessible to all Project-affected parties, at no cost and without retribution, Implementation Agreements, including concerns and grievances filed anonymously, in a manner consistent with as set out in the LA ESS10. The SEP describes and establishes the project GRM, and the procedures, including linkages to implementing agencies, will be further detailed in the Project Operations Manual. The grievance mechanism shall be equipped to receive, register, and facilitate the resolution of SEA/SH complaints, including through the referral of survivors to relevant gender-based violence service providers, all in a safe, confidential, and survivor-centered manner. The detailed procedures for handling complaints related to SEA/SH will be detailed in the Project Operations Manual. CAPACITY SUPPORT CS1 The MoF shall deploy or hire an E&S specialist trainer to do a E&S training needs E&S (internal or external) specialist MoF shall and shall cause asesment for PIU and Implementing agencies, develop and implement a training plan trainer shall be in position no later relevant Implementing for PIU and relevant E&S specialists, with adequate budget, providers and timeframe. than sixty (60) days after the Effective Agencies per the respective Training shall be required for PIU staff on: Date; training plan developed and Implementation Agreements, • Screening of project components for E&S risk delivered no later than sixty (60) days as set out in the LA • Monitoring and reporting on environmental and social performance of site- after hiring. specific activities • Stakeholder mapping and engagement Thereafter, deliver training activities at • Occupational health and safety and SEA/SH least once annually, throughout Project • Labor working conditions and associated inspections implementation. 8|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Moldova's Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Project CS2 Provide training for Project workers on occupational health and safety on construction MoF shall and shall cause sites including on emergency prevention and preparedness and response arrangements The OHS training Specialist will be relevant Implementing to emergency situations. available (internal or external) no later Agencies per the respective than signature of the Works contract. Implementation Agreements, as set out in the LA 9|Page