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Sectors and Themes Water Dams and Development E-paper
Environmental PolicyStakeholder consultations leading to ADBs new Environmental Policy identified five main challenges to be addressed that have become the framework for the policy document:
For selected extracts from the Environment Policy related to needs assessment or options assessment click here. Extracts from ADB's Environment Policy related to identifying needs and assessing options: Policies and planning'ADB will assist DMCs to strengthen their policy legislative and institutional frameworks to (i) integrate environmental objectives into national and sector economic development; (ii) introduce policy and regulatory systems for environmental management..;' (para 27) 'ADB will address the environmental aspects of its operations through systematic application of procedures for (i) environmental analysis for country strategy and programming;…' (para 30) 'ADB will encourage DMCs to adopt strategic environmental assessment of national development strategies and policies to ensure better integration of environment into policy making and program formulation'. (para 37) 'Strategic environmental assessment, which facilitates systematic evaluation of the environmental impacts of a policy, plan or program and its alternatives, may be usefully applied in the preparation of program loans'. (para 57) See also ADB Guideline on Strategic Environmental Assessment 'Preparation of a country environmental analysis (CEA) will provide the necessary background information for informed decision-making on environmental constraints, needs and opportunities in a DMC,..' (para 51) For sector loans: 'Strategic environmental assessment can be undertaken as part of the comprehensive sector study to address social and environmental issues…and identify potential win-win policy interventions that can be included in the policy matrix'. (para 58). 'Important considerations in preparing the environmental include assessing induced, indirect and cumulative impacts, examining alternatives, achieving environmental standards, …., and ensuring meaningful public consultation'. (para 61) Transboundary issues'ADB will assist DMCs to maintain global environmental life support systems and address regional transboundary environmental issues through (i) promotion of intergovernmental cooperation…' (para 28) 'ADB will continue to support the development of environmental capacity in regional and subregional organizations to address regional public goods'. (para 47) Environmental flows'The priority areas for ADB assistance include (i) maintaining the flow of ecosystem goods and services to sustain the development process, and rural livelihoods in particular, including through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (ii) protection and improved management of freshwater systems and coastal and marines resources…' (para 32) 'Continued policy dialogue is critical to address…(v) the role of traditional knowledge and livelihood systems'. (para 38) Environmental assessment'ADB will address the environmental aspects of its operations through systematic application of procedures for… (ii) environmental assessment of project loans, program loans, sector loans, loans involving financial intermediaries, and private sector loans;…' (para 30) Continued dialogue is needed to address the following issues…(iii) cross-sector resource issues, such as river basin management of water resources….(v)the role of traditional knowledge and livelihood system. (para 38) 'ADBs environmental assessment process starts as soon as potential projects or ADB financing are identified, and covers all project components whether financed by ADB or by cofinanciers'. (para 53) '..an EIA, requiring greater depth of analysis, for category A projects [is required]'. (para 55) ' Important considerations in preparing the environmental assessment including assessing induced, indirect and cumulative impacts, (para 61) Cumulative assessmentThe requirements for assessment of cumulative impacts is outlined in the environment guidelines: 'The criteria for judging significance of cumulative effects are not different from those for other types of environmental assessment, but threshold effects and irreversible changes in the use of critical resources will generally be key concerns (final para)'. Internal discussion on these provisions is ongoing within ADB and may result in modification to these provisions. ADB on Cultural HeritageADB requires that the impacts on cultural heritage be assessed as part of the overall environmental assessment of a project. Culture heritage is a record of humanity's relationship to the world, past achievements, and discoveries. Cultural heritage, also termed cultural property, cultural patrimony or cultural resources, can be defined as the present manifestation of the human past. It refers to sites, structures, and remains of archaeological, historical, religious, cultural, or aesthetic value. In conserving this heritage we are conserving those elements of our past that have the potential to contribute to our understanding of human history. Table 1 of the Guideline gives examples of cultural heritage types. Environmental Management Plans'ADB will address the environmental aspects of its operations through systematic application of procedures for… (iii) monitoring and evaluation of compliance with environmental requirements of loans;…' (para 30) 'ADB also monitors the implementation of agreed environmental mitigation measures by the borrower'. (para 54) 'Category A….projects require.. the development of environmental management plans (EMPs) that outline specific mitigation measures, environmental monitoring requirements, and related institutional arrangements'. (para 65) Multi-lateral agreementsADB's commitment to the multi-lateral agreements on the environment is provided in the Environment Policy (paras 44-45) and further detailed in the Guidelines. Social DimensionsThe key social dimensions considered in ADB operations are:
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