Regional : Improving the Implementation of Environmental Safeguards in Central and West Asia

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Irrigation

Energy / Electricity transmission and distribution

Transport / Road transport (non-urban) - Urban public transport

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban water supply

The regional capacity development technical assistance will strengthen the capacity of the executing agencies in the region to improve environmental management and monitoring. The TA has the following components:

(a) Training Course and Knowledge Products - The knowledge products include (i) Environmental saguards information kit to be used as training materials to be delivered in each CWRD country; (ii) Handbook of Good Practice for safeguard implementation to be used in CWRD operations.

(b) Training Course and Environmental audit Delivery- A network of environment firms will be trained to deliver the training course to staff of EAs, PMUs, project contractors and consultants in each of the 10 CWRD countries. The firms will also conduct third-party environmental audits for most of CWRD projects, where audits will be used as on-the-job training for project staff. Environmental audit will be conducted for two years (2013 and 2014). This approach will have a number of benefits such as ensuring that the type and content of training is consistent accross all projects, providing a more cost effective approach by avoiding costs of international consultants, developing an incountry training capability, providing an opportunity to undertake refresher training and will also allow contractors to commission in the same training, at their cost.

(c) Improved Project Monitoring - The TA will support the establishment of a web-based tracking system for environmental management. All projects classified as environment A or B are expected to prepare six monthly monitoring reports for ADB and government authorities. A database will be established that will alert project leader and safeguards team that the report is due and will record its delivery. Summary Excel sheets for project under processing and under implementation will be issued twice a month. The system will allow staff from headquarters and resident missions to have access to a single source of information on project implementation performance.

(d) Country assessment of environmental safeguard capacity - The TA will provide consultant services to carry out country assessment in 6 DMC countries (ARM, AZE, GEO, PAK, KGZ, and TAJ) as part of the implementation of the CPS. The studies will provide action plans for gaps filling measures and cacity building plans for environmental safegaurd management in each of the selected DMCs.

More effective environmental management and environmental sustainability of ADB projects.

Increased capacity of executing agency staff to undertake environmental management and monitoring

Staff from more than 80 executing agencies/implementing agencies completed training programs and on-the-job training. As of March 2014, traning was completed in 10 countries (AFG, AZE, ARM, GEO, KAZ, KGZ, TAJ, TKM, UZB, PAK). Third party environmental audit was conducted for 10 countries. Additional second training was provided in UZB in March 2016 to meet the demand of new EAs/IAs and new staff

Two regional workshops on Good Practice of Environmental safeguard management involved about 100 representatives of all EAs/IAs and 9 national environmental agencies, except Turmenistan. The workshops provided practical training and workshop proceeding will serve as guidance for practical solution.

All knowledge products completed and distributed.

Country assessments of environment safeguard capacity and capacity development plans (CAESC) and Country safeguard Framework (Environment) are completed in in six countries ARM, AZE, GEO, KGZ, PAK, and TAJ.

1. Executing agency staff trained on effective environmental management and monitoring

2. Network of trainers established and functional

3. Staff at executing agencies and ADB provided with information kit of environmental management

5. Reports on country assessment of environmental safeguards capacity

4. Trained pool of third party auditors.

Output 1. Training completed in 10 countries (AFG, ARM, AZE, GEO, KAZ, KGZ, TAJ, PAK, TKM, UZB). More than 350 staff of Executing Agencies/Implementing Agencies and projects' consultants and contractors were trained on effective environmental management of projects. Additional on-the-job training and environmental audit in AFG (Transport Sector) was conducted in March 2015 and second training for new staff and new EAs/IAs of UZB was conducted in March 2016. Third-party environmental audits were conducted in 10 countries. Special hands-on training on environmental safeguard monitoring and reporting was conducted on demand from TKM (Railway project) and UZB (Water Supply projects)

Two workshops on Regional Exchange on Good Practice of Environmental Safeguard Management in Lahore, Pakistan on 28-30 July 2015, and in Issykul Kyrgyz Republic on 4-6 August 2015, with site visits to 3 projects. These workshops served as practical learning event for sharing good practice and lessons learned in EMP implementation among the PIUs. Participants shared experiences in managing safeguard compliance, lessons learned from public consultations and handling complaints, and discussed requirements of national environmental regulations. ADB's Accountability Mechanism Policy 2012 was also explained.

Output 2. 33 Trainers from 6 firms with IDC completed trainers' training in Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Georgia. Out of the 6 firms, 4 IDC firms formed a pool of third-party auditors to work on the RETA in all 10 DMCs.

Output 3. All knowledge products distributed and being used. e-book "Selected References for Good Practice in Environmental Safeguards Implementation" was prepared and posted online.

Workshop proceeding of the two regional workshops will serve as practical solution through case studies of good practices. The workshop proceeding prepared and distributed to all EAs/IAs

Output 4. Six firms trained in environmental audit but only 4 firms were selected to conduct training and auditing. Completed environmental audit of more than 50 ADB projects in AFG, ARM, AZE, GEO, KAZ, KGZ, PAK, TAJ, TKM, and UZB.

Output 5. Two international and 6 national consultants were recruited to work on the country assessment of Environmental Safeguard Capacity (CAESC) studies in six DMCs (ARM, AZE, GEO, KGZ, TAJ, PAK). Six CAESC reports prepared and consulted with various stakeholders. Twelve stakeholder consultation workshops conducted. Each CAESC report was submitted to the respected government authority for endorsement.

Six country (ARM, AZE, GEO, KGZ, TAJ, PAK) safeguard frameworks (CSF) prepared and consulted with various stakeholders and submitted to the respective government authorities for endorsement.

Government endorsement provided to the CAESC and CSF in all DMCs, except KGZ CSF which is underway. Endorsed CAESC and CSF were printed and distributed to all EAs/IAs

Training has been conducted for staff of executing agencies, PMUs, project contractors and consultants.

Knowledge products have been consulted with colleagues and distributed to all stakeholders and users.

Country safeguard framework undergone stakeholder consultation with all relevant EAs before finalisation

Country assessment studies and capacity development plans were endorsed by the DMCs through stakeholder consultation workshops