CI-GEF PROJECT AGENCY SCREENING RESULTS AND SAFEGUARD ANALYSIS (To be completed by CI-GEF Coordination Team)

Transcription

1 CI-GEF PROJECT AGENCY SCREENING RESULTS AND SAFEGUARD ALYSIS (To be completed by CI-GEF Coordination Team) I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Ecuador GEF Project ID: 9369 Project Title: : Implementation of the strategic plan of Ecuador s Mainland Marine and Coastal Protected Areas Network Executing Entity: ): Undersecretary of Marine and Coastal Management (Ministry of Environment MAE), CI-Ecuador GEF Focal Area: Biodiversity and Land Degradation GEF Project Amount: US$6,336,500 Reviewer(s): Ian Kissoon Date of Review: May 24, 2016, July 29, 2016 Comments: Analysis completed and approved B. Project Objective: To substantially improve the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity through an effective coastal and marine protected areas network in mainland Ecuador C. Project Description: Coastal and marine protected areas (MPAs) have been a major tool for biodiversity protection, and there have been significant advances on this matter. The first Ecuadorian MPAs were the Parque Nacional Machalilla and the Reserva Ecológica Manglares Churute, established in 1979, with a total area of 98,287 ha. In 2015, 18 MPAs cover 13,816, ha of coastal and marine surface. However, the Galapagos Marine Reserve corresponds to 96.3% of this total area; the 17 MPAs from the Ecuadorian mainland cover 516, ha of which 63.2% is marine area. Four MPAs from the mainland are key biodiversity areas because of the regular occurrence of globally threatened species at the site. In addition, five MPAs include Ramsar sites: (i) Parque Nacional Machalilla, (ii) Reserva Ecológica Manglares Cayapas-Mataje, (iii) Reserva Ecológica Manglares Churute, (iv) Refugio de Vida Silvestre Isla Santa Clara, and (v) Área Nacional de Recreación Isla Santay. These areas contain 99,070 ha, which corresponds to 34.5% of the country s area included in Ramsar sites. A unique political, social and economic opportunity exists in Ecuador enabling the creation and management of a national network of marine protected areas, in accordance with its commitments to the CBD. However, the government faces severe constraints, notably: the ever-increasing pressure of environmentally-damaging productive activities that are important to the national economy, e.g. industrial fishing, shrimp farming etc. 1

2 the socio-economic situation facing the local coastal communities--over 70% live in situations of extreme poverty and rely on coastal/marine resources for food and their primary source of income; the lack of an enabling policy, legislative and institutional framework that caters for the creation and management of MPAs as an integral part of the national system of protected areas. The project will expedite mainstreaming a more holistic approach to coastal and marine conservation by facilitating the prompt implementation of the current MPA network strategic plan. The project will contribute to improve the management and conservation of coastal and seascapes. The key contributions will be: a. to assist the process to scale up to an MPA network, b. to improve the capacity for detection, detention and sanction of infractors, c. to increase the financial sustainability of the MPA network, d. to advance incorporating MPAs into integrated coastal management processes, and e. to gain experience and prepare tools to improve connectivity with coastal and seascapes. Project Components and Main Proposed Activities: 1. Establishing the foundations for the efficient operation of the MPA network (i) Strengthening the capacities to administer the MPA network and the surveillance and control system, and (ii) Establishing a subaccount to provide long-term funding to MPAs and the network 2. On-the-ground active learning Two pilot interventions on articulating MPAs with coastal management processes and local governments (i.e., municipal and provincial) and key stakeholders 3. Strengthening connectivity of mangroves with inland ecosystems within the MPA network Setting the ground for inland connectivity of the MPA network, as well as to conserve threatened habitats like guandales and natales D. Project location and biophysical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis: Ecuador has a marine area that is about four times the total area of the country, with very valuable marine and coastal biodiversity. The marine territory is part of four ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) of the Eastern Tropical and Temperate Pacific: a) the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, b) the Galápagos Archipelago and its Western Extension, c) the Carnegie Ridge Equatorial Front, and d) the Gulf of Guayaquil. The Ecuadorian mainland has 21 of the 27 marine and coastal ecosystems globally recognized as important for biodiversity conservation (10 of the 14 marine and 11 of the 13 coastal ecosystems). Through the 17 MPA currently created in the mainland Ecuador, the cultural manifestation come from Afro-descendent people mainly placed in the north of the country. One of the MPA with the most important Afro-descendent community is the Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve. This area is one of the most impoverished regions in the country and it is inhabited by 26 Afro-Ecuadorian communities (ca. 30,000 inhabitants) that faced socio-economic impacts like displacement, increase in violence and crime, loss of livelihood, loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, specific impacts on women, and sand dispossession. 2

3 Fishing is a major activity in coastal communities livelihood in the 17 MPA and has a high social, economic and cultural value. However, the deterioration of several coastal fishing resources is evident. Artisanal fishermen, who have other options than near shore fisheries, now go offshore for several weeks to make a living. The coastal fisheries resources are severely overexploited and catch per fisherman are decreasing as well as the size of the fish caught. Artisanal fishermen freely catch fish in marine protected areas (MPAs) without any management of fisheries resources. In the 95% of the cases, men play the role of worker and the women cares the family (housekeepers). In some cases, women are a key element of a number of activities that occur within and adjacent to the MPAs. These activities range from direct collection of cockles in mangroves and invertebrates on tidal pools, especially in the Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve (Esmeraldas province), but also the women play a productive and leadership role to running restaurants and hotels, to run MPAs and local governments; with emphasis in the MPA places in the Manabi and Santa Elena provinces. E. Executing Entity s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies: The EA did not identify any staff as being knowledgeable /trained in managing safeguard matters nor demonstrated any experience in managing safeguard matters. The EA should consider hiring such personnel to prepare the required safeguard plans, and to ensure proper implementation of the plans and compliance with the CI-GEF safeguard policies throughout the project cycle. II. SAFEGUARD AND POLICIES Environmental and Social Safeguards: Date Safeguard Triggered Yes No TBD Completed 1. Environmental & Social Impact X Assessment (ESIA) Justification: No significant adverse environmental and social impacts that are sensitive, diverse, or unprecedented is anticipated 2. Natural Habitats X Justification: The project is not proposing to alter natural habitats 3. Involuntary Resettlement X Justification: The project does not propose any voluntary resettlement. However, access/use of natural resources may be restricted. Fishing is a major activity in coastal communities livelihood in the 17 MPAs and the coastal fisheries resources are severely overexploited. Artisanal fishermen freely catch fish in the MPAs without any management of fisheries resources. The project will promote the preferential access to fishermen of communities located in the buffer zone of the MPA but the preferential access will be accompanied with fisheries rules placed in a MPA network management plan. Therefore, moving from free access to regulated access triggers restriction of access safeguard. Further, it has been mentioned that the Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve (inhabited by 26 Afro-Ecuadorian communities) had faced socio-economic impacts like displacement in the past. This may have set a negative precedence and therefore restriction of access/use of fishery resources must be carefully addressed. 4. Indigenous Peoples X Justification: The project plans to work in lands or territories traditionally owned, customarily used, or occupied by indigenous peoples 3

4 5. Pest Management X Justification: There are no proposed activities related to pest management 6. Physical & Cultural Resources X Justification: There are no proposed activities related to physical and cultural resources 7. Stakeholder Engagement X Justification: The project will involve local communities and government, among others. Effective participation of these key stakeholders must be facilitated by the project. 8. Gender mainstreaming X Justification: Men and women are engaged in a number of activities within and adjacent to the MPAs. These activities include collection of cockles in mangroves and invertebrates on tidal pools by women and artisanal fishing by the men. 9. Accountability and Grievance Mechanisms X Justification: As a publicly funded GEF project, participants need to be able submit complaints or raise grievances with the Executing Agency and the Project Agency. III. KEY SAFEGUARD POLICY ISSUES AND THEIR MAGEMENT 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: From information provided in the Safeguard Screening Form, this project has triggered five safeguard polices. These are: I. Restriction of Access to and Use of Natural Resources, II. Indigenous Peoples, III. Stakeholder Engagement, IV. Gender Mainstreaming, and V. Grievance Mechanism. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: No indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities are foreseen at this time. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts: The proposed approach of the project is expected to avoid or minimize adverse impacts. As such, no better alternative can be conceived at this time. 4. Describe measures to be taken by the Executing Entity to address safeguard policy issues. I. Restriction of Access to and Use of Natural Resources For the potential restriction of access to and use of natural resources, for example as a result of enforcement of fishing restrictions, and to ensure that the project meets CI-GEF Project Agency s Involuntary Resettlement Policy #3 the Executing Agency is required to develop during the PPG 4

5 phase, a Process Framework document (refer to Appendix IV of the ESMF Policy for guidance). This document must be approved by the CI-GEF Agency before implementation, and the CI-GEF Project Agency will oversee the implementation of this Framework throughout the duration of the project. II. III. IV. Indigenous Peoples To ensure that the project meets CI-GEF Project Agency s Indigenous Peoples Policy #4, the Executing Agency is required to develop, during of the PPG phase, an Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP). Please refer to Appendix V of the ESMF Policy for guidance on preparing the IPP. The IPP must be approved by the CI-GEF Agency before implementation, and the CI-GEF Project Agency will oversee the implementation of this plan throughout the duration of the project. Stakeholder Engagement To ensure that the project meets CI-GEF Project Agency s Stakeholders Engagement Policy, the Executing Agency is required to develop, during of the PPG phase, a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP). Please refer to Appendix IX of the ESMF Policy for guidance on preparing a SEP. The SEP must be approved by the CI-GEF Agency before implementation, and the CI-GEF Project Agency will oversee the implementation of this plan throughout the duration of the project. Gender Mainstreaming To ensure that the project meets CI-GEF Project Agency s Gender Mainstreaming Policy #8, the Executing Agency is required to develop, during of the PPG phase, a Gender Mainstreaming Plan (GMP). Please refer to Appendix VIII of the ESMF Policy for guidance on preparing a GMP. The GMP must be approved by the CI-GEF Agency before implementation, and the CI-GEF Project Agency will oversee the implementation of this plan throughout the duration of the project. V. Grievance Mechanism An Accountability and Grievance Mechanism is required to ensure people affected by the project are able to bring their grievances to the Executing Entity for consideration and redress. The mechanism must be in place before the start of project activities, and also disclosed to all stakeholders in a language, manner and means that best suits the local context. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people: The key stakeholders are the government, local communities, indigenous people, and donors. The mechanisms for consultation and disclosure should be culturally appropriate, gender sensitive, effective, and in keeping with local customs. Engagement can take the form of village meetings, group meetings, workshops, interviews/surveys, etc. and done using local languages and methods. The Executing Entity should take these contexts into consideration when designing engagement activities. 5

6 IV. PROJECT CATEGORIZATION PROJECT CATEGORY Category A Category B Category C Justification: The proposed project activities are likely to have minimal or no adverse environmental and social impacts. X V. EXPECTED DISCLOSURE DATES Safeguard Plan CI Disclosure Date In-Country Disclosure Date Environmental & Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Environmental Management Plan (EMP) Voluntary Resettlement Action Plan (V- RAP) Process Framework for Restriction of Access to Natural Resources Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) Pest Management Plan (PMP) Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) Gender Mainstreaming Plan (GMP) Accountability and Grievance Mechanism No later than inception workshop/kick-off meeting VI. APPROVALS Signed and submitted by: Vice President: Name: Miguel Morales Date: Approved by: Safeguard Manager: Project Manager: Name: Ian Kissoon Name: Orissa Samaroo Date: Date: 08/01/2016 6

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