Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Burundi COUNTRY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Public Disclosure Authorized Understanding the Environment within the Dynamics of a Complex World: Linkages to Fragility, Conflict and Climate Change Public Disclosure Authorized 1705599_Burundi_ES_CVR-Eng.indd 3 3/27/17 9:59 AM Burundi Country Environmental Analysis Understanding the Environment within the Dynamics of a Complex World: Linkages to Fragility, Conflict, and Climate Change 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 1 5/31/17 12:31 PM Photos: Cover, courtesy of Alvaro Zapata Cadavid and CIPAV; pages 41 and 71, courtesy of Elie Hakizumwami and IUCN. 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 2 5/31/17 12:31 PM Contents Foreword vii Acknowledgments ix Acronyms and Historical Exchange Rate xi Executive Summary xiii Chapter 1 Nature of Environmental Problems in Burundi 1 Introduction 1 Economic Expansion Based on Natural Capital Depletion 2 Burundi’s Overall Environmental Performance 6 Country Environmental Analysis 6 Objective of Burundi CEA 8 Structure of the Report 9 Context of Environmental Problems 10 Population Growth 10 Conflict and Fragility 12 Climate Change 13 Chapter 2 Key Environmental Problems 17 Introduction 17 Approach and Data 18 Deforestation and Forest Degradation 21 Causes and Drivers 22 Consequences and Costs 23 Land Degradation 24 Causes and Drivers 25 Consequences and Costs 27 Indoor Air Pollution 30 Causes and Drivers 30 Consequences and Costs 31 Water Pollution 32 Causes and Drivers 32 Consequences and Costs 34 iii 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 3 5/31/17 12:31 PM iv Contents Natural Disasters 34 Biodiversity Loss 38 Interactions with Climate Change 38 Overall Cost of Environmental Degradation 39 Chapter 3 Environmental Policies and Institutions 43 Institutional Framework of Environmental Protection and Management 43 The Ministry of Water, Environment, Physical Planning, and Urban Development 43 Office Burundais pour la Protection de l’Environnement 43 National Institute of Geography 44 Other Relevant Organizations 45 Legal Framework of Environmental Protection and Management 45 Public Environmental Expenditure Review 46 Overall Characteristics and Evolution of Public Environmental Expenditures, 2010–16 46 Structure of Burundi’s Public Environmental Expenditure, 2011–15 47 Execution Rate 48 Assessment of Burundi’s Capacity to Address Environmental Problems and Recommendations 49 Benchmarking Burundi’s Environmental Policies and Institutions 49 Implementing Legal Framework 51 Financial Capacity 51 Capacity of OBPE 52 Chapter 4 Recommendations and a Way Forward 53 Overall Recommendations 53 Addressing the Fundamental Issues 53 Addressing the Causes and Consequences of Environmental Challenges 53 Holistic Approach at Landscape Level and Building Resilience 54 Complementarity of State-Led Initiatives and Community-Based Programs 55 Raise Public Awareness on National Environmental Challenges through Environmental Education 55 Specific Recommendations and Priority Programs 57 Deforestation and Land Degradation 58 Indoor Air Pollution 64 Water Pollution 67 Climate Change and Natural Disasters 69 Concluding Remarks 69 References 75 Foreign Publications 82 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 4 5/31/17 12:31 PM Contents v Appendices 1. Deforestation and Forest Degradation 87 Causes and Drivers 87 Consequences 92 Costs 94 2. Land Degradation 94 Causes and Drivers 95 Consequences 98 Costs 99 3. Indoor Air Pollution 99 Consequences 100 Costs 102 4. Water Pollution 103 Causes and Drivers 103 Consequences 107 Costs 110 5. Natural Disasters 111 Costs 115 6. Biodiversity Loss 117 Drivers of Biodiversity Loss 119 7. Climate Change 122 Climate Change Impacts in Burundi 122 8. Environmental Policies and Institutions 127 Institutional Framework of Environmental Protection and Management in Burundi 127 Sectoral Ministries MEEATU Is Mandated to Coordinate 133 Local Government’s Roles and Responsibilities in Environmental Protection 135 Civil Society 136 Legal Framework 137 Assessment of Burundi’s Capacity to Address Environmental Problems and Recommendations 139 Laws and Regulations 142 Financial Capacity 145 9. Recommendations for Burundi’s Disaster Risk Management Framework and Capacity 146 Improve Resilience and Adaptation 147 Prevent Water Issues Related to Climate Change 147 Improve Adaptation and DRM Preparedness through Institutional Policies 148 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 5 5/31/17 12:31 PM 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 6 5/31/17 12:31 PM Foreword Over the past decades, Burundi’s economic growth has been hin- dered by continued impoverishment and increasing depletion of its natural capital. Rapid population growth has led to forests being cleared for subsistence farming. In addition, unsustainable practices have damaged soil fertility and integrity. Water resources have been polluted, harming multiple sectors as well as the health of a popu- lation already suffering from severe air pollution caused by burning biofuels. Climate change is amplifying these problems and increas- ing the risks of natural disasters. A lack of proper institutional arrangements has left the envi- ronment vulnerable to rapid degradation. The situation has been further complicated by the conflicts that have gutted Burundi in recent decades and which have worsened the impacts of having no natural resource management policies. This Country Environmental Analysis (CEA) is a first step in the World Bank’s support for helping Burundi transition to inclusive and sustainable development. It was facilitated by a GoB Steering Committee chaired by the Ministry of Water, Environment, Physi- cal Planning and Urban Development (MEEATU) and co-chaired by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Privatization. The World Bank also set up a Coordination Committee led by the ENR team with experts from Social, Urban, Rural, and Resilience (SURR) and Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management (MFM). In addition, a Technical Committee in charge of monitoring progress included the MEEATU, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Energy and Mining, provincial governments, the Burundi Envi- ronment Protection Office (OBPE), the Burundi National Institute of Geography, its national statistical and economic research office, the Burundian private sector, and World Bank experts on water, agriculture and climate change. The CEA describes the main environmental problems in Burundi, analyzes their causes, and discusses the physical and vii 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 7 5/31/17 12:31 PM viii Foreword economic extent of associated losses. It also evaluates the institutional and financial capacity of Burundi to address these challenges, and presents the fol- lowing recommendations: • population growth, fragility, and climate change are fundamental issues that must receive priority treatment; • both the causes and consequences of environmental problems must be addressed; • a holistic approach to landscapes with a focus on building the resilience of the environment and communities should be used; and • complementarity between state-led initiatives and community-based pro- grams should be leveraged. While Burundi may face a daunting number of environmental challenges, we are convinced that the country can overcome them through commitment, determination, and support from partners such as the World Bank. These ele- ments will enable Burundi to start down a new path of sustainable and inclu- sive development rooted in the integrated management of its natural resources. Minister of Water, Environment, Land Use and Urban Development Country Director for Burundi Honorable Celestin Ndayizeye Bella Bird 1705599_Burundi CEA_English_FM.indd 8 5/31/17 12:31 PM Acknowledgments The Burundi Country Environmental Analysis (CEA) is a result of close collaboration between the government of Burundi (GoB) and the World Bank. The two interrelated committees—the GoB’s Steer- ing Committee and the World Bank’s Coordination Committee— facilitated project implementation. • GoB’s Steering Committee: The Ministry of Water, Environ- ment, Physical Planning and Urban Development (MEEATU) presided over the CEA’s coordination, while the Ministry of Finance took on the role of co-president. A geographic infor- mation system (GIS) specialist of the Ministry of Environment was nominated as the main CEA focal point and was assisted by another focal point nominated by the Ministry of Finance. Moreover, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Minis- try of Energy, provincial governments, the Burundi Environment Protection Office (OBPE), the National Institute of Geography (IGEBU), the Institut de Statistiques et d’Etudes Economiques du Burundi (ISTEEBU), universities, nongovernmental organi- zations (NGOs), the private sector, and international partners were also part of the technical committee that reviewed the CEA’s progress. • World Bank’s Coordination Committee: The Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), the Social, Urban, Rural, and Resil- ience (SURR), and the Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management (MFM) Global Practices (GPs) co-presided the committee. The two co-Task Team Leaders of the project belong to the ENR GP and the SURR GP. The Agriculture GP, the Water GP, the Climate Change Cross-Cutting Solutions Area (CCSA), and the TerrAfrica program were members of a technical body assessing the advancement of the CEA. The Burundi CEA report was prepared by a team of experts from GoB and the World Bank. The Burundi team was led by Alphonse Polisi, MEEATU Director of Environment