Final Report
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FINAL REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT OF SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN POST CONFLICT SIERRA LEONE March 9-13 and 16-20, 2009 Makeni, Sierra Leone June 23, 2009 Organized and Facilitated by: Sun Mountain International 1 Workshops on Environmental Management of Socioeconomic Development Programs in Post Conflict Sierra Leone, March 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page Number A. INTRODUCTION 3 B. WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES, EXPECTATIONS, CONCEPTUAL FLOWCHART AND AGENDA 4 C. TECHNICAL SESSIONS • OVERVIEW OF USAID ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES (22 CFR 13 216) • SIERRA LEONE ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AND POLICY 15 • ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: THE INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL 16 EXAMINATION • INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES FOR SMALL-SCALE 18 ACTIVITIES IN AFRICA (EGSSAA) • VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP AND GROUP ACTIVITY: ASSESSMENT OF AN IEE AND 18 REPORT-OUT • BASIC CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING 20 • CHOOSING INDICATORS FOR MONITORING ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION 20 MEASURES • BREAKOUT SESSION: GROUP ¨BRAINSTORMING¨ SESSION ON 22 STRENGHTENING ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS • DEVELOPING ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLANS (EMP) 24 • BREAKOUT SESSION: DESIGN A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTL MANAGEMENT PLAN 26 FOR ONE OR TWO PROJECT IMPACTS IN A KEY DEVELOPMENT SECTOR • GROUP PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FIELD VISIT RESULTS 26 • NEW USAID FOOD FOR PEACE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: ENVIRONMENTAL 45 CAPABILITY STATEMENT (ECS) • USAID PESTICIDE PROCEDURES 45 • KEY CONCEPTS REVIEW – PARKING LOT SESSION 47 • RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (REA) 48 • USAID PARTNERS PANEL – LESSONS LEARNED IN ENVIRONMENTAL 50 MANAGEMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROJECTS • ACTION PLANS BY ORGANIZATION AND INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES 51 • DIRECTOR’S PANEL – ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION OF STRATEGIC 55 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN SIERRA LEONE: OBSTACLES AND SOLUTIONS TO PROGRAMMING CHALLENGES. D. WORKSHOP EVALUATIONS 58 ANNEXES • Annex 1: Participant Lists (Week 1 and Week 2) 60 • Annex 2: Workshop Photo Collage 65 2 Workshops on Environmental Management of Socioeconomic Development Programs in Post Conflict Sierra Leone, March 2009 A. INTRODUCTION On behalf of the Planning Team for the Workshops on Environmental Management of Socioeconomic Development Programs in Post Conflict Sierra Leone, held in Makeni, Sierra Leone, we are pleased to present this Workshop Final Report. The document and accompanying CD are a compilation of key information exchanged during the workshops, the main points of discussion addressed and the principal recommendations that emerged during the training. These USAID Sierra Leone-supported workshops were jointly sponsored and co-hosted by the USAID Sierra Leone Mission, the USAID DCHA Bureau, World Vision, ACDI/VOCA, the Christian Children’s Fund (CCF), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Africare, and CARE. The events drew a large participant group of nearly 100 development professionals and experts in key sectors over the two weeks. Other highlights of the workshops included: • Creation of a participant-designed draft list of critical environmental monitoring indicators for key sectors, which will be further refined for possible use as standard USAID environmental performance monitoring indicators; • Presentation and distribution of practical environmental tools, such as the USAID Environmental Guidelines for Small-Scale Activities in Africa, a framework for designing environmental management plans, and an inexpensive, user-friendly water quality testing tool, among others; • Productive discussion and group work sessions; practical, hands-on field site visits; • Workshop synthesis discussions on strategic environmental issues in Sierra Leone with almost all NGO Directors and Chiefs of Party from implementing partners, and key USAID staff. Dialogue also occurred on how to strengthen inter-institutional synergies for environmental management of programs in Sierra Leone. The success of these workshops would not have been possible without the efforts of the presenters and the contributions made by each of the participants during the plenary and technical work group sessions. In particular, Sun Mountain would like to thank, US Ambassador to Sierra Leone - June Carter Perry, Deputy Chief of Mission – Glenn Fedzer, Ericka Clesceri, Eddie Benya, Tom Roberts, and each co-host organization for their significant technical, financial, and institutional support for this collaborative capacity-building initiative. We hope that the knowledge and interest generated at these events will act as a further catalyst for this USAID environmental initiative and contribute to improved environmental quality and project design in all USAID-supported programs. On behalf of USAID Sierra Leone, USAID Washington and the Workshop Planning Team, thank you! Erika Clesceri Eddie Benya Scott Solberg Bureau Environmental Officer Mission Environmental Officer Director USAID/DCHA USAID/Sierra Leone Sun Mountain International 3 Workshops on Environmental Management of Socioeconomic Development Programs in Post Conflict Sierra Leone, March 2009 B. WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES, EXPECTATIONS, CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND AGENDA Object ive : Outline central workshop objectives and identify participant expectations and learning objectives. B.1. Workshop Objectives Provide practical tools and training for environmental management of development programs in Sierra Leone. Improve the capacity of USAID staff, their key partners and technical personnel to adopt best environmental practices and incorporate environmental monitoring indicators into existing project M&E systems. Enhance collaboration, networking and exchange of ideas, lessons learned and technical solutions between cooperating sponsors and their local staff in the field, ministries, and USAID personnel. B.2 Participant Objectives and Expectations Participants’ expectations of the workshop were identified through a plenary exercise in which everyone stated key environmental issues in Sierra Leone as well as topics of interest and their usefulness: The following expectations and objectives to be accomplished at the workshop were identified by participants: To more clearly understand USAID environmental compliance procedures and Regulation 216, and how to incorporate these and best environmental practices into program design and management. To better environmentally manage Title II program activities. To learn about initial environmental examinations (IEEs) in general as well as incorporate mitigation, monitoring, and budgeting into project design and implementation. To collaboratively build environmental management systems by developing a framework that would allow for more efficient monitoring and evaluation of projects. To take away some useful tools to improve field work and assess environmental impacts. 4 Workshops on Environmental Management of Socioeconomic Development Programs in Post Conflict Sierra Leone, March 2009 B.3. Conceptual Flowchart LEGAL FRAMEWORK • USAID Environmental Procedures • Sierra Leone Environmental Legislation ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS, TOOLS AND EXPERIENCES • Environmental Impact Assessment (the IEE) • Environmental Guidelines • Basic Concepts of Environmental Mitigation, Monitoring and Evaluation • Strengthening Environmental Indicators and Management Systems • Designing Environmental Management Plans CASE STUDIES IN THE LOCAL CONTEXT • Agricultural production • Fish production • Small-scale infrastructure and water/sanitation MAINSTREAMING ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT • Budgeting environmental mitigation and monitoring costs • Directors panel: Roundtable discussion of strategic environmental issues in Sierra Leone • Intra-institutional action plans and inter-institutional priorities 5 Workshops on Environmental Management of Socioeconomic Development Programs in Post Conflict Sierra Leone, March 2009 B.4. Agenda Week 1: Day/Time Module/Activity Objective Presenter/Facilitator Sunday Arrival in Makeni; Registration 4:00 Facilitators’ Arrival in Makeni 5:00 – 6:00 Participants’ Arrival 6:30 – 7:30 Organizational Meeting with Facilitators Monday Environmental Impact Assessment Concepts and Tools 8:00 – 9:30 Participant Registration 9:30 – 10:00 Opening Statements Highlight the needs in Abdulai Jalloh, country and the value USAID/Sierra Leone of the workshop content Erika Clesceri, USAID/DCHA Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) Tom Roberts, WVI Scott Solberg, SMIC Dr. John Azu, SMIC 10:00 – 10:30 Workshop Objectives Clarify workshop Scott Solberg, SMIC Introductions and Expectations expected outcomes and Dr. John Azu, SMIC participants’ Agenda and Logistics expectations 10:30 – 11:00 Video: “Environmental Present an introductory Scott Solberg, SMIC Considerations: Toward a video on the importance Sustainable Future” of environmental considerations in development programming 11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break 11:15 – 12:15 Session 1: USAID Environmental Understand why Erika Clesceri, Compliance Procedures (22 CFR 216) Regulation 216 exists and USAID/DCHA Bureau Legal Basis how USAID complies Environmental Officer (BEO) Summary of USAID Understand how Environmental Procedures responsibilities are distributed within Missions Role of MEOs, CTOs, and and partners. partners Only Week 2 Session 2 : Sierra Leone Introduce country-specific No Representative Environmental Legislation and Policy environmental policies and Available from procedures Ministries 12:15 – 1:15 Lunch 1:15 – 2:00 Session 3: Environmental Impact Understand the EIA Scott Solberg, SMIC Assessment: The Initial