Carbon Sequestration Through Climate Investment in Forests and Rangelands in the Kyrgyz Republic (Cs-For)
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Environmental and Social Management Framework CARBON SEQUESTRATION THROUGH CLIMATE INVESTMENT IN FORESTS AND RANGELANDS IN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (CS-FOR) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations May 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ACRONYMS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. INTRODUCTION II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 Project components 2.2 Project governance, management and implementation 2.3 Target areas 2.4 Eligibility criteria for target areas III. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BASELINE 3.1 Environmental aspects 3.2 Climate change 3.3 Socio-Economic Aspects IV. LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK 4.1 Sustainable development and climate change 4.2 Regulatory framework in forest and pasture management 4.3 Institutional framework in forest and pasture management 4.4 Other relevant legislation 4.5 Regulatory framework for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) V. FAO AND GCF SAFEGUARDS 5.1 Risk classification of the proposal 5.2 FAO Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) 5.3 Green Climate Fund Safeguards VI. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 6.1 Stakeholder Identification 6.2 Stakeholder Engagement 6.2.1 Stakeholder engagement during project formulation 6.2.2 Stakeholder engagement during project implementation 6.3 Gender Assessment 6.4 Disclosure 6.5 Grievance Redress Mechanism VII. SUB-ACTIVITIES 7.1 Methodology for preparation, approval and execution of sub-projects 7.2 Sub-project impacts and mitigation measures VIII. MONITORING AND REPORTING 8.1 Definition of sub-activities 8.2 Environmental and social risk screening of sub-activities 8.3 Environmental and social risk management Annex 1: Environmental and Social Management Framework Workplan Annex 2: Exclusion List Annex 3: Consultations with Stakeholders Annex 4: FAO Guidance Document for Pest and Pesticide Management in Field Projects Annex 5: FAO Environmental and Social Screening Checklist 2 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: CS-FOR target areas Figure 2: Land use distribution in target areas Figure 3: Normalized Difference Variation Index (NDVI) distribution in target areas Figure 4: Climate change-related hazards (national level) Figure 5: Map of levels of vulnerability to climate change in Kyrgyzstan LIST OF TABLES Table 1: CS-FOR project components Table 2: Most relevant elements for each of the five reported criteria Table 3: Land Productivity Dynamics (LPD) – total ha classification of forests in target area (based on MODIS NDVI Time Series 2001-2017) Table 4: Pasture resources in the Kyrgyz Republic Table 5: Land Productivity Dynamics (LPD) – total ha classification of pastures in target area (based on MODIS NDVI Time Series 2001-2017) Table 6: Population and numbers of rural municipalities and villages in target area (2016) Table 7: Major laws and legal acts, regulating management and use of pastures and forest Table 8: EIA legislation in the Kyrgyz Republic Table 9: FAO Applicable Safeguards Table 10: Green Climate Fund Safeguards Table 11: Environmental impacts and mitigation measures 3 LIST OF ACRONYMS AA Aiyl Aimak (rural municipality area) AKJ Pasture User Unions “Kyrgyz Jaiyty” AO Aiyl Okmotu (local government) APIU Agricultural Projects’ Implementation Unit A/R Afforestation/Reforestation CBD UN Convention on Biological Diversity CBFM Community Based Forest Management CCCC Climate Change Coordination Commission CFM Collaborative Forest Management CLMG Community Landscape Management Groups CPMDP Community Pasture Management and Livestock Development Plans CS-FOR Carbon Sequestration through Climate Investment in Forests and Rangelands in the Kyrgyz Republic CSO Civil Society Organizations DPLF Department of Pastures, Livestock and Fisheries EA Ecosystem Approach EbA Ecosystem-based Adaptation EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ESFM Environmental and Social Management Framework ESCP Environmental and Social Commitment Plan ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan ESS Environmental and Social Safeguards FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN FC Forest Code GCF Green Climate Fund GDP Gross Domestic Product GEF Global Environment Facility GHG Greenhouse Gas Emissions GIS Geographical Information System GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GOK Government of Kyrgyzstan IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development IFC International Financial Corporation INDC Intended Nationally Determined Contribution INRMCRP Integrated Natural Resource Management and Climate Resilience Plans IPM Integrated Pest Management IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature JC Jaiyt Committees JFM Joint Forest Management JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency KR Kyrgyz Republic KSRILP Kyrgyz Scientific-Research Institute of Livestock and Pasture KSRVI Kyrgyz Scientific-Research Veterinary Institute LC Land Code LMPD II IFAD Livestock and Market Development Programme II M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MAFIM Ministry of Agriculture, Food Industry and Melioration (KR) MES Ministry of Emergency Situations (KR) MoU Memoranda of Understanding 4 MSAC Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Committee NAP National Action Plan NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NDA National Designated Agency NDVI Normalized Difference Variation Index NGO Non-governmental Organization NRM Natural Resource Management NSC National Stakeholder Committee NSSD National Strategy for Sustainable Development OVOS Russian acronym for “Assessment of Environmental Impacts” PET Potential Evapotranspiration PIU Project Implementation Unit PLFD Pasture, Livestock and Fishery Department PPP Public-Private Partnerships PS Performance Standards PUU Pasture Users Unions RDF Rural Development Fund RKDF Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund SAEPF State Agency for Environment Protection and Forestry SC Steering Committee SDG Sustainable Development Goals SFF State Forest Fund SFM Sustainable Forest Management SIVPSS State Inspectorate for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Security SLF State Land Fund TNC Third National Communication (of the Kyrgyz Republic under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) UNCCD UN Convention to Combat Desertification UNFCCC UN Framework Convention on Climate Change WB World Bank WFP World Food Programme WUA Water User Associations 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The proposed Carbon Sequestration through Climate Investment in Forests and Rangelands in the Kyrgyz Republic (CS-FOR) in Kyrgyzstan project supports the Government of Kyrgyzstan by contributing to the development of a low carbon emission and climate-resilient economy. The project objective is to intervene in key hot spots of target areas with adapted forest and pasture investments and to clearly transform management of pasture and forest resources at the national and local levels to ecosystem-based sustainable natural resource management (NRM) by enhancing an integrated and participatory approach, which is adaptive to climate change and responsive to needs of local communities. CS-FOR is in line with the Government’s key developmental goals and climate change plans and is anchored in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution. The project was designed through extensive stakeholder consultation including with government, research institutions, donors working the area of climate change mitigation and adaptation, NGOs, CSOs, local government, Pasture User Unions and State Forest Fund agencies (leskhozes), among others. The NDA has issued a no- objection letter. The Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) is the tool to guide the identification and management of potential negative environmental and social impacts of proposed projects and serves as a platform for consultations with stakeholders and project beneficiaries. The ESMF is prepared in compliance with FAO Environmental and Social Management Guidelines and considering the GCF’s Environmental and Social Safeguards. Section II describes the project components and target areas. To provide context, Section III gives an overview of environmental, climate and social considerations in the country and, as available, in the target areas. The legal and institutional framework is presented in Section IV. Section V addresses the risk classification of the project including FAO and GCF Safeguards. Section VI is about stakeholder engagement, including stakeholder identification, stakeholder engagement during both project formulation and implementation, gender, disclosure and grievance redress. Sub-projects are addressed in Section VII (preparation, approval and execution; potential impacts and mitigation measures) and Section VIII (environmental and social screening and risk assessment). 6 I. INTRODUCTION In the second half of 2017, upon agreement of the Government of Kyrgyzstan, FAO began the process of developing a proposal for the project “Carbon Sequestration Through Climate Investment in Forests and Rangelands in the Kyrgyz Republic (CS-FOR)”. The goal of the project is to contribute to the development of a low carbon emission and climate-resilient economy. The project objective is to intervene in key hot spots of target areas with adapted forest and pasture investments and to clearly transform management of pasture and forest resources at the national and local levels to ecosystem- based sustainable natural resource management (NRM) by enhancing an integrated and participatory approach, which is adaptive to climate change and responsive to needs of local communities. As co- benefit, increasing significantly forest coverage - in hotspots with high risks of hazards such as landslides, mudslides and floods – the project will also reduce the exposure