Vol. 4 Annexes: Draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Project Number: 49223-001 March 2017 GEO: Nenskra Hydropower Project Prepared by SLR Consulting France SAS The environmental and social impact assessment report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “Term of Use” section of this website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. 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LEGAL FRAMEWORK 1. LEGAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS This chapter describes the national and international legal framework of the Nenskra HPP Project, including standards and policies applicable to the Project Biodiversity Impact Assessment. 1.1 International Legislation and Policy The following international laws/agreements and conventions applicable to this Project related to nature conservation and biodiversity, have been ratified by Georgia: x Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES 1975; universal); x Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD 1992; universal); x European Union Habitats Directives (1992; regional); x Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat--Ramsar Convention (1975; universal); x Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention; 1972; universal); x United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC 1994; universal) and (Kyoto Protocol adopted 1997; universal); x Convention on the conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (the Bern Convention 1979); x European Landscape Convention 2000; x Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the Bonn Convention, 1979); x Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (EUROBATS) (1995); x Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Water birds (1991). 1.2 European Union (EU) Legislation and Policy Georgia is a non-EU country but is a potential EU candidate FRXQWU\*HRUJLD¶VUHODWLRQVZLWK the European Union are shaped via the EU Association Agreement. The Environmental Acquis comprises approximately 300 legal instruments, mostly in the form of Directives. The Acquis covers environmental protection, polluting and other activities, production processes, procedures and procedural rights as well as products. The key EU environmental directives making up the Acquis that are considered to be applicable to the Nenskra HPP Biodiversity Impact Assessment are listed in Table 2 and are shown alongside the directly equivalent transposed Georgian legislation. Table 1. EU Legislation Applicable to the Project EU Legislation Georgian Legislation Council Directive 85/337/EEC (amended by Regulation on Environmental Impact 97/11/EC) on Environmental Impact Assessment was approved by the Order No. Assessment (EIA) 59 of the Minister of Environment Law on Ecological Examination 2007 Law on Service of Environmental Protection 2007 Law on Environmental Impact Permit 2007 other laws, by-laws, statutory acts and regulations Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Law on Protection of Environment (1996, Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild amend 2000, 2003, 2007) Flora and Fauna (Natura 2000) ± The Law on Wildlife (1997, amend. 2001, 2003, Habitats Directive 2004) Council Directive 78/659/EEC on the quality Law on System of Protected Areas (1996, of fresh waters needing protection or amend.2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) improvement in order to support fish life Council Directive 79/409/EEC on Law on Red List and Red Book of Georgia conservation of wild birds 2006 Law on Status of Protected Areas, 2007 Biodiversity Protection Strategy and Action Plan, 2014 Red List, 2006 other laws, by-laws, statutory acts and regulations Georgia is a party to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Ramsar and CBD. Council Directive 2000/60/EC of the Law on Water 1997 European Parliament and of the Council Law on Environment Protection 1996 establishing a framework for the Community Law on Public Health 2007 action in the field of water policy" or, in Standard acts of the Ministry of Environment short, the EU Water Framework Directive Protection and Natural Resources 1.3 National Legislative and Policy Framework In Georgia, The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection (MoENRP) is responsible for regulating the natural environment. The MoEENRP participates in the development environmental state policy and implements all policies designed for the protection and conservation of the environment and for the sustainable use and management RI *HRUJLD¶V QDWXUDO UHVRXUFHV 7KLV LQFOudes controlling activities that have a potential adverse impact on the environment and natural resources and issuing environmental licenses and permits. Georgian legislation comprises the Constitution, environmental laws, international agreements, subordinate legislation, normative acts, presidential orders and governmental decrees, ministerial orders, instructions and regulations. Along with the national regulations, Georgia is signatory to a number of international conventions, including those related to environmental protection. Establishing and updating a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2005) is an obligation under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims to protect biodiversity, to ensure the sustainable use of biological resources and habitat, and to enable fair access to benefits of biodiversity. 2nd National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan was adopted by WKH*RYHUQPHQWRI*HRUJLDLQ GHFUHHʋ 7KH3ODQSXWVIRUZDUGDVHW of national policies aQG SODQV WR PHHW *HRUJLD¶V UHVSRQVLELOLWLHV XQGHU WKH &RQYHQWLRQ DV well as providing a framework to coordinate priority conservation activities and to share information on biodiversity and key threats on the natural environment. The NBSAP sets strategic goals, national targets,, objectives and actions. The strategic goals of the NBSAP are the following: Strategic Goal A: Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society; Strategic Goal B: Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use; Strategic Goal C: Improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity; Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services; Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building. The Project has considered these strategic goals and will help achieve this goals. Georgian environmental legislation is based on existing international concepts and criteria. The key pieces of legislation regarding biodiversity are: x Law of Georgia on Protection of the Environment (Framework Law); x Law of the General Rules for the Protection of Wild Plants and Animals; x Law of Georgia on Protected Areas; x Law of Georgia on Wildlife; x Law of Georgia on Red List and Red Book; x Forest Code of Georgia. The Law of Georgia on Protection of the Environment regulates legal relationship between the bodies of the state authority and physical persons/legal entities in the scope of environmental protection and consumption of natural resources on all Georgian territory including its territorial waters, airspace, continental shelf and special economic zones. The law concerns environmental education, environmental management, economic sanctions, licensing, standards, environmental impact assessment and related issues. The law considers various