Annex VI (b) – Environmental and Social Assessment Report Green Climate Fund Funding Proposal I Scaling-up Multi-Hazard Early Warning System and the Use of Climate Information in Georgia Environmental and Social Assessment Report FP-UNDP-5846-Annex-VIb-ENG 1 Annex VI (b) – Environmental and Social Assessment Report Green Climate Fund Funding Proposal I CONTENTS Contents ................................................................................................................................................. 2 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 8 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 10 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 10 1.2 Description of the Project ............................................................................................................ 10 1.2.1 Summary of Activities .......................................................................................................... 11 1.3 Project Alternatives ..................................................................................................................... 27 1.3.1 Do Nothing Alternative ........................................................................................................ 27 1.3.2 Alternative Locations ........................................................................................................... 27 2 Legal and Institutional Framework for Environmental and Social Matters ................................ 28 2.1 Legislation, Policies and Regulations ......................................................................................... 28 2.1.1 Constitution of Georgia ....................................................................................................... 28 2.1.2 Civil Code of Georgia .......................................................................................................... 28 2.1.3 The Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection .............................................................. 28 2.1.4 The Law of Georgia on Water ............................................................................................. 29 2.1.5 The Law of Georgia on Protection of Atmospheric Air ........................................................ 29 2.1.6 The Law of Georgia on Natural Resources ......................................................................... 30 2.1.7 Law of Georgia on Soil Protection ....................................................................................... 31 2.1.8 Law of Georgia on Wildlife .................................................................................................. 31 2.1.9 Law of Georgia on System of Protected Areas ................................................................... 31 2.1.10 The Forest Code of Georgia ............................................................................................... 32 2.1.11 Waste Code ......................................................................................................................... 32 2.1.12 Law of Georgia on Licenses and Permits ........................................................................... 32 2.1.13 Law on Regulation and Engineering Protection of Sea and River Coasts of Georgia ........ 33 2.1.14 Law on Public Health .......................................................................................................... 33 2.1.15 Law of Georgia on Compensation of Land Substitute Costs and Damages due to Allocating Agricultural Land for Non-Agricultural Purposes ................................................................................. 33 2.1.16 Law of Georgia on Ownership to Agricultural Land ............................................................ 34 2.1.17 Law of Georgia on Entitlement of Ownership Rights to Lands Possessed (Employed) by Physical and Legal Persons of Private Law ........................................................................................ 34 2.1.18 Law of Georgia on Rules for Expropriation of Ownership for Necessary Public Needs ..... 34 2.1.19 European Flood Directive (2007) ........................................................................................ 35 2.1.20 Civil Integration and Tolerance Council .............................................................................. 35 2.2 Environmental Impact Assessment in Georgia ........................................................................... 35 FP-UNDP-5846-Annex-VIb-ENG 2 Annex VI (b) – Environmental and Social Assessment Report Green Climate Fund Funding Proposal 2.3 Multilateral Agreements and Biodiversity Protocols ............................................................. 36 I 3 Description of Existing Environment .......................................................................................... 39 3.1 Topography, Geology and Soils .................................................................................................. 39 3.1.1 Topography ......................................................................................................................... 39 3.1.2 Geology ............................................................................................................................... 39 3.1.3 Soils ..................................................................................................................................... 40 3.2 Seismic Activity ........................................................................................................................... 42 3.3 Climate ........................................................................................................................................ 42 3.4 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................... 44 3.5 Ambient Noise ............................................................................................................................. 44 3.6 Surface Water and Hydrology ..................................................................................................... 44 3.7 Groundwater................................................................................................................................ 49 3.8 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna ......................................................................................................... 50 3.8.1 Background ......................................................................................................................... 50 3.8.2 Protected Areas................................................................................................................... 51 3.9 Aquatic Flora and Fauna ............................................................................................................. 53 3.10 Land Use ..................................................................................................................................... 53 3.11 Land Ownership and Customary Tenure .................................................................................... 55 3.12 Population ................................................................................................................................... 55 3.13 Gender ........................................................................................................................................ 57 3.14 Employment, Labour and Working Conditions ............................................................................ 57 3.15 Ethnic Minorities and Internally Displaced Peoples .................................................................... 58 3.15.1 Azeri .................................................................................................................................... 58 3.15.2 Abkhazia .............................................................................................................................. 59 3.15.3 Ajara .................................................................................................................................... 59 3.15.4 South Ossetia ...................................................................................................................... 60 3.16 Internally Displaced Peoples ....................................................................................................... 60 3.17 Archaeological and Cultural Heritage ......................................................................................... 61 4 Environmental and Social Risk Assessment ............................................................................. 63 4.1 Assumptions Underpinning the Development of the Environmental and Social Assessment Report 63 4.2 UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Policy Requirements ............................................. 63 4.3 Impact Assessment Methodology ............................................................................................... 63 4.4 Direct Impacts ............................................................................................................................. 65 4.5 Indirect Impacts ..........................................................................................................................