Brazil

The development objective of the N2O Emission Reduction Project of Brazil is to reduce emissions of N2O, a powerful greenhouse gas, which would, in the absence of the... Show More + project, have been emitted into the atmosphere contributing to the damaging effects of climate change. The N2O Emission Reduction Project is owned and operated by the French chemical company Rhodia Group and is located in Paulínia, a small municipality with eighty thousand inhabitants, situated NW of the city of Campinas. The region’s main environmental challenges are air and water quality degradation, caused by urban sanitation deficiencies, transportation related emissions and industrial activities. The region is densely populated, but its air quality levels are generally in compliance with Brazilian standards. An auditing firm has been hired to assess the environmental and social compliance of the Angela Project with World Bank Group safeguards standards. The audit confirmed the compliance of the Angela Project with the requirements established by the local environmental authorities. The process of environmental licensing revision verified that the plant where the Angela Project (adipic acid) is located complies with the necessary legal requirements. With respect to the industrial complex where the Angela Project is located, environmental compliance has also been confirmed with the local authorities. Regarding the licensing of the other units that are part of the Rhodia complex concerns, only one comment on the renewal of industrial licensing of an area for silica stockpiling was reported. In sum, there were no significant technical or legal issues identified by the auditors that could jeopardize the environmental, social or legal compliance of the Angela Project according to the World Bank safeguards standards. Show Less -

The Brazil - Global Environment Facility (GEF) Sustainable Transport and Air Quality Project aims at achieving a reduction of GHG emissions growth rates through int... Show More + erventions in sustainable, more efficient modes of transport. To this end, the Project will support studies and pilot interventions to: (a) regulate freight transport , (b) integrate urban land-use and transport planning; (c) induce sustainable transport policies, and programs in Brazilian cities that contribute to a long-term increase in patronage of more efficient modes of transport; (d) target research for environmental assessment (both local and global) of transport and land-use measures; (e) pursue political dialogue engaging different actors dealing with transport, land-use, and environment matters at all levels of government; (f) foster a national and regional common approach to sustainable transport, articulating land-use planning, and air quality policies; and (g) create a network of Latin American cities to allow sharing of experiences, enhance the analytical tools available at the institutional level, and make them available to all interested cities. The Project is expected to have positive environmental impacts in the long-run, since it aims at improving the quality of public transport and non-motorized transport systems and improve traffic management. The implementation of these activities, as well as subsequently influenced initiatives, will ensure that the Project will have positive environmental impact in the long-run, improving the quality of public transport and non-motorized transport systems and improving traffic management, reducing global and local emissions. Based on the initial environmental and social assessment it is not expected that any Bank safeguard policies will be triggered; however, participating cities must confirm this initial finding by completing the instructions of the steps of a six step process. Show Less -

The development objective of the Pernambuco Sustainable Water Project (PSH-PE) is to improve sustainable water supply and sanitation services in the Capibaribe river... Show More + basin and in the Metropolitan Region of Recife (MRR), both in appropriate quality and quantity. The project will support the Government of Pernambuco goal of achieving sustainable economic growth and social development, for which a reliable and efficient management of water resources, adequate irrigation, water supply and sanitation services provision are critical. This report focuses on two points: (i) the social and environmental assessment of counterpart works currently in execution; and (ii) the development of a framework for environmental and social management, including the environmental assessment of subproject typologies and the setting of criteria and procedures for the environmental assessment of subprojects in the project implementation phase. The PSH-PE is an initiative that is closely linked to environmental recuperation and to improving the quality of life of the population of the Capibaribe watershed. Therefore, it is a set of actions and measures that aim to mitigate, minimize or compensate the existing socio-economic impacts, as well as to avoid new critical or negative situations, capable of jeopardizing the sustainability of this environmentally sensitive region. There are no relevant negative effects identified as the consequence of implementing this project at the regional level. The main negative impacts refer to the local level, deriving mostly from actions related to the execution of the works and that can be mitigated through the adoption of appropriate project design and execution criteria and procedures. Negative impacts are localized, transitory and of reduced relevance, deriving mostly from activities related to the works. The mitigation of such impacts comprise, mostly, of appropriate care during the execution of the works, involving good engineering practices. During the operation stage of the interventions, most impacts are positive, relevant and permanent. It features a strong positive environmental bias by trying to reduce the consumption of treated water, either by reducing losses and/or promoting its rational use, thus reducing the volume to be adducted and making water available for other uses. Show Less -

The main goal of the Ceara Integrated Water Resource Management Project (PROGERIRH) for Brazil is to meet the demand for the drinking water supply system and secondly,... Show More + to promote development of irrigation and fisheries and the protection of aquatic communities and settlement. The development of irrigation is to be coupled with an integrated plan for the use of the reservoir. It will increase a sustainable water supply for multiple uses, and improve the efficiency of the state of Ceara's integrated water resources management system, thus decreasing the vulnerability of poor populations to cyclical drought. It will further promote soil and vegetation management in tributary watersheds, to enhance water conservation, in turn, minimizing erosion. Natural water storage mechanisms will be maximized, through adequate management of critical micro-basins, and groundwater resources. Moreover, it will promote the improvement of land use through the appropriate management of micro-basins. The project is apt to undergo some negative environmental impacts, but there are also several measures to mitigate them. The most severe of these impacts are: 1) loss of natural habitats; 2) ecological impact of reservoir water releases on fresh water stream flows over coastal estuaries and their vegetation, fishes, and other species; 3) increasing salinity of the reservoirs; 4) inter-basin infestation of unwanted and harmful fish species; and 5) water-borne diseases. Show Less -

The objective of the Acre Social and Economic Inclusion Project for Brazil is to promote social and economic inclusion of priority communities in Acre through increased... Show More + access to basic public health and education services and the sustainable development of isolated communities. Negative measures include: erosion, effects on biodiversity, medical waste from mobile health units, forests fires, soil and ground water contamination by inadequate waste management, and deforestation. To strengthen and ensure the beneficial effects of interventions, the project will carry out actions dealing with social communication, community participation, environmental and health education, and recuperation of degraded areas. Mitigation measures include: (a) adequate technical assistance should reduce deforestation for crops or cattle and enhance efficiency in soil and water use and the sustainable use of natural resources; (b) education should increase the awareness on the importance of environmental protection and benefits from sustainable production activities; and (c) institutional strengthening of government agencies involved in environmental management should improve environmental monitoring and enforcement and institutional capacity to streamline the development and approval of forests management plans. Show Less -

The Second National Environmental Project for Brazil will be aimed directly or indirectly at improving environmental quality and the conservation and sustainable use... Show More + of natural resources. Negative impacts include: threatening rare/endangered species or their habitats; causing damage or degradation to a large area; increasing the risk of diseases (such as schistosomosis); and destabilizing an ecosystem, etc. The Environmental Management Plan consists of a series of institutional, mitigation, and monitoring measurements to be taken during project implementation to avoid adverse environmental and social impacts, compensate for them, or reduce them to acceptable levels. The following mitigation measures will be implemented: identify feasible, cost-effective measures that can reduce potentially adverse, significant environmental impacts to acceptable levels. It may also include compensatory measures if mitigation measures are not feasible, cost-effective, or sufficient; monitoring: provides information on the project's environmental impacts and the effectiveness of mitigation measures; Institutional capacity: provides a specific description of the institutional arrangements responsible for the conduction and monitoring of mitigation measures; and Implementation timetable and cost estimates: provide a physical-financial timetable for the other three aspects (mitigation, monitoring, and institutional development) that are components of the management plan. Show Less -

The objective of the Sao Luis Enhancing Municipal Governance and Quality of Life Project is to improve public service in the Bacanga Basin of Sao Luis Municipality,... Show More + and enhance the capacity of the city government in promoting local economic development and municipal management. The targeted project area of the Bacanga Basin includes eight communities (barrios) : Via Embratel, Campo UFMA, Sa Viana, Pindorama, Joao Paulo, Filipinho, Coroadinho, and Sacavem. This regional environmental assessment (REA) (avaliacao ambiental regional) document evaluated environmental risks associated with the project, and recommends measures to mitigation them. In this regard mitigation measures include : minimize the effects of civil works undertaken in environmentally fragile areas; respect the restrictions defined in the environmental and urban macro-zoning rules established by the local municipal government; avoid interfering with area declared by the National Institute for the Protection of Historic and Archeological Sites (IPHAN) as important to the national heritage; minimize the quality and quantity impacts to surface and underground water; adopt solutions to minimize environmental impacts arising from civil works, such as earth moving, erosion, run-off of solids and silting-up water bodies, dust and noise; adopt solutions to reduce to a minimum the generation of liquid, solid and gaseous waste, risk of overflow, and energy consumption; follow restrictions arising from the operational conditions of the Barcanga Dam; alert the fishing community regarding the dangers of Cadmium contamination; improve public health in the Bacanga Lake region by implementing a wastewater collection and treatment system; design and implement efficient measures to ensure the safety of pedestrian and cyclists, and ensure workmen use protective equipment; and finally, reduce to a minimum the need to relocate residents on account of the disruption caused by civil works. Show Less -

The family health extension project for Brazil will construct new but small-scale ambulatory units in low-income neighborhoods of large urban cities. Building area will... Show More + range from 100 to 300 Show Less -

The overall objective Alto Solimoes Basic Services and Sustainable Development Project is to improve the economic and social conditions based on the sustainable use... Show More + of natural resources in the interior of State of Amazonas with a special focus in the Alto Solimões Region. Primary objectives include: a) raising income, b) increasing access to potable water and basic sanitation; and c) improving health outcomes of targeted populations. This Executive Summary summarizes the finding of the environmental assessment report (EAR). The EAR analyzed potential environmental impacts of the interventions to be supported by the project. Overall, expected project impact are positive and beneficial for the environment, project activities has been designed to promote sustainable use of the natural resources and to improve health and sanitary conditions of the population in the area of influence of the project. Some of the mitigation measures include : impacts from civil works will be minimized by adopting preventive measures and best-practice construction techniques; ensure respect for culture and ethnic values of the project affected peoples (PAPs); support the State Government efforts for building institutional capacity and introduction of organizational arrangement to support planning, implementation, management and monitoring of economic and social activities in the impoverished of Alto Solimoes Region; guarantee that project benefits are culturally appropriate to PAPs and that their quality of life will be improved if not restored to pre-project standards; promote preservation of protected areas and biological diversity; recommend availability of sanitation facilities for construction workers to prevent water and sanitation related health problems; and finally, applicability of the environmental requirements of the State of Amazonas : water policy, forest policy, pollution control board, council for protection of the environment, land acquisition act; public works department regulations; Brazilian laws and institutional framework and environmental policy requirements, and the international conventions relatives to the protection of the environment of which Brazil is a signatory, and the Bank's operational safeguard directives on the environment, natural habitats, forestry, pest management, involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples and cultural property. Show Less -

For the Brazil - Federal Water Resources Management Project, Phase 2, environmental management plan the expected overall project impacts would be similar to those of... Show More + the original PROAGUA (Loan 4310-BR), and are addressed in this Environmental Management Plan (EA) which evaluated environmental and social impact as follows : natural habitats; cultural property; consideration of eventual impacts of sub-projects upon indigenous people and the development of measures capable of assuring benefits that are compatible with their culture; sanitary sewage systems in small communities; safety of dams; involuntary resettlement; cumulative impacts; waterborne diseases. As a result of this assessment the EA addresses the following mitigation measures : implementation of sanitary sewage systems; environmental analysis of the works proposed; institutional strengthening plan for the water resources sector within PROAGUA's participant states; prepare manuals for construction of dams and operation of reservoirs, and for the construction of water supply systems; development compensatory measures, such as: anthropological research; land ownership and demarcation; definition of basic needs, such as health, education, sanitation and transportation, production, etc that may affect indigenous land or populations; develop a program for the monitoring and control of endemic areas for Schistosomiasis; organize outreach and public information campaigns on environmental and health education, and community participation; include mitigation measures monitoring plan in the administration, operation and maintenance plan (PAOM) for each sub-project; insert into all relevant bidding documents, clear references to PROAGUA's environmental guidelines for contractors and to the need for bidders to follow them; and finally, ensure mandatory supervision, by the Ministry of Integration, of the implementation status of all environmental mitigation measures. Show Less -