Brazil

This is the executive summary of the main documents prepared for the Sao Paulo Metro to comply with the environmental safeguards procedures for the construction of the... Show More + Largo Treze-Chacara Klabin extension of its Line 5 subway. The extension from 'Largo Treze' station to 'Chacara Klabin' station is divided in two segments: a) the Largo Treze to Adolfo Pinheiro segment of about 636 m, including the Adolfo Pinheiro station which is expected to start operations in March 2010; and b) the Adolfo Pinheiro station to Chicara Klabin station segment, with expected start of operation in December 2012, extending 11.12 km and including 10 stations: Alto da Boa Vista, Borba Gato, Brooklin-Campo Belo, Agua Espraiada, Ibirapuera, Moema, Servidor, Vila Clementino, Santa Cruz and Chdcara Klabin and the Guido Caloi yard. The route for Line 5 was based on guidelines established by the preliminary feasibility studies and other criteria, such as: a) regional characteristics, b) demand studies, c) public transport reorganization; and, d) technical constraints. Four alternatives were developed. The recommended alternative was the one with the integration of Line 5 to Line 1 a t Santa Cruz station, and integration with Line 2 at Chacara Klabin station. This alternative allows for the distribution of high number of potential passengers between the two stations and therefore, minimizes potential overloading at one station. This route also avoids concentration of three subway lines at one single place and meets demands from Vila Clementino. This design guideline was incorporated by Metro in the line 2 extension project until Sacoma and also incorporated by the Secretary of Metropolitan Transport in the Integrated Urban Transport Plan for 2020. Show Less -

This executive summary presents information on: (i) the safeguards policies triggered by the Santos Novos Tempos Project; (ii) environmental and social safeguard-related... Show More + risks and/or impacts identified through studies and assessments; (iii) the measures to be taken to address these risks; and (iv) procedures to ensure that the policies are carried out during project implementation. Based on these analyses and finding, the project was designed to be in full compliance with the World Bank's safeguards policy. Show Less -

The objective of the Ceara Regional Economic Development Project for Brazil is to promote economic development, improve urban infrastructure, and enhance regional management... Show More + capacity in the Central Cariri Region of Ceará, which includes municipalities of Barbalha, Caririaçu, Crato, Farias Brito, Jardim, Juazeiro do Norte, Missao Velha, Nova Olinda, and Santana do Cariri. This environmental assessment / plano de gestao socio-ambiental do Cariri Central, evaluated impacts and includes recommendation and mitigation measures in areas of influence of the project, as follows : local employment generation; surface water contamination; loss of vegetation; erosion; urban public parks; municipal and state of Ceara institutional capacity; natural and storm water drainage network; urban solid waste disposal; aesthetics and landscaping; child labor and domestic violence; shoe industry workers health and working conditions; opportunities for cultural and eco-tourism; inter-institutional coordination among Federal, state and municipal agencies to promote civil society's participation; and finally, existing municipal, state and federal legislation for the protection of the environment. 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 studies and surveys that have been conducted on the island demonstrate that the local water bodies are grossly affected by different sources of pollution caused by irregular land use and human occupancy The main sources of pollution have been identified as: (i) the disposal of domestic sewage in open-air ditches; (ii) untreated sewage flowing directly into the water courses; (iii) the precarious standards of individual sewage disposal, mainly involving the use of pits; and (iv) the inexistence of systemic and overarching methods for collecting and treating wastewaters generated in the area. To mitigates these issues some of the measures consider in the following areas are as follows: (i) the recovery of the structures of the Bacanga dam and its floodgate system and the implementation of new operating rules; (ii) the establishment of infrastructure in poor areas through the provision of proper sanitation (sewerage facilities, water supply, and urban cleaning), urban drainage, flood control, local access streets, surfacing and other complementary urban civil works; (iii) the removal of people living at present in flood risk areas, involving the resettlement of households potentially affected by flood hazards, developing appropriate resettlement alternatives and finding a socially useful purpose for the previously occupied areas in order to avoid further invasions; (iv) the promotion of land tenure regularization to benefit the households remaining in the intervention areas; (v) to increase the capacity of the local municipal government in land use supervision and supervision/inspection in order to avoid new invasions and further illegal parceling of urban land; (vi) to provide training for local people at present working in the informal job market with a view to their joining the formal market, and to help them to qualify for alternative employment and income generating activities; and(vii) improvement of the competitive capacity of the local municipal government through actions targeted at institutional strengthening. Show Less -

The development objective of the Municipal (APL) - Cubatao - Guara Project for Brazil is to assist the Municipality of Cubatão in addressing key local bottlenecks constraining... Show More + sustainable growth and development, through targeted investments coupled with policies and planning capacity improvements. This environmental assessment (EA) document evaluated impacts and suggests mitigation measures in the following areas : damage to natural vegetation, erosion; land slides; loss of fauna and flora; acid rain; institutional capacity of Cubatao Municipality; institutional, social and environmental conflicts in Vila dos Pescadores; water supply and sanitation services and public lighting; lacks sufficient territory to accommodate continued urban expansion; conservation of remnant areas of the threatened Atlantic Forest and protection of the mangroves of the Santos Estuary; resettlement of project affected peoples that currently live in palafitas; project affected peoples right-of-way, safety, sanitation, social services; sites of archeological and cultural value; reclaiming areas of mangrove for environmental rehabilitation and delimitation of the Vila dos Pescadores perimeter to impede its further expansion; and finally, promote information campaigns with community members and project affected peoples (PAPs) to keep them informed of all stages of project design and implementation. Show Less -

The Alto Solimoes basic services and sustainable development project for Brazil will achieve its objectives through the implementation of five mutually-reinforcing components,... Show More + within the framework of an integrated regional development strategy which includes: (i) policy and institutional strengthening for regional and cross-sectoral development, (ii) sustainable development, (iii) water supply and sanitation, (iv) basic health care, and (v) project management. The overall environmental assessment of project components is positive in part because the project's concept focuses on sustainability. This concept: embedded in the design of the project draws on the following principles: (i) valuing culture and ethnic diversity, (ii) valuing environmental services, (iii) assuring sustainable management of natural resources, (iv) preserving protected areas and biological diversity, (v) economic growth with regional added value, (vi) raising income while improving living conditions and social participation; (vii) institutional capacity building, and (viii) applying a cross-sectoral regional development approach. Show Less -

This environmental assessment executive summary describes the general objective of the Recife Urban and Social Inclusion Project - to create the appropriate conditions... Show More + for improving the urban and socio-economic situation of people living close to the Basin of the River Capibaribe, so as to provide better quality urban spaces in the project area. The Project was classified as category "A" by the Bank in accordance with its safeguard policies, and the following safeguards were activated: a) Environmental Assessment; b) natural habitats; c) cultural property; d) resettlement; and, d) pest management. A series of measures were designed to avoid, minimize, mitigate, or compensate for adverse impacts while maximizing the positive impacts, and improving performance with respect to environmental management initiatives. It is important to emphasize that this Project comprises a group of interventions of an urban, environmental and social nature. As such, the Project is intended to improve the environmental situation in the Capibaribe basin, and help reduce the urban and social vulnerability of the population. The key initiatives covered activities focused on the implementation and recovery of three urban parks; the regulation, and restructuring and installation of the Subcommittee of the Basin of the Capibaribe River within the Recife Metropolitan Region. As a complement to the above, activities to reinforce municipal environmental management, namely with respect to municipal aspects of the environmental licensing procedures, and up-scaling environmental enforcement, are of great importance for the sustainability of the Project. Mitigation measures address mainly methods during and after construction, such as replacement of vegetation with natural species; implementation of a study program, and research for the preservation of the area known as "Acude de Apipucos"; establishment of a Park management plan; implementation of the Rio Capibaribe water quality monitoring program. Moreover, control procedures related to the use of pesticides in the Parks and green areas will be emphasized, including specific measures to avoid, or minimize damage to natural habitats. Detailed procedures for the execution of works are described in the Environmental Construction Plan. Also addressed are issues on social aspects, and resettlement issues. Show Less -

The proposed amendment would adjust the design of the Third School Improvement Project, adapting to the Government needs to improve public education in the North, Northeast... Show More + and Center-West regions of Brazil, through the financing of school rehabilitation, as well as construction of new schools. As requested by the Government, the amendment to the Loan Agreement will include a new subcomponent to support the rehabilitation and construction of schools. Consequently, the following changes will apply: a) inclusion of category of works in Schedule 1 of the Loan Agreement; 2) inclusion of National Competitive Bidding-NCB- procurement method to contract works; and, 3) reallocation of loan proceeds among categories to support this new financing. These changes are reflected in Schedule I to the Amendment, attached herewith. The core of the proposed amendment is to adjust the Project in order to ensure it will achieve its objectives. The proposed Loan amendment complies with the Articles of Agreement, and it is thus recommended for approval. Show Less -

The Belo Horizonte Urban Upgrading and Inclusion Project (BH Urban Upgrading) will increase the urban and social inclusion of low-income communities within the formal... Show More + city of Belo Horizonte in Brazil, especially the Taquari and Vila Sao Jose slums. The Environmental Assessment Report emphasizes that the Project includes a series of urban and social activities which will result in positive impacts through a reduction in population's urban and social vulnerability, together with anticipated positive impacts on the local environment. Positive impacts include: A) increased interactions between municipal departments and other entities (project planning stage); and b) improvements in environmental sanitation, infrastructure, introduction of road link, and social developments (operating stage). Negative impacts include: a) temporary construction-related impacts - increased emissions, roadway closures and the presence of heavy vehicles, strangers in neighborhoods, damage to public equipment and households, local commerce losses, deteriorating urban and scenic conditions, and reduction in water safety; and b) at the operating stage: aspects concerning drainage, social development and the taquaril road system. These impacts will be mitigated under the Environment Management Plan. Show Less -

The Brasilia Environmentally Sustainable Project's main objective is to provide support to the Government of the Federal District, in the protection of the strategic... Show More + water resources of the Brasilia metropolitan region, and, at the same time, to improve the quality of life in poor areas, and contribute towards the sustainable management of the territory. The project has been classified as Environmental Category "A." Given this classification, a full-scale environmental assessment (EA) was conducted at the Project preparation stage to identify the Project's potential environmental impacts, propose appropriate measures to mitigate any negative impacts, and enhance positive ones, as well as to develop an Environmental Management Plan that takes into account mitigation and enhancement measures, in particular, addressing the major environmental issues in the Paranoa and Descoberto watersheds. Construction of a solid waste landfill will be financed by the Project, for the provision of an appropriate solid waste disposal solution. However, the EA is being reviewed to decide which other area(s) should be assessed from an environmental standpoint, and evaluate from a technical, economic, and social perspective. The Project itself will mitigate the impacts on Critical Natural Habitat areas; specifically, it will have a highly positive impact on biodiversity and natural habitats, resulting from a) the removal, through collection and treatment, of current water pollution sources; b) the relocation of families living in environmentally sensitive areas; c) the establishment of urban parks and a buffer zone to protect the Brasilia National Park; d) rehabilitation of riparian vegetation on water courses, currently affected and degraded; and, e) the protection the Rio Descoberto Environmental Protection Area. Mitigation measures are stipulated as follows. Environmental management capacity at the institutional level will be strengthened, while a social communication program will ensure community participation, as well as compliance with the guidelines set herewith. Further mitigation entail the prevention of encroachment in the Brasilia National Park; social Assistance to the dumpsite scavengers; water quality monitoring in the Paranoa and Descoberto Basins; rehabilitation of environmentally degraded areas; monitoring the implementation of landfill works; and, environmental education dissemination. Show Less -