China - Implementation guidelines for poverty and environment work in southwest China

 69468 The World Bank Implementation Guidelines for Poverty and Environment Work in Southwest China Summary Report of a Research Project by WWF China June 2005  List of Acronyms AAA Analytical Activities and Assistance DFID United Kingdom Department for International Development EASES Environment and Social Unit, East Asia and Pacific region, the World Bank IGPEW Implementation Guidelines for Poverty and Environment Work LGPR Leading Group for Poverty Reduction MESD Mainstreaming Environmentally Sustainable Development PAO Poverty Alleviation Office TFESSD Trust Fund for Environmental and Socially Sustainable development WWF World Wide Fund for Nature Table of contents 1. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES 1 2. METHODOLOGY 3 3. KEY FINDINGS IN YUNNAN AND SICHUAN 4 4. OUTCOMES 12 5. DISCUSSION 15 ANNEX 1. RESEARCH TEAM AND ACTIVITY SCHEDULE 20 ANNEX 2. POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENT INDICATORS 22 ANNEX 3. AVAILABLE REPORTS 23  1 1. Background and Objectives Overview. This report is a summary of research work coordinated by WWF China in 2003- 2005 to prepare Implementation Guidelines for Poverty and Environment Work (IGPEW) in China. The research started in Yunnan Province in 2003-2004 and continued in Sichuan Province in 2004-2005. Field research was carried out in the 2 provinces. Research findings have provided a basis to produce two documents in each province: a handbook for use by government staff involved in poverty reduction work in the province, and a poverty & environment checklist for poverty reduction projects. This report describes the research activities undertaken in the 2 provinces and their findings. In addition, an English version of the implementation guidelines for poverty and environment work and of the checklist has been prepared by combining the documents produced in the 2 provinces. Policy Scope of the Research. The research relates to the Government’s on-going Village- Based Integrated Poverty Reduction Plan for Poorer Western Regions. This program is implemented under the 2000-2010 China rural poverty reduction framework. The program was designed by the Government as an improved follow-up of the 1994-2000 national 8-7 Poverty Reduction Plan. Working at administrative village level is a substantial shift compared to the previous program where funding allocation was mostly planned down to county level (although several provinces, e.g. Yunnan, or projects, had piloted a shift to provinces and villages prior to 2000). Under the new program, county and township staff, with technical support from provincial levels, have to complete 10-year development plans in each of several tens of thousands of “key poverty reduction villages