Mozambique - Environmental Support Project

Report No. PIC880 Project Name Mozambique-Environmental Support Project Region Africa Sector Environment Project Task ID MZPA1782 Implementing Agency Central Agencies, Municipal and District Institutions, NGOs, and Community Groups Date Prepared March 1994 Projected Board Date June 1996 Objectives 1. The primary objectives of the Environment Support Project (ESP) are to support the implementation of the priority reforms and investments identified in the National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP). Specifically, the goals of the project are to: a) build management and technical capacity for environmental analysis and sustainable planning in sector ministries, b) support efforts to rehabilitate and reclaim degraded resources, c) promote alternative and innovative technologies and infrastructure that encourage sustainable use of resources in priority sectors, and d) build local level and community capacity for natural resource management and sustainable use. Private sector development, market mechanisms (vs. regulation), and community participation will be integral in achieving these objectives. Description 2. The components of the ESP include the following: a) a detailed review of the policy, legal, and regulatory framework governing each productive sector vis a vis environmental implications and sustainability, as part of on-the-job environmental training; b) establishment of two regional environmental management centers to support local and community capacity building and environmental education; c) pilot projects in reclamation and management of soil quality and prevention of water degradation through community participation and management; d) pilot projects to test alternative/clean technologies and project designs in priority development initiatives (in energy, agriculture extension, road construction, wildlife farming, etc.); e) pilot projects promoting economic development of communities by developing avenues for sustainable resource use and through support for local markets. In all of these components, the ESP would focus on local resources and labor. These components are intended to complement, not substitute, the on- going or planned environmental initiatives within sector programs and projects. Implementation 3. Implementation responsibility will be shared by the National Environment Commission, the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and other  relevant technical ministries at the central and provincial levels, by municipal institutions, by NGOs active in sustainable development (e.g., Save the Children, Oxfam, Cultural Survival, IUCN), and village organizations. Costs and Financing 4. The total project cost is estimated to be US$ 20 million. Of this, US$ 15 million is expected to be financed by IDA. Cofinancing by other donors is being sought to fill the finance gap. Environmental Aspects 5. The ESP is an environmental category B project. The project is designed to have immediate and future beneficial implications for the environment in Mozambique. It will strengthen institutional capacity for environmental management and analysis, address the natural resource degradation in priority areas, and most importantly, will promote community involvement and participation in resource management. Contact Point: Public Information Center The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202)458-5454 Fax No.: (202)522-1500 Note: This is information based on an evolving project. Certain components may not necessarily be included in the final project. - 2 -