C. Kelly, REA Project and David Stone, FRAME Project

Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment Project

C. Kelly, REA Project

and

David Stone, FRAME Project

Environmental Impact Analysis and Shelter Activities


Objectives• Briefly discuss 3 tools available to analyze

the environmental impacts of shelter activities.

• Raise moral and ethical obligations, policy and best practice with respect to the environment and shelter activities.

• Identity gaps and needs for additional training and tools for disaster EIAs focusing on shelter.


The Problem• Environmental conditions can contribute to

disasters.• Disasters can result in negative environmental

impacts.• Relief aid can have positive or negative

environmental impact.• Failing to corporate environmental impact

assessment into shelter activities can result in “building back worse”, with increased hardship and risk to the disaster survivors.


Key Origins Post-Disaster Shelter Environmental Impacts

• Rapid and significant replacement of resources lost in a disaster. Replacement of resources accumulated over 20-30 years in 2-3 years.

• Minimal reuse/recycling in the project approach.

• Changes in land use and occupation patterns: Transitional and Permanent Shelter.


Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment in Disasters (REA)

Components

Four “Tools”:

1. Organization Level Assessment

2. Community Level Assessment

3. Consolidation and Analysis

4. Green Emergency Procurement Checklist


The Environmental Impact Review of Shelter Checklist

• Developed after Tsunami in Sri Lanka.• Designed to Sphere and other good

practices.• Recognizes post disaster shelter is an

incremental process.• Balance between detail and speed.• Voluntary compliance.• Non-specialist user.


• Built around the shelter life cycle. • Four forms: Site Selection, Construction,

Management, Decommissioning. • Completed

– As a review of plans before construction to identify need for changes

– As a review of existing sites to identify need for “upgrades”

• 20 – 30 min. to do full set, plus time for walk around site.

The Checklist Forms


Question Answer Guidance Sources of Information

Has the community near or surrounding the site been consulted about the site selection?

Consultation is an important way to avoid or limit conflict over the location of a shelter site. This conflict often revolves around access or control over natural resources.

Yes – No

If the answer is No:

Communities near the site should be involved in the site selection process.

ALNAP Global Study: Participation by Affected Populations in Humanitarian Action: Practitioner Handbook (draft) especially Chapter 10 (http://www.alnap.org/gs_handbook/gs_handbook.htm).

The Format and Process

http://www.alnap.org/gs_handbook/gs_handbook.htm





REA and Shelter Checklist Available at

http://www.benfieldhrc.org/SiteRoot/disaster_studies/rea/rea_index.htm

Or just Google: Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment

http://www.benfieldhrc.org/SiteRoot/disaster_studies/rea/rea_index.htm

SHELTER, OUTSIDE THE BOX

RELEVANT WHEN?

Contingency planning Site selection Site planning Site management Decommissioning The return process

CONSIDER

Physical site assessment (EA/REA)

Needs assessments Resources needed and

available - procurement Options available Governance and tenure Inter-agency co-ordination

Most damage to natural resources and ecosystem services probably happens during the early phases of site planning and establishment.

“Providing” shelter is often one of the starting points of this damage.

Livelihood prospects and opportunities are affected throughout, with a shift to hosting and receiving communities when camps close.

SOME SHELTER IMPACTS

FRAMEWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION IN REFUGEE-RELATED OPERATIONS

UNHCR CARE International

http://www.benfieldhrc.org/disaster_studies/rea/rea_unhcr_framework.htm

FRAME Project

WHY FRAME?

Recognised gaps in the tools available to address certain aspects of environmental management

Lack of tools appropriate for HCR/IPs Needed innovative and appropriate

approaches Needed something which addressed the

whole cycle of project/programme management – and which could reach across all sectors

Wanted a product that could be used by different stakeholders and capable of being adapted for different situations

AUDIENCE

Specialist consultants UNHCR’s Implementing Partners UNHCR Environmental Co-ordinators or Focal Points Camp and settlement managers UNHCR management Government authorities Representatives from refugee and host communities, e.g.

Environmental Committees

Some Modules will be more appropriate to specific users

PROCESS ADOPTED

Expert consultation – drafting Field applications (Guinea & Uganda) Field testing (Chad, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Sudan,

Thailand, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Guinea, Nepal) Training (REA + CEAP) Revisions Peer review Pilot launch

FRAME TOOLKIT

Module I Introduction Module II Environmental Assessment (EA) Module III Rapid Environmental Assessment

(REA) Module IV Community Environmental Action Plan

(CEAP) Module V Environmental Indicators Framework Module VI Geographic Information System (GIS)

Applications for Environmental Management

Module VII Evaluation

USING THE TOOLKIT Some Observations

FRAME’s tools respond to user needs - relevant Appreciation at field level – relevant and appropriate Gives managers information they can understand and

use Flexible and offers different approaches to different

situations Some users will need training and technical back-up

support On balance, if the Toolkit is used in a comprehensive

manner, it will add value

CAN THIS HELP?

Timely assessments, for example, can: Identify problems, issues and risks in a timely and

consistent manner Help develop more appropriate responses – some

traditional approaches may need to change; new social skills may need to be applied

Results easily interpreted, integrated and applied Institutional commitment and follow-up


Our Four Little Questions

1. Are the current tools adequate? 2. Are there adequate capacities to

assess and act on assessment results?

3. Are policies and funding adequate? 4. Do shelter experts have other more

important things to do that worry about the environment?

C. Kelly, REA Project and David Stone, FRAME Project

Documents

Transcript of C. Kelly, REA Project and David Stone, FRAME Project