2-2 - WB EA guidance2-2 - WB EA guidance.doc

Guidance on Environmental Assessment 1. Environmental assessments (EAs) of Bank1 projects are carried out in a broad range of sectoral, geographical, cultural, and socio-economic contexts. Projects assessed may be large or small, concentrated at one specific site or dispersed over a large area (e.g., in the form of numerous subprojects). For these reasons EAs vary greatly in terms of the type of analysis, the types of relevant issues and impacts, and the breadth and depth of coverage. Moreover, since environmental impacts usually occur in a variety of natural and social settings and affect multiple sectors, it takes a multidisciplinary team to carry out most EAs adequately. 2. Consequently, meaningful guidance on EA—complementing the policy and procedural requirements in OP 4.01 and BP 4.01—has to cover specific sectors as well as cross-sectoral issues. It must also explain how to apply different types of EA for different types of projects and how different methods developed by different disciplines may be used in support of EA. The Bank provides such guidance to its staff and borrowers in the Environmental Assessment Sourcebook (1991) and the Environmental Assessment Sourcebook Updates issued periodically since 1993. These documents are available electronically and in hard copy from the Environment Sector Board. Timing of EA Reports 3. OP 4.01 and BP 4.01 require that EA reports for Category A projects be submitted to the Bank prior to appraisal. The Bank considers EA to be part of the information it requires to appraise a project adequately. Therefore, it allows exceptions only in very specific circumstances, such as the following: (a) Sector investment loans and financial intermediary operations: EAs for subprojects that are not known prior to the Bank’s appraisal of the project are prepared at the same time as the subprojects are prepared (see OP 4.01, paras. 9 and 11-12). However, information on the EA process for subprojects is presented prior