SEA for the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy

Ineke SteinhauerThe Netherlands EIA

Commission2004 PEP Berlin

The Commission for EIA Was invited by Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) in Ghana and the Royal Netherlands Embassy

To draft ToR for the SEA for the GPRS, to monitor and coach the undertaking of the SEA and to perform a final review of the SEA.

Several documents have been released by the Commission: www.eia.nl

Objective of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) Overall framework for Ghana economic policy and

development assistance to Ghana

Policies in 5 priority sectors for poverty alleviation: ‘macro-economy’, ‘production and gainful employment’, ‘human resource development and basic services’, ‘special programmes for the vulnerable and excluded’ and ‘governance’

Main basis for implementation of policies in sectors and district levels

Why SEA The initial draft of the GPRS (2003-2005) was

criticised because environment was not treated as a ‘cross-cutting issue’

Therefore environmental consequences of policy interventions were not sufficiently assessed

The Ghanaian government decided to undertake SEA

Purpose of SEA

1. Identification of environmental issues, risks and opportunities of the existing GPRS 2003 - 2005

2. Identification of ‘win-win-options’ for environment and poverty alleviation and a list of ‘do’s and dont’s’ to be included in the new GPRS 2006-2008

3. Assessment of compliance of District Plans with GPRS 2003 – 2005, as main mechanism for practical implementation of GPRS objectives

Management of the SEAThe SEA team: 6 members:

3 from Environmental Protection Agency 3 from National Development Planning

Commission

Support: 1 Ghanaian consultant 1 UK consultant Netherlands EIA Commission

Steering Committee

Management of the SEA

SEA team carried out SEA

All (27) Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved

Involvement of (108 out of 110) districts

Funded by Netherlands Embassy

Decision making process & SEA

GPRS 2003 – 2005 already developed

SEA to influence the GPRS 2006 – 2008

SEA finalised at start of development of new GPRS

SEA methodology for GPRS

Assessment of all policies in GPRS 2003: Consistency analysis:

Between objectives of agencies within a Ministry Between objectives of Ministries

Poverty/environmental appraisal: Checklist Expert judgement by SEA team 3 point scale Reviewed by Ministry experts

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRSAspects:

Livelihood of the poor Health of the poor Vulnerability of the poor Institutional support Natural resources Social cultural aspects Local economy

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRSIndicators per aspect

Livelihood of the poor: Access to water Access to land Access to timber resources Access to wild life Access to non timber forest products

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS

Health of the poor Water quantity and quality Sanitation Air quality Medicinal plants

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS

Vulnerability of the poor Drought Bush fires Floods Land degradation Crisis and Conflict Epidemics

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS

Institutional support Adherence to democratic principles Human rights Access to information

Natural resources Protected areas Raw materials Pollution Energy

Poverty-environmental appraisal GPRS Social cultural:

Local communities protected Women empowered Equity

Local economy: Encourages growth Uses local goods and services Promotes local investment

Alternatives

For the most risky policies, the SEA team formulated alternative options

Options were discussed with appropriate ministries

Result: per ministry recommendations endorsed by both SEA team & ministry in ‘advisory notes’

Comparison of alternatives not documented in SEA

Public participation GPRS SEA: January 2003 – August 2004

October 2003: NGOs participated in national workshop to assess policies in the GPRS

February 2004: NGO workshop on review of first draft SEA report

Both occasions: private industry invited, but did not show up

Presentation of final draft SEA- without picture -

SEA methodology for District Plans

Sustainability appraisal: Checklist Expert judgment: Plans assessed by District staff,

after appropriate training 6 point scale

Cost and duration of the SEA

800.000 USD

Mainly because of assessments of 108 District Plans

Duration: 1,5 years

Results of the SEA

Assessment led to clear recommendations for more sustainable new GPRS 2006-2008

SEA is input for 5 cross sectoral planning groups formulating new GPRS (ready March 2005)

In each planning group a member of the SEA team

Results of the SEA

Better insight in sustainability of District Plans; however, in most cases not yet recommendations for new District Plans

Many products: manuals, guidelines, checklists etc.

Training on the job

Broad awareness raising in public sector

Quality reviewConclusions independent EIA Commission

Negative

Costs not assessed Expert judgment not transparent, not

reproducible, not substantiated enough Relationship assessment and recommendations

not clear Not enough involvement of private sector No monitoring plan

Quality reviewConclusions independent EIA Commission

Positive

Broad awareness raising of environmental and social issues (all ministries; all districts)

Clear recommendations for GPRS NGOs involved Good basis for phase III: selection and in depth

analysis of selective sectoral and district SEAs Ghana ‘owned’ Good spin off

Results of the SEA: spin offIn a number of ministries:

SEA approach copied to redefine budgets, existing and new policies and make these more sustainable

New budget lines for environmental objectives

Strengthened role for EPA in ministries priority setting

Set up of environmental units

Influence on final decision

Not yet clear: new GPRS in development Some district plans improved; most pending

Optimism: Implementation of SEA recommendations

made a conditionality by donors for new funding (multi donor budget support)

How further? Phase III (2004 – 2008):

GPRS: inclusion of the recommendations in new GPRS

Sustainability of District plans improves, trough translating assessment results in new district plans and SEA pilots for districts

SEA pilot for sectors, coupled to on-the-job training in pilots (rather than general training)

Institutionalize SEA (make it independent from donors)

Update national environmental action plan as framework for new GPRS

Organise SEA experiences workshop in Africa in 2006