- The Government of Egypt, through the Shore Protection Authority (SPA) and the Ministry for Water Resources and Irrigation is formulating a project for adaptation to climate change impacts “Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation through soft coastal protection in five vulnerable hotspots in the Nile Delta and through integrated coastal zone management for Egypt’s North Coast” for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
- As this project is supported by UNDP in its role as a GCF accredited Entity, the project has been screened against UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards Procedure and deemed a Moderate Risk (World Bank/International Finance Corporation Category B) project. As such, an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was required for this project.
- Environics was commissioned to prepare the project’s ESMF which aimed at protecting five vulnerable hotspots (Port Said, Damietta, Beheira, Dakahlia, and Kafr El-Sheikh) from erosion and improving the resilience of vulnerable communities to climate change impacts, as well as developing an integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) plan for the entire North Coast to manage long-term climate change risks and provide Egypt with adaptability to impending flood risks.
- Proposed alternative measures using soft structures (i.e. ecosystem-based measures) were assessed to protect the five vulnerable hotspots from coastal flooding and transform them from high risk zones to low risk zones.
- An impact risk assessment was undertaken using the UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure. Potential risks to the environment and social matters from the project were identified. Strategies for managing those risks and minimising undesirable environmental and social impacts, as well as emergency response and monitoring programs were developed for the project.
- Key environmental and social indicators were investigated. Consultations took place as part of the stakeholder engagement plan and a two tier Grievance Redress Mechanism structure was developed to address all complaints and/or grievances in the project.
- A preliminary approximate budget for ESMF implementation was also developed.