Environmental assessment and review in Sub-Saharan Africa
Mercier, Jean-Roger
The study examines the environmental assessment (EA) review procedure in Sub-Saharan Africa, whose progress have been significant. Borrowers have accepted the Bank's operational directives and procedures, and most countries have some kind of environmental legislation, in spite of weak human, and technical resources. Nonetheless, coordination among donors is still far from satisfactory, and, the limited experience hinders monitoring environmental impacts in the field. This is aggravated by the lack of financial instruments, and insufficient dialogue in the field among experts, governments, and other stakeholders, including lack of decision-making tools, such as geographic information systems, required for the preparation of environmental assessments. Currently, the EA process is fully effective for a limited section of the Bank's portfolio; however, integration of EAs has not been sufficiently integrated into structural adjustment instruments, nor into strategic documents, such as Country Assistance Strategy reports. Recommendations suggest increased information among stakeholders, improved quality of EAs, and of monitoring in the field, and, a proactive promotion of an environmentally sustainable development.
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