The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has prepared a draft Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). The DSU was asked by the Inclusive Green Growth (IGG) Department of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs to do an appreciation on headlines of this ESF. In its report (September 2015), the DSU analysed among others how this ESF compares to the ESFs of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The DSU concluded that the AIIB's draft ESF in general is of good quality, although some components are yet to be completed.
Review of World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (2nd draft)
The World Bank is in the process of updating its Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). The DSU had already reviewed a draft of the new ESF in January 2015. Later in 2015, the DSU - requested by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs - reviewed the second draft of this ESF (September 2015). The first objective of this review was to analyse the extent to which the recommendations in the DSU's previous advice had been followed up. This resulted in recommendations on 'remaining issues' which should be taken up in the Phase 3 consultations on the ESF. These issues were also compared to the issues suggested for the Phase 3 consultations by the World Bank's Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE).
The DSU supported the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in setting up an e-course on climate change for government staff and other interested parties. The previous version of this e-course, held in November 2014 and also supported by the DSU, was updated and redesigned. The 2015 e-course took place during three weeks in November and December. One of the DSU's contributions was a short film presentation on Environmental Assessment as a tool for incorporation of climate change issues in decisions on projects and plans. Click the link below to see the presentation.
Contributions to climate change workshop in Kampala
This year, the Inclusive Green Growth (IGG) Department of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised its second climate change workshop for embassy staff in developing countries. The workshop was held from 5 to 8 October and was attended by staff from eight embassies as well as from the Ministry in The Hague. Topics discussed include climate change and its impact in the respective countries, embassy programmes and projects on climate change including lessons for success, and engagement with the private sector. The DSU participated in this workshop and contributed among others by presenting resources that can be used to make programmes and activities more climate-smart.
Following an earlier advice on Rio Markers for private sector development programmes, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) asked the DSU to make a more detailed analysis of projects in one of these programmes. This concerns the Facility for Infrastructure Development (ORIO), which contains about 65 projects. The DSU assessed the majority of these projects to advise on Rio Marker scores for each of them, reflecting their contributions to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Moreover, the DSU's advice (November 2015) provides recommendations for projects that are still in an early phase of development, in order to make them more climate-smart.