31877 - Chuvashia 2012

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Environmental & Social Review Summary

Project Number

31877

Company Name

Chuvash Republic

Date ESRS Disclosed

Apr 26, 2012

Country

Russian Federation

Region

Europe

Last Updated Date

Jun 12, 2021

Environmental Category

B - Limited

Status

Completed

Previous Events

Approved : Jul 11, 2012
Signed : Aug 16, 2012
Invested : Sep 27, 2012

Sector

Other Training

Industry

Infrastructure

Department

Gbl Infrastructure & Natural Resources

Project Description

The proposed investment would support the implementation of the Chuvashia’s capital expenditure program in the preschool education sector 2012-2014, which includes construction and reconstruction of preschool education facilities (kindergartens) in major cities and smaller settlements. Implementation of the project will increase the coverage of children (1 to 7 years old) by quality preschool education up to 77% from current 68% in the Republic. The proposed IFC investment is a senior loan of up to RUB1.000 million (approximately US$33 million) to the Chuvash Republic.

Overview of IFC's Scope of Review

The Chuvash Republic is an existing IFC client. To date, IFC has concluded 3 transactions with Chuvash Republic (Project ID 24582, ID 25835 and ID 27786). The Environmental and Social (E&S) reviews of the earlier investments were disclosed on IFC’s Disclosure Portal. The existing investments are regularly supervised and their E&S performance has been determined to be in material compliance with at-approval agreements.

IFC’s review of this project consisted of appraising technical, environmental and social information submitted by Chuvash Republic (the client) in relation to the Project, including:
List of preschool education centers (kindergartens) to be (re)constructed in 2012-2013 with identified locations and occupant loads;
Design documentation for sample kindergartens;
The client’s response to IFC’s E&S questionnaire.

In March 2012, IFC’s E&S specialist conducted a visit to Chuvash Republic, where a number of meetings with Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Education were held to discuss E&S aspects of the Project.

Particular attention was given to comparison of local Life and Fire Safety (LFS) construction standards with World Bank Group (WBG) Environmental Health and Safety General Guideline requirements. A meeting with representatives of major Chuvash design contractors was organized to discuss local regulations and design practices. Also IFC has engaged with an independent international LFS consultant to understand principal gaps between local standards and the NFPA requirements, which are used as an example of an internationally-accepted fire safety code. These gaps should be addressed in the Project’s design.

As part of appraisal visit, the E&S specialist also visited two kindergartens - one of which is under construction in the City of Tsivilsk (240 children) and the other has been recently reconstructed and put in operation in the City of Cheboksary (210 children), to get an impression on practical implementation of local construction and operation standards.

E & S Project Categorization and Applicable Standard

While all Performance Standards are applicable to this investment, IFCs environmental and social due diligence indicates that the investment will have impacts which must be managed in a manner consistent with the following Performance Standards. If IFCs investment proceeds, IFC will periodically review the the project’s ongoing compliance with the Performance Standards

PS 1 – Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts
PS 2 - Labor and working conditions
PS 3 - Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention
PS 4 – Community Health, Safety and Security
If IFC’s investment proceeds, IFC will periodically review the the project’s ongoing compliance with the Performance Standards
New kindergartens will be located within established urban areas, and it is therefore highly unlikely that issues related to biodiversity conservation (PS6), indigenous people (PS7) or cultural heritage (PS8) will arise. The Project is also not expected to acquire land from private owners or displace people (PS5).

Environmental and Social Mitigation Measures

Site selection for construction of kindergartens is a responsibility of local municipalities. Typically, kindergartens are constructed within cities’ boundaries, on vacant municipal lands. Where there is a deficit of land, kindergartens are attached to existing schools. In rural areas there are cases when construction of kindergartens requires rezoning of agricultural land for municipal needs. Land acquisition is carried out in accordance with local regulations, including compensation of agricultural losses to the state.

Land allocation for kindergartens in the past didn’t result in physical or economic displacement of people. Land acquisition from private owners or displacement of people is also not foreseen as a consequence of the Project in future.

Environmental assessment of land plots is carried out by local administrations in accordance with local regulations, including radon surveys; evaluation of sites for potential soil and groundwater contamination; checking of previous use of the site; and presence of hazards or nuisances nearby.

Final land allocation for construction is possible only upon obtaining of positive opinion of the state regulators on design documentation, including environmental and sanitary approvals.

Public consultations for this type of development are not required by local authorities having regard for the limited potential for adverse social and environmental impacts arising from the project and general community support of kindergartens’ construction.

Management of environmental and social related issues during operation (like maintenance of utilities and fire protection systems; waste removal and disposal; regular monitoring of water and soil, food safety, children’s security and others) is a responsibility of a kindergarten’s Director. Typically, all the above activities are outsourced to third parties and controlled by state regulators.

Territorial Departments of Education, which are part of local municipalities, are providing active administrative support to kindergartens’ administrations, like centralized contracting of licensed maintenance companies and interaction with controlling authorities.

Overall, the current practice of environmental and social assessment and management is found to be commensurate with the level of Project’s risks and impacts and PS1 requirements.

As part of the Project, Ministry of Education of Chuvash Republic will be regularly collecting information on E&S performance of individual kindergartens. IFC will be notified on E&S significant incidents and planned remedial measures.

Stakeholder Engagement

For this particular Project, public consultations are not required by local authorities due to the limited potential for adverse social and environmental impacts arising from the Project.

However, local administrations are required to conduct public hearings on Master Plans of settlements to present their perspective plans for future development, including education centers. These public hearings constitute the client’s community engagement related to this particular project.

Broad Community Support

**Information on IFC's Policy and Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability can be found at www.ifc.org/sustainability

IFC supports its clients in addressing environmental and social issues arising from their business activities by requiring its real sector clients to set up and administer appropriate grievance mechanisms and/or procedures to address complaints from Affected Communities in relation to environmental and social issues arising from IFC's clients' business activities. Since 2012, IFC's Financial Intermediary clients applying the Performance Standards are required to develop External Communications Mechanisms to receive and review inquiries or complaints from any interested party regarding the E&S risks and impacts of their operations.

For IFC projects that are active or under consideration, individual(s), or their authorized representative(s), who allege they have been or will be adversely affected by E&S risks or impacts arising from IFC's clients' business activities, may submit a complaint to IFC directly for consideration. When receiving an E&S complaint, IFC engages with complainants and works with its clients to find solutions to E&S concerns as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Complaints can be submitted to IFC online at www.ifc.org/escomplaints or by email to EScomplaints@ifc.org.

IFC complaint response is separate from and complementary to IFC’s clients’ project level grievance mechanisms and IFC’s Independent Accountability Mechanism (CAO). Lodging a complaint directly with IFC does not, at any time, restrict access to CAO.

Affected communities have unrestricted access to the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), the independent accountability mechanism for IFC and MIGA. CAO facilitates the resolution of complaints related to IFC and MIGA projects and sub-projects, undertakes reviews of IFC’s and MIGA’s environmental and social compliance, fosters public accountability for their commitments, and enhances the environmental and social performance of IFC and MIGA.

Independent of IFC and MIGA management and reporting directly to the IFC and MIGA Boards of Executive Directors, CAO helps resolve issues raised about the environmental and social impacts of projects through a neutral, collaborative, problem-solving approach via its Dispute Resolution function. It also reviews IFC’s and MIGA’s compliance with environmental and social policies, assesses related harm, and recommends remedial actions through its Compliance function. Additionally, CAO provides advice to IFC, MIGA, and their Boards to enhance environmental and social sustainability performance and minimize the risk of harm.

Complaints may relate to environmental and social harm regarding any aspect of the planning, implementation, or impact of a project or sub-project, and can be made by any individual, group, community, entity, or other party affected or likely to be affected by the environmental or social impacts of an IFC- or MIGA-financed business activity.

Complaints can be submitted by any of the following methods:

Online form: available at https://www.cao-ombudsman.org/
Mail/Hand Delivery to: 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA
Voice mail: +1 202 458 1973
Email: cao@worldbankgroup.org
SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal: +1 202 650 2627

CAO receives and addresses complaints in accordance with the CAO Policy, which can be accessed at: https://www.cao-ombudsman.org/policies-guidelines.

This Environmental and Social Review Summary (ESRS) is prepared by IFC to disclose its findings and recommendations related to environmental and social considerations regarding potential investments. Its purpose is to enhance the transparency of IFC's activities. For any project documentation or data included or attached herein, whether prepared by the project sponsor or otherwise, authorization has been given for public release by the project sponsor. IFC considers that this ESRS is of adequate quality for release to the public, but has not necessarily independently verified all of the project information therein.
It is distributed in advance of IFC Board of Directors' consideration and may be periodically updated thereafter. Board dates are estimates only and this document should not be construed as presuming the outcome of the Board Directors’ decision. The following ESRS is disclosed in accordance with IFC's Access to Information Policy (AIP).

The map is for illustrative purposes and does not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the World Bank, concerning the legal status of any country or territory or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries. Country borders or names do not necessarily reflect the World Bank Group's official position. In some cases, available project location information is limited to the country of the project's activities. Locations are approximate.

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Environmental & Social Review Summary

Project Description

Overview of IFC's Scope of Review

E & S Project Categorization and Applicable Standard

Environmental and Social Mitigation Measures

Stakeholder Engagement

Broad Community Support

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Environmental & Social Review Summary

Project Description

Overview of IFC's Scope of Review

E & S Project Categorization and Applicable Standard

Identified Applicable Performance Standards

Environmental and Social Categorization and Rationale

Environmental and Social Mitigation Measures

Environmental and Social Mitigation Measures

PS 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts

PS 2: Labor and Working Conditions

PS 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention

PS 4: Community Health, Safety and Security

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