The Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) is one out of four documents constituting the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and ESSs’ requirements to be developed, cleared and disclosed prior to the appraisal of the project. The ESMF is governed by the Environmental Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) and connected with the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) and the Community Engagement Framework (CEF), which complement each other. The ESMF, the SEP, and the CEF guide the implementation of material measures and action outlined in the ESCP, by providing all required procedural and technical details.
The ESCP is an action plan, which defines ‘higher level’ actions and commitments by the Borrower, Government of Lao PDR (GoL), to the Financier, the World Bank (WB), to be fulfilled during the entire project duration. These four documents complement each other and ensure that all requirements of the most recent WB safeguard policy and its Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) are met, in accordance with international commitments and the regulatory framework of the Lao PDR.

Download Full Text Here (ENG Version)

The sub-project site is located within the territory of the Houay Leuk village, whereby the

distance to the Thaphabath district capital is around 7 km. The sub-project is located around

0,8 km away from the Houay Leuk village settlement. The Hat Khay village neighbors the

Houay Leuk village, and its village settlement is around 1,5 km away from the sub-project

site. The new PKK NP headquarter will be constructed within the existing compound of the

nursery of the former State Forest Enterprise No. 3. The sub-project is located within the

PKK NP buffer zone directly on the access road to Tad Xay waterfall

P170559_SS-ESMP_PKK_NP_HQ_E_V3

This village-level Environmental and Social Management Plan (VL-ESMP) for the Phadai village
located within the Northern Annamite landscape is the first one that was developed in the
context of the Lao Landscape and Livelihood Project (LLL).

The objective of this VL-ESMP is to identify potential adverse environment and social (ES) risks
and impacts of activities conducted with support from the LLL project and appropriate measures
to avoid and mitigate them. Relevant activities addressed by the VL-ESMP include for example
village and field visits by project staff, volunteers and consultants for community engagement,
land use zoning, community action planning and initial livelihood support, but also for forestry
related activities such as surveys, boundary demarcation and patrolling.

Download Full Text Here (English Version)

This standardized Environmental and Social Management Plan (S-ESMP) for the ‘Greater Phou Khao Khouay landscape’ is the first S-ESMP developed for in the context of the Lao Landscape and Livelihood Project (LLL).

The objective of this S-ESMP is to serve as an instrument to pre-identify anticipated potential adverse environment and social (ES) risks and impacts of known initial activities funded by the LLL project, and to identify appropriate and standardized tools and measures to manage and mitigate them. Initial activities addressed by this S-ESMP include for example visits by project staff, volunteers and consultants for meetings, community consultations and FPIC, forest and land use zoning and participatory action planning training, monitoring and supervision. It also addresses field activities such as biodiversity surveys and forest inventories, boundary demarcation, patrolling and law enforcement, fire control/ management, research, outreach, extension, vocational education and community engagement. ES risks and impacts that are avoided and mitigated by this S-ESMP include for example environmental pollution due to littering, illegal consumption and trade of wildlife, spreading of communicable diseases, accidents, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA).

Download Full Text Here (ENG Version)

GFLL
GOVERNANCE, FOREST LANDSCAPES AND
LIVELIHOODS – NORTHERN LAOS
Benefit Sharing Plan
(FINAL)

1. This document presents the Benefit Sharing Plan (BSP) for the implementation of the Emission Reductions (ER) Program titled Governance, Forest Landscapes and Livelihoods – Northern Laos (GFLL), implemented in the six northern provinces of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) approved by the Carbon Fund in 2018. The BSP builds on the indicative benefit sharing arrangements proposed in the Emission Reductions Program Document (ERPD), the Advance Draft BSP (May, 2020), and is a result of broad stakeholder consultation.
2. GFLL is designed as Lao PDR’s first sub-national program in the six provinces of northern Laos, providing a strategic and scalable foundation to address key drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. GFLL contributes to Lao PDR’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), with significant weight on actions to be taken in the forestry sector, which estimates the removal of 45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (mtCO2e) from forests or increased forest cover to 70% of land area (i.e., to 16.58 million ha) by 2030 as compared to 2000.6
3. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) will spearhead the GFLL Program, with central, provincial, and district level agencies sharing responsibility for implementation. The activities of communities, non-profit associations (NpAs), and the private companies in the forestry and agricultural sectors will lead to the bulk of emission reductions within the program area. These groups will in turn receive the bulk of the share of benefits.

Full Version of GFLL Benefit Sharing Plan (Final)

Financial Statements for the year ended 31-December-2020

1st Summary of Information on How Safeguards for REDD+ were addressed and respected by Lao People’s Democratic Republic for the period 2015-2018

This 1st Summary of Information on How Safeguards for REDD+ were addressed and respected in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (1st SOI of Lao PDR) has been prepared and submitted in line with Decision 17/CP.21 of the UNFCCC, the paragraph 4, and covers the period of 4 years from 2015 to 2018 to receive the results-based payment from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). In accordance with Decision 17/CP. 21 of the UNFCCC, 1st SOI of Lao PDR presents the national circumstances, description of each safeguard including how addressed and respected in the Lao PDR context, relevant systems and processes including the safeguard information system, and other information relevant to the safeguards. 1st SOI of Lao PDR also spells out the gaps and challenges for fully “addressing and respecting” Cancun Safeguards and these gaps and challenges will be filled or overcome in a step-wise approach with resources both available within the country and provided from international community including the results-based-payment from GCF. In addition, the improvements made in 2019, which is beyond the payment period, are also stated as a reference for transparency and development of 2nd SOI of Lao PDR. 1st SOI of Lao PDR has been developed in both Lao and English simultaneously under the guidance of the Safeguards Technical Working Group (SG TWG) and through the consultations at various levels in the country, comments from relevant stakeholders on its drafts, and a group of experts both national and international. The development process of 1st SOI of Lao PDR didn’t start from scratch but relies heavily on existing REDD+ related safeguards systems/frameworks at sub-national or project levels, some of which were also developed under the guidance of SG TWG and through stakeholder consultations. Therefore, it could be said that even though this is the 1st SOI of Lao PDR, Lao PDR has rich experiences in dealing with REDD+ safeguards and has been implementing them at various levels except national level.

(ENG) Full SOI Lao PDR submission

Local communities, including minority groups, to benefit from US$42 million agreement

VIENTIANE, January 27, 2021 – The Lao PDR and the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) have signed an agreement to provide up to $42 million between now and 2025 to support the country’s efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). A ceremony today marked the launch of this forest- and climate-focused program.

Under this Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA), the World Bank commits to making payments to the Lao PDR for verified reductions of up to 8.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in northern Laos. The program aims to address the drivers and underlying causes of forest loss in six provinces (Houaphanh, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Xayabouly), encompassing a third of national territory. The region has been responsible for 40 percent of nationwide deforestation and forest degradation between 2005–15.

“We are committed to improving land use, strengthening forest protection, and enhancing forest restoration in line with the 2019 Forestry Law, the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025, and the National Green Growth Strategy to 2030,” said Thongpath Vongmany, Vice Minister for Agriculture and Forestry. “This is an opportunity to drive economic growth and resilience with more sustainable rural land use based on participatory and integrated planning.”

The geography of northern Laos is distinct, with over 20 ethnic groups calling this mountainous region their home. Limited accessibility and infrastructure in these remote areas play a role in preserving cultural heritage, but also pose challenges for job opportunities, transportation, access to social services, and the promotion of industry and trade.

Working across sectors, the Lao emissions reduction program, entitled “Promoting REDD+ through Governance, Forest Landscapes and Livelihoods — Northern Laos”, supports better forest and land governance, land-use planning, livelihoods development, and sustainable ecosystem management to reduce pressure on forests. It also includes a benefit-sharing arrangement that will encourage communities and other stakeholders to participate.

“This innovative financing is part of World Bank support that helps the Lao PDR manage its landscapes for greener and more resilient economic growth and recovery,” said Nicola Pontara, World Bank Country Manager for Lao PDR. “This results-based funding will reduce emissions while benefiting people who depend on sustainable forests for their livelihoods.”

Lao PDR is the third country in Asia, after Indonesia and Vietnam, and the ninth country worldwide to sign an ERPA with the World Bank’s FCPF. The total value of these nine agreements, which have also been made with Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Mozambique, is nearly half a billion US dollars. Several other countries are expected to finalize their emission reductions programs and follow suit with ERPA signings early this year.

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and indigenous peoples’ organizations focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries — activities commonly referred to as REDD+. Launched in 2008, the FCPF has worked with 47 developing countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, along with 17 donors who have made contributions and commitments totaling $1.3 billion.

Source: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2021/01/27/lao-pdr-signs-agreement-to-protect-forests-and-reduce-carbon-emissions