Madagascar /
Project Identifiers
1. Project Number:Not yet assigned / 3. GEF Implementing Agency:
United Nations Environment Programme
2. Project Name:
Enabling Activities for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs):
National Implementation Plan for Madagascar
4. Country eligibility:
Madagascar signed the Stockholm Convention on 24 September 2001
5. Country: Madagascar
6. Name of GEF national operational focal point and date the endorsement letter (attached) was signed:
Mr. Roger Edmond, Secretary General; Ministry of Environment; B.P.571 Ampandrianomby Antananarivo 101 Madagascar; Phone: (261) 2022-41877; Fax: (261) 2022-41919; e-mail: ; (Endorsement letter signed on 19 June 2002)
Summary of Project Objectives, Activities, and Expected Outcomes
7. Project objectives:Within the overall objective of the Stockholm Convention, which is to protect human health and the environment from POPs, the project will:
i. Prepare the ground for implementation of the Convention in Madagascar;
ii. Assist Madagascar in meeting its reporting and other obligations under the Convention; and
- Strengthen Madagascar’s national capacity to manage POPs and chemicals generally.
8. Project activities:
The proposed project activities will follow the step-wise process set out in the GEF ‘Initial Guidelines for Enabling Activities for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants’. In summary, these are:
i. Determination of coordinating mechanisms and organization of process;
ii. Assessment of national infrastructure and capacity and establishment of a POPs inventory;
iii. Setting of priorities and determination of objectives;
iv. Formulation of a National Implementation Plan and specific action plans; and
- Endorsement of the National Implementation Plan by stakeholders.
9. Project duration: 2 years
10. Project expected outcomes:
i. Inventories of POPs and assessment of national capacity to implement the Stockholm Convention;
ii. National Implementation Plan, including specific action plans and strategies required under Articles 5 and 6;
11. Estimated total budget (in US$ or local currency):
US$ 524,000 (In-kind contributions of Madagascar US$ 25,000)
12. Amount being requested from the GEF (in US$ or local currency):
US$ 499,000
(In-kind contributions of: Madagascar US$ 25,000)
Information on institution submitting project brief
13. Information on the organization in Madagascar submitting the proposal:The Ministry of Environment Housing and Urbanism is one of the key agencies for the management of chemicals in general and POPs in particular. The Ministry hosts the Stockholm Convention Focal Point, as well as the focal points of other conventions relating to chemicals including the Basel and Rotterdam Conventions.
The Directorate of the Environment, which is a structure within the Ministry of Environment, is responsible for the protection of environmental quality and natural resources as well as environmental education and training. It has already conducted a preliminary inventory of PCBs that is available in UNEP. The current effort devoted to the management of chemicals is significant but coordination, human and financial resources are as yet inadequate.
14. Information on the proposed executing organization:
The Directorate of the Environment will be the lead executing organization in collaboration with a multi-stakeholder National Coordinating Committee comprising the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Mining, Energy and Trade that are in charge of chemical management and other stakeholders. The national Stockholm Convention Focal Point will also serve as the Project Coordination Unit.
15. Date the proposal was submitted to a GEF Implementing Agency:
16. Date the proposal was submitted to the GEF Secretariat:
17. Date the proposal was approved:
18. Date of first Disbursement:
Information on Implementing Agency:
19. Implementing Agency contact person:Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Director, Division of GEF Coordination, UNEP, Nairobi, tel. (254 2) 624165, fax (254 2) 624041,
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PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The proposed enabling activities are consistent with the GEF ‘Initial Guidelines for Enabling Activities for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants’ (GEF/C.17/4) approved by the GEF Council, May 2001.
This project aims at creating the infrastructure and capacity in Madagascar to fulfil national obligations under the Stockholm Convention and to prepare a National Implementation Plan (NIP) directed at improving the management of chemicals pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 19 of Agenda 21. The NIP will define the manner in which Madagascar intends to fulfil its obligations to eliminate or reduce POPs in the country.
COORDINATION ARRANGEMENTS
The Ministry of Environment, through the Stockholm Convention Focal Point, will serve as the Project Coordination Unit that will lead and coordinate project activities. By promoting information exchange among the participating institutions, the project will identify and establish relationships with previous and on-going activities relevant to chemicals management and will promote integration.
A UNEP/Swiss PCBs project is currently being launched. This project aims at catalyzing the efforts made within the framework of the Stockholm, Basle and Rotterdam Conventions to strengthen the national capacity for the sound management of PCBs and PCB-containing equipment, through the development of a national inventory, an action plan and a strategy consistent with the objectives of the Stockholm, Basel and Rotterdam Conventions. The products of this project and those of other efforts in the field of chemical management will be fully integrated into the NIP developed under this project.
The NIP will also take advantage of the lessons learned in other on-going projects to avoid duplication and redundancy of effort. Activities involving information dissemination and exchange will capitalize to the extent possible on existing information networks. The USEPA/UNEP project for the creation of a chemical information exchange network will tie in and contribute to this project.
A regional UNEP/WHO project with the participation of Madagascar, is under implementation that will demonstrate in the participating countries, ways to meet their obligations under the Stockholm Convention by progressing towards phasing-out DDT and limiting the use of toxic pesticides generally, whilst reducing malaria mortality and morbidity. Project objectives include: development and strengthening of integrated malaria control strategies; development and application of safe and cost-effective DDT alternative strategies under local conditions; assistance to countries to prevent the accumulation of DDT stockpiles for malaria control; and support to the implementation of the global Roll Back Malaria initiative in countries still depending on DDT for malaria control. Activities and outcomes of this project will be taken into account while preparing the NIP of Madagascar.
COUNTRY COUNTERPART CONTRIBUTION
To ensure effective project implementation, the Government of Madagascar agrees to:
· Collaborate in the establishment of a project National Coordination Committee (NCC) formed of senior officials of relevant government ministries, public and private institutions and universities qualified to assist in project execution;
· Cover a portion of local staffing costs;
· Provide suitable office space to project personnel; and
· Facilitate access to support staff, information and logistics needed for the execution of the project.
Relevant country background information is provided at Annex 1.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Within the overall objective of the Stockholm Convention to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of POPs, the project will:
i. Prepare the ground for implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Madagascar;
ii. Assist Madagascar in meeting its reporting and other obligations under the Convention; and
iii. Strengthen the national capacity to manage POPs and chemicals generally in an environmentally sound manner.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
i. Assessment of the national capacity to implement the Stockholm Convention;
ii. A national POPs Inventory;
iii. A National Implementation Plan required under Article 7 of the Convention and specific action plans and strategies required under Articles 5 and 6;
iv. Stakeholder commitments to the implementation of the National Implementation Plan; and
v. Strengthened POPs management infrastructure.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Activities of this project will build on achievements, results and recommendations of related projects as specified under Coordination Arrangements. Involvement of the same stakeholders in the National Coordination Committee will ensure that this project fully capitalizes on work already carried out and minimizes duplication of effort.
Activities in this project will be carried out in phased manner similar to that outlined in the GEF guidelines. These phases are described in the following sections of this proposal.
Phase 1: Determination of coordinating mechanisms and organization of process
Activities in Phase 1 of the project are specified below.
Activity 1.1. Strengthening the Directorate of Environment to effectively assume responsibilities as both the National Project Coordination Unit (PCU) and the Stockholm Convention Focal Point.
Activity 1.2. Establishment of a multi-stakeholder National Coordinating Committee (NCC) based on stakeholder analysis.
The primary stakeholders are:
· the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urbanism;
· the Ministry of Agriculture;
· the Ministry of Health;
· the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Public Work;
· the Ministry of Development;
· the Madagascar Electricity Company;
· Department of Customs
· private companies having involvement in POPs use, carriage and disposal;
· private companies involved in chemicals management;
· Faculty of Sciences (University of Antananarivo); and
· Environmental NGOs
Additional stakeholders may be represented on the NCC where appropriate both to enhance the Committee’s credibility and to ensure that project management is soundly effected. In specific instances, particular experts will also be included based on their areas of competence.
Activity 1.3. Identification and assignment of responsibilities amongst government institutions and other stakeholders for specific aspects of project management.
The participation of all involved agencies must be clearly defined by the time of the initiation workshop.
Activity 1.4. Finalization of project work plan and timetable.
This will be achieved during the project inception workshop that will also include:
· Presentation of project objectives;
· Presentation of the draft project workplan; and
· Confirmation of the National Coordination Committee and its mandate.
Activity 1.5. Initiation of a communication campaign.
Awareness raising activities will be conducted throughout the project. This will comprise awareness raising workshops to be attended by the public and include the production and distribution of information brochures and television/radio broadcasting.
Outputs of Phase 1
· Project Coordination Unit and National Coordinating Committee established;
· Stakeholders identified and their respective responsibilities defined and accepted;
· Work plan and timetable completed; and
· Awareness rising activities initiated.
Phase 2: Development of POPs Inventory and Assessment of Infrastructure and Capacity
Madagascar published its first National Profile on Chemicals Management in June 1997. This Phase of the project will include the revision/updating of the first profile, particularly the elaboration of POPs-related sections. Also in this Phase the inventory Task Team will liaise with the technical group for the UNEP/Swiss PCBs project ensure that its activities are in synergy with the NIP preparation process. In addition, Task Teams and all parties involved will ensure that activities related to stockpiles of POPS will be carried out in synergy with the African Stockpiles Programme, jointly implemented by World Bank and FAO, to the extent relevant and possible. Task Teams will be constituted to perform the work in this Phase of the project and training will be provided as necessary for the effective completion of the various tasks.
Specific activities in this Phase of the project are given below.
Activity 2.1. Elaboration of sections of the National Profile relating specifically to POPs.
Activity 2.2. Establishment of a POPs information system and database to create and maintain a reliable and up-to-date inventory.
This step will take into account the UNEP/USEPA information exchange project and integrate it fully into the envisioned database. The establishment of a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register will be considered at this stage.
Activity 2.3. Preparation of a preliminary inventory of production, distribution, use, import and export of POPs.
Activity 2.4. Preparation of a preliminary inventory of stocks, contaminated sites and products and assessment of opportunities for in-country disposal of obsolete stocks.
Activity 2.5. Preparation of a preliminary inventory of unintentional and intentional releases to the environment.
Activity 2.6. Assessment of infrastructural capacity (including analytical reference laboratories) and institutions to manage POPs including an evaluation of regulatory controls and the needs and options for strengthening them.
Activity 2.7. Assessment of enforcement capacity to ensure compliance.
Activity 2.8. Assessment of monitoring and research and development capacity.
Activity 2.9. Assessment of the social and economic implications of POPs use and reduction, including the need for the enhancement of local commercial infrastructure for distributing benign alternative technologies/products.
Activity 2.10. Identification of POPs related human health and environmental issues of concern, evaluation of basic risk assessment procedures as a basis for prioritization of further action taking into account, inter alia, potential releases to the environment and the size of exposed population. Indicative sampling and analysis of POPs in humans and environment will be conducted where necessary.
Activity 2.11. A workshop for the validation of the inventory and the assessment of national management capacities will be organized for the purposes of:
· Identifying national needs and priorities for the implementation of the Convention,
· Identifying priority topics that should be addressed by specific action plans; and
· Setting up Task Teams for the preparation of Action Plans.
Outputs of Phase 2
· National Profile sections related to POPs;
· Initial POPs inventory;
· POPs national information system and database;
· Assessment of national POPs management infrastructure; and
· Assessment of human health and environmental issues of concern.
Phase 3: Priority Setting and Definition of Objectives
This Phase will include the following specific activities.
Activity 3.1. Development of criteria for prioritization taking into account potential health, environmental and socio-economic impacts and the availability of alternative solutions.
Activity 3.2. Definition of draft national objectives in relation to priority POPs issues.
Activity 3.3. Stakeholder review of prioritization criteria and national objectives and their endorsement at a workshop.
Outputs of Phase 3
· Definition of prioritization criteria; and
· Endorsed national objectives regarding priority POPs issues.
Phase 4: Formulation of National Implementation Plan and Action Plans on Specific POPs