The Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was prepared to address all environmental and social potential adverse impacts associated with the OVFMP implementation.
The ESMF is designed to identify the full spectrum of impacts on the environment and on the public that may arise as a result of the implementation of the Project; it also provides a general option impact analysis with environmental and social criteria and an overall assessment on how to mitigate and monitor possible environmental and social effects associated with the investments in question. This document also proposes a set of basic measures aimed at mitigating adverse impacts and environmental monitoring guidelines.
For each of the three Project Components, a framework environment impact assessment was conducted. Adequate measures to mitigate and compensate for adverse impacts were proposed as well as methods for conducting environmental monitoring under each Component.
Information gathered in this document should serve as guidelines for detailed environmental analyses at subsequent stages of implementation of the Project.
The main elements of the Environmental Management Framework contain the following information:
- INTRODUCTION – BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT POLAND
This chapter contains the most important information about Poland’s natural environment, presenting data on the country’s geography, climatic conditions, and natural resources, including basic data on its demography and economy. - KEY ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
This chapter presents important, from the point of view of possible adverse impacts of the investments, information about Poland’s natural environment, including specific characteristics for each of the Project Components. Particular attention is paid to elements closely related to the types of the project investments and their locations, such as surface water, soil, protected species of plants and animals, habitats, biodiversity, and nature conservation areas, including Natura 2000 sites. - LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT
This chapter presents the most important formal and legal conditions associated with measures designed to reduce flood risk. These conditions are discussed in the context of major European policies in this respect (the so-called Water Framework Directive and the Flood Directive) and their implementation into Polish law. It also identifies relations between the flood risk reduction activities and other documents of strategic importance at the national level. - CHARACTERISTICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
This chapter contains the characteristics of the formal and legal conditions for carrying out the process of environmental impact assessment in the context of the guidelines under European and national law. The environmental impact assessment procedures are characterized at the generalized level of analysis – strategic evaluation, and at the level of individual project activities that require more detailed level of identification of environmental impacts. - PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS – DESIGN SOLUTIONS
This chapter provides information about the general and specific objectives of the Project, presenting the characteristics of the individual activities planned for implementation within the Project and the structure of the Project, including its division into individual Components and the sub-projects carried under each of them. - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
This chapter describes how potential adverse impacts generated by the various types of activities planned to be implemented within the Project are identified. - PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF MITIGATION AND COMPENSATORY MEASURES
Relevant measures to minimize and compensate for identified adverse impacts on the environment are proposed. These include various measures recommended for implementation at the stage of detailed design and / or execution of the investments. In some cases, identification of mitigation measures will only be possible at the stage of environmental assessment of the individual sub-projects. - MONITORING PLAN
A general environmental monitoring system is proposed, aimed at monitoring both the scale and significance of assumed adverse impacts and proposed mitigation measures, essential to ensure proper implementation of mitigation measures and evaluate their effectiveness. The chapter in question presents environmental parameters subject to monitoring, the rationale for monitoring, and the parties responsible for conducting such monitoring at every stage of the Project. - REPORT ON THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS
This chapter presents detailed reports on the conducted public consultation on the Environmental Management Framework.
