The conservation of natural habitats, like other measures that protect and enhance the environment, is essential for long-term sustainable development. The Bank therefore supports the protection, preservation, and restoration of natural habitats and their functions in its economic and sector work, project financing, and policy dialogue.
The Bank supports and expects Borrowers to apply a precautionary approach to natural resource management to ensure opportunities for environmentally sustainable development. The Bank promotes and supports natural habitat conservation and improved land use by financing projects designed to integrate the conservation of natural habitats and the maintenance of ecological functions into national and regional development. Furthermore, the Bank promotes rehabilitation of degraded natural habitats. The Bank does not support projects that involve significant conversion or degradation of natural habitats.
During the preparation of the OVFMP and the selection of project activities, based on available information it was determined that the Project would have significant positive environmental impacts in terms of protecting floodplains and aquatic ecosystems. The majority of the proposed activities will be carried out outside the nature protection areas, particularly for Components 1 and 3. However, in some cases the activities will be implemented partly or completely within special nature conservation areas. For those activities, special emphasis is placed in Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) on reducing and mitigating potential negative impacts, primarily during construction.