Transport and environment; a review of current policies and procedures

Although most Bank transport projects rarely create measurable disturbances to the ecological system, there are occasions when such projects can raise important environmental issues. Accordingly, the Bank decided to review the way environmental concerns have been dealt with in past transport projects with a view to recommending improvements. As a result, this report contains a brief checklist which has been prepared to help guide Bank staff in the identification of potential adverse environmental impacts; in due course this will be expanded into a set of formal guidelines. Steps to avoid, or minimize, adverse impacts are expected to concentrate on adding environmental objectives to the design brief for detailed engineering, adding or amending clauses in standard contract documents, and providing for surveillance and monitoring of long-term impacts. It is also suggested that Bank staff help to strengthen the institutions that deal with the environment in the Bank's member countries, by involving them in the project processing cycle. Finally, it has also been decided that the Transportation Department's Policy Unit would become the focal point for environmental considerations in the sector and would designate an environmental officer to assist in providing operational advice.