The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has been identified as the fiduciary agency responsible for the full implementation for the project entitled “Beirut Housing Rehabilitation and Cultural and Creative Industries Recovery Project” through funding from the Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF) that is under administration of the World Bank.

The proposed project addresses housing rehabilitation needs in the areas affected by the Beirut Port explosion, while providing immediate emergency support to affected cultural organizations and practitioners in Beirut. The project is structured around four areas including: i) the rehabilitation of severely damaged buildings that have been directly impacted by the blast and has a heritage value; ii) technical assistance for rental support; iii) support to cultural organizations and practitioners through the provision of grants for cultural production; and iv) project management and capacity building

UN-Habitat will implement tangible measures and actions so that the project is implemented in accordance with the specified Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). Part of these standards includes an Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) which sets out material measures and actions, any specific documents or plans, as well as the timing for each of these. The relevant ESSs which apply to this project are: (i) ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, (ii) ESS2: Labor and Working Conditions, (iii) ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management, (iv) ESS4 Community Health and Safety, (v) ESS8 Cultural Heritage, (vi) ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure.

UN-Habitat has prepared an Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) which sets out material measures and actions, specific documents or plans, as well as the timing for each of these. Based on the World Bank's ESSs that apply, UN-Habitat has prepared the following instruments together with the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan:

• Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)
• Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) including Labour Management Procedures (LMP)

Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)

This Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) was prepared for an activity under the first component of this project (the rehabilitation of severely damaged buildings that have been directly impacted by the blast and has a heritage value) – the rehabilitation and / or reconstruction of batch one of buildings which includes four buildings (Achrafieh 726, Rmeil 694, Rmeil 679, and Rmeil 710) in the Rmeil and Achrafieh cadasters, the latter were heavily affected by the explosion. Component 1 also aims at supporting the return of the displaced residents to the selected buildings.

The ESMP includes mitigation, monitoring, documentation and reporting, and institutional setup and capacity building plans primarily aiming at meeting the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) requirements and relevant national regulations. The ESMP is also in line with the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), and the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) developed at the onset of the project.

Download the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) here.

Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP)

UN-Habitat has been identified as the fiduciary agency responsible for the full implementation for the LFF-funded project: “Beirut Housing Rehabilitation and Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries Recovery” (the project), and will implement material measures and actions so that the project is implemented in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) of the World Bank. This Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) sets out material measures and actions, any specific documents or plans, as well as the timing for each of these.

UN-Habitat and all contracted agencies like UNESCO will also comply with the provisions of any other Environmental and Social (E&S) documents required under the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and referred to in this ESCP, such as the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) together with Labor Management Procedures (LMP), the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), and the timelines specified in those E&S documents.

Download the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) here.

Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)

Throughout the months of May and June 2021, UN-Habitat conducted several meetings (in person and virtual) involving many relevant stakeholders aiming to discuss collaboration, coordination, synergies, and complementarities. The SEP includes the summaries of the main outcomes of those meetings.

UN-Habitat has been operational in Lebanon for nearly 15 years. Throughout this period, the Country Programme has established solid collaboration frameworks with national and local authorities, subnational governments, civil society organizations, academia, and most importantly, with local communities. Based on its vast experience, UN-Habitat is proposing that project stakeholders include direct beneficiaries, public and private entities, government officials, civil society and NGOs and people directly or indirectly affected by the project. Project stakeholders can be categorized as follows:

• Project Affected Parties: persons, groups and other entities within the Project Area of Influence that will be potentially directly influenced/impacted by the project and/or have been identified as most susceptible to change associated with the project, and who need to be closely engaged in identifying impacts and their significance, as well as in decision-making on mitigation and management measures.

• Other Interested Parties: individuals/groups/entities that may not experience direct impacts from the Project but who consider or perceive their interests as being affected by the project and/or who could affect the project and the process of its implementation in some way.

• Vulnerable Groups: persons who may be disproportionately impacted or further disadvantaged by the sub-projects as compared with any other groups due to their vulnerable status, and that may require special engagement efforts to ensure their equal representation in the consultation and decision-making process associated with the sub-projects.

Download the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) here.

Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)

This Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was prepared by UN-Habitat for the Beirut Housing Rehabilitation and Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries Recovery Project (P176577).

The ESMF was prepared to meet the requirements of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), most particularly the Environmental and Social Standard on the Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts (ESS1), including the World Bank Group Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines.  It also seeks to comply with relevant Lebanese laws and regulations, and to meet UN-Habitat’s Environmental and Social Safeguards System (ESSS).

The use of a Framework is appropriate and necessary, given that the specific location and activities of each subproject will only be determined during implementation. The ESMF also includes Labor Management Procedures (LMP) to meet the requirements of ESS2

Download the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) here.

Grievance Mechanism (GM)

UN-Habitat has established a Grievance Mechanism (GM) which will ensure that stakeholders have the opportunity to provide feedback, submit inquiries and requests for information, as well as submit complaints related to the project. Anyone who is affected by or has an opinion about the project may submit feedback, make an inquiry or request or complaint related to this project.

To submit your feedback, inquiries or requests please access the forms in English or Arabic through the below links.