The document presents guidelines for an "on-board" approach to evaluating environmental commitments and programs. It discusses 6 challenges for environmental evaluation, including focusing on clear environmental goals over consensus and assessing program relevance to key ecosystem issues. It proposes a 3-phase evaluation approach: 1) deconstructing management discourse, 2) reconstructing clear criteria and benchmarks, 3) assessing programs against environmental priorities. This is illustrated through evaluating a Senegal river management program against criteria like maintaining wetlands and biodiversity.

1. Delivering on environmental
commitments?
Guidelines and Evaluation
framework for
an “on-board” approach
 Maya Leroy, AgroParisTech/MRM – CSFD
Laurent Mermet, AgroParisTech/CERSES
Maya LEROY- UNCCD Scientific Conference- CSFD avril 2012

2. Plan
 In what field of environmental assessment do we
stand ?
 Six challenges for the evaluation
 An « on-board » approach illustrated by
evaluation of an environmental management
program in the Senegal valley
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3. Environmental evaluation of policies,
programs and projects
 Assessment do not deal just with facts, but with
objectives, preferences, and value judgements
 Limits of “integrated approaches to assessment”
(Scrase & Sheate, 2002)
⇒ Strategic approaches
⇒ concern-focused evaluation (Mermet,
Billé, Leroy, 2010)
⇒ Focus on the effectiveness of environmental
actions
⇒ during implementation phase
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4. Six challenges for the evaluation
(1) Goals and commitments : Refusing consensus as a
sinequanone condition : environmental goals do not receive
the wide support of all stakeholders
(2) Policies, programs , projects.. : Start from clear
environmental commitments before any given program :
focus evaluation on the environmental problem, not on one
given program
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5. Six challenges for the evaluation
(3) Databases and criteria : Aiming at sufficient proof
rather than an unachievable dataset : exhaustive data is
often not necessary
(4) Firmly link environmental commitments to
ecological criteria : decisive “hard issues” that will
make an essential difference for the environmental bottom-
line
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6. Six challenges for the evaluation
(5) Assessing the relevance of programs, goals
and outcomes to crucial ecosystems issues :
focus on the few programs that are the most relevant
(6) Embedding management systems and
evaluation tools into concrete situations : do
not isolate administrative and technical environmental
management systems from the political scene and
environmental commitments
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7. An « on-board » approach
illustrated by evaluation of an environmental
management program in the Senegal valley
A relative evaluation.
It defines the “variations”, that is to say, the trends, and not
the “state” of the ecosystem, in terms of
- slowing down,
- stabilisation,
- or acceleration of damaging processes .
The programs, projects, plans to be evaluated can therefore
be positioned within a framework of which the evaluative
reference points are the major environmental issues
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8. An « on-board » approach
illustrated by evaluation of an environmental
management program in the Senegal valley
Three phases:
1. a deconstruction phase , to go beyond the façade of
bland, apparently consensual environmental management
that is usually presented to the evaluator,
2. a reconstruction phase , when the evaluator posits clear
criteria for his analysis and assessment,
3. an assessment phase , when he confronts realities in the
field to the environmental commitments i.e. the bottom-line
that the evaluation is based on.
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9. The deconstruction phase:
concrete situations in place of management discourse
Map of the Senegal
River Basin
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10. SCHEMA DU FLEUVE SENEGAL
PROCESSUS DOMMAGEABLES
Barrage anti-sel DIAMA
0,25 milliard m3 (1,5 IGN)
Bakoye + Baoulé (20%)
0,54 milliard m3 (2,5 IGN)
A B
Réservoir
MANANTALI
11 milliards m3
Falémé (25%)
A B C D C’ E F G H
ESTUAIRE DIAMA PERIMETRES DELTA PERIMETRES MOYENNE V LIT MANANTALI BASSIN
IRRIGUES HORS IRRIGUES HORS FLUVIAL AMONT
DELTA PERIMETRE MOYENNE V. PERIMETRE AVAL HAUT
ENDIGUEMEN S S MANANTALI FLEUVE
T
Assèchem- Blocag Perte de la Obstruction Perte de la Perte de la Erosion lit Inondation Exploitation
ent e plaine des voies de plaine plaine mineur agricole
échang d’inondation migration d’inondation d’inondation intensive et
Salinisatio
es eau Salinisation/ Salinisation Obstruction Etablisseme
n nappe et
douce/ Alcalinisation (zones des voies de nt
sol
eau exondées) migration incontrôlé
salée Oxydation
Dvlpt (zones
Hydro- inondées)
phytes
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11. The reconstruction phase:
re-defining relevance and effectiveness
 Relevance: A small number of criteria are required with
high relevance both to environmental commitments and
ecological issues.
 Effectiveness: A very simple set of relative benchmark
levels is necessary.
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12. The reconstruction phase: re-defining relevance
Environmental commitments Environmental stakes
for the Senegal river valley
Preservation of hydro-system functions 1- Release sufficient water from the Manantali
(Ramsar Convention, CBD, Agenda 21 dam to maintain an artificial flood : to allow for
art.18, Global Water Partnership and World flooding of the valley.
Water Council) 2- Limit Dyke building and other unfavourable
construction or alteration : to allow for lateral
and vertical exchanges.
Conservation of wetlands
3- Safeguard and restore wetlands in terms of
(Ramsar Convention, CBD, UNCCD)
ecological quality as well as surface area.
Conservation of biological diversity and
of threatened wild species 4- Limit degradation and disappearance of
natural resources : maintain viable populations
(CBD, Bonn Conv., Berne Conv., World of species in natural surroundings or re-
Heritage Conv., Algiers Conv., Ramsar, populate, restore habitats and control pollution.
CITES, Agenda 21 article 15)
5- Favour knowledge, innovations and practices
Wise use of ecosystems and multi-usage
which preserve, maintain, and enhance natural
management at community level
ecologic and hydraulic functioning of wetlands
(Ramsar Conv., CBD, UNCCD, Agenda 21 ecosystems.
articles 26 )
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13. And re-defining effectiveness: « On-board » environmental evaluation framework
RAPID DEGRADATION SLOW DEGRADATION STABILISATION RESTORATION
ANNUAL FLOOD Lack of artificial flooding Weak artificial flood Regular artificial flood with a Regular artificial flood of high
(flood coming only from (or more years without fair duration and volume amplitude
uncontrolled tributaries, flood than in the natural 230 000 ha flooded (or 330 000 ha flooded (or 110 000
high proportion of years hydrological pattern) 70 000 ha of flood of flood recession
without flooding) 150 000 flooded ha (or recession agriculture) agriculture)
40 000 ha of flood
recession agriculture)
LATERAL AND Acceleration of major dyke Development of dyke Termination of dyke and Termination of major dyke and
VERTICAL building and infrastructure building and river bed works limiting river bed works and
EXCHANGES works and dredging in the infrastructure works in lateral and vertical restoration of degraded
river bed with mitigation of the river bed with exchanges or equivalent areas
impacts (or development mitigation of impacts compensation
at current rate without
reduction of impacts)
WETLANDS Infrastructure works in the river Infrastructure works in the river No net loss (in surface or Termination of destructive
bed without wetlands bed with wetlands quality), termination of practices and restoration
protection protection, restoration of destructive practices or of degraded wetlands
existing protected equivalent restoration
wetland areas
BIODIVERSITY Uncontrolled use with Maintenance of certain species Maintenance of biodiversity at Preservation of functional
negative impact on the in protected areas, current levels. No net loss ecosystems and
preservation of fauna and gradual degradation of restoration of habitats,
flora and disruption of functional ecosystems regeneration of species
natural ecosystem reproductive potential.
functions
WISE USE Promoting technical and Gradual disappearance of Maintenance at current levels Support and revitalize activities
economic activities that activities based on a activities based on a based on a sustainable
do not rely on ecosystem sustainable use of sustainable use of use of ecosystem
functions and that require ecosystem functioning ecosystem functioning functioning (fisheries,
infrastructure works that (fisheries, non-intensive (fisheries, non-intensive non-intensive cattle-
hinder such functions cattle-raising, flood cattle-raising, flood raising, flood recession
recession agriculture, recession agriculture, agriculture, traditional
Maya LEROY- UNCCD Scientific Conference- CSFD
traditional forestry…) traditional forestry…) forestry…)
av

14. The assessment phase:
appraising programs against the
environmental bottom-line
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15. PASIE: Program for Environnemental Impact Mitigation and Monitoring (1997-2001)
Six-fold Program Components 1000 US$
% of total
cost
Mitigation of impacts of the Surveillance de la construction : Éviter les zones sensibles 0 (*)
power-plant project (zones humides, boisées, aires protégées), éviter pollution des
cours d’eau pendant les travaux,dépolluer si accident,..
Resettlement and Expropriation et indemnisation 4,010
compensation Recasements et Facilitation (23%)
Terre de l’Etat
Support technique et administratif
Optimisation of reservoir Optimisation de la crue 2,525
management Ressources ichtyologiques du fleuve (15%)
Ecosystème réservoir
Etude Coût/bénéfice
Appui Chartes de l’eau, Système communication et plan d’alerte
Health component Faisabilité et avant projet détaillé, projets pilotes 3,925
Réalisation projets pilotes (22%)
Etude, fluctuation des réservoirs
Plan sanitaire régional
Monitoring, coordination, Observatoire de l’environnement/ Base de données 4,010
communication Comité de pilotage (23%)
Groupe consultatif
Comités locaux et mécanisme de participation
Plan d’action environnemental et Code de l’environnement
Coordination Santé et Environnement
Cellule limnologique
Auxiliary actions Promotion électrification rurale 2,950
Projet lutte contre la pauvreté génération de revenus (17%)
Promotion développement d’autres sites hydroélectriques
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16. « On-board » environmental assessment of the PASIE
RAPID DEGRADATION SLOW DEGRADATION STABILISATION RESTORATION
ANNUAL FLOOD Lack of artificial flooding Weak artificial flood Regular artificial flood with a Regular artificial flood of high
(flood coming only from (or more years without flood fair duration and volume amplitude
uncontrolled tributaries, than in the natural 230 000 ha flooded (or 330 000 ha flooded (or 110 000
high proportion of years hydrological pattern) 70 000 ha of flood of flood recession
without flooding) 150 000 flooded ha (or recession agriculture) agriculture)
40 000 ha of flood
recession agriculture)
LATERAL AND Acceleration of major dyke Development of dyke Termination of dyke and river Termination of major dyke and
VERTICAL building and infrastructure building and infrastructure bed works limiting lateral river bed works and
EXCHANGES works and dredging in the works in the river bed with and vertical exchanges or restoration of degraded
river bed with mitigation of mitigation of impacts equivalent compensation areas
impacts (or development
at current rate without
reduction of impacts)
WETLANDS Infrastructure works in the river Infrastructure works in the river No net loss (in surface or Termination of destructive
bed without wetlands bed with wetlands quality), termination of practices and restoration
protection protection, restoration of destructive practices or of degraded wetlands
existing protected wetland equivalent restoration
areas
BIODIVERSITY Uncontrolled use with Maintenance of certain species Maintenance of biodiversity at Preservation of functional
negative impact on the in protected areas, current levels. No net loss ecosystems and
preservation of fauna and gradual degradation of restoration of habitats,
flora and disruption of functional ecosystems regeneration of species
natural ecosystem reproductive potential.
functions
WISE USE Promoting technical and Gradual disappearance of Maintenance at current levels Support and revitalize activities
economic activities that do activities based on a activities based on a based on a sustainable
not rely on ecosystem sustainable use of sustainable use of use of ecosystem
functions and that require ecosystem functioning ecosystem functioning functioning (fisheries,
infrastructure works that (fisheries, non-intensive (fisheries, non-intensive non-intensive cattle-
hinder such functions cattle-raising, flood cattle-raising, flood raising, flood recession
recession agriculture, recession agriculture, agriculture, traditional
Maya LEROY- UNCCD Scientific Conference- CSFD
traditional forestry…) traditional forestry…) forestry…)
av