This Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was developed for the UNDP-supported, GEF-financed project “Promoting Carbon Reduction Through Energy Efficiency (EE) Techniques in Iraq”. The project will be implemented by the UNDP Country Office in Iraq.

This ESMF has been prepared for the submission of the UNDP project proposal to the GEF for the purposes of assisting in the assessment of the project’s potential environmental and social impacts. Preliminary analysis and screening conducted during the project development phase via UNDP’s Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) identified potential social and environmental risks associated with project activities including, in particular, establishment and retrofitting an EE Center in Baghdad and proposing EE regulations, policies and standards for the building sector. This screening resulted in the identification of nine risks, eight of which were considered “Moderate” while one was rated as “Substantial”, resulting in an overall social and environmental risk categorization of “Substantial” for the Project.

This ESMF has been developed based on this project risk categorization to specify the processes that will be undertaken by the Project Management Unit for the additional assessment of potential impacts and identification and development of appropriate risk management measures, in line with UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES; 2021).

This ESMF identifies the steps that will be followed during the inception phase of the project:

i)  Scoped strategic social and environmental assessment (SESAs) for upstream activities including  proposed legislations, National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP), Building Energy Efficiency Codes (BEEC) and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) (Activity 2.2.1);

ii) Scoped ESIA for the activity related to retrofitting of the EEC, based on which, preparing a scoped Environmental and Social Management Plan(s), for avoiding, and where avoidance is not possible, reducing, mitigating, and managing adverse impacts, which will include an Occupational Health and Safety Plan and Waste Management Plan.

This ESMF also details the roles and responsibilities for its implementation and includes a detailed budget and monitoring and evaluation plan.