EXPERT GROUP (EG) MEETINGS & BASELINE WORKSHOPS + CONFLICT 2 ND AG MEETING FRIDAY, 13 TH JANUARY 2017
Expert Group Meetings 6 Expert Group Meetings were held during the week of December 13-16, 2016. 1) Fisheries/Aquatic Ecology, December 13 2) Biodiversity/Terrestrial Ecology, December 14 3) Social/Livelihoods, December 14 4) Hydrology and Geomorphology, December 15 5) Economics (non-hydro uses), December 16 6) Hydropower, December 16 7) Separate conflict related discussions with Oxfam, DFAT, Asia Foundation, World Bank, Ava Consulting, individuals, etc Obtained vital information and new contacts to invite into groups. Next round of EGs to be held end of March 2017
AQUATIC ECOLOGY & FISHERIES Analysis: Degree of Fragmentation (DOF) analysis will used for aquatic ecosystems and focus on migratory species Universities: Hpa An and Mawlamyine University for research on freshwater and aquatic biodiversity for the Thanlwin River Linking with State of Basins Assessment (SOBA): WorldFish and FFI will soon be implementing a Fisheries/Biodiversity study of the Ayeyarwady in 2017 Fish conservation zones: FFI have carried out fish surveys for important and endemic species and in the Upper Ayeyarwady and Chindwin Aquaculture production: The trends in aquaculture production and the potential to use of reservoirs for aquaculture could be explored as an opportunity in the SEA ESIAs for hydropower projects: Obtain data of fisheries, biodiversity, water quality, sediment and hydrology from existing ESIAs Governance Assess the legal and institutional framework for fisheries and aquaculture production 3
BIODIVERSITY AND TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY Biodiversity conservation: Focus has been on large mammals, birds and managing forested areas,there is limited understanding of river basins and aquatic ecosystems. Elephants: Tributary projects may cause displacement of elephants. MONREC are developing a survey-based National Elephant Map for domestic and wild populations. National Ecosystem Mapping: WCS is working on National Ecosystem Services and establishing a World Heritage Site in Kachin State and extending this protected area by 3,000km 2 Community based conservation projects: Surveys and research on red-list species of turtles, sandbank nesting birds and dolphins are conducted by WCS and local government Tanintharyi: FFI and WWF conducting biodiversity surveys and land-use mapping Associated facilities: The distribution network, transmission lines and roads associated with hydropower development needs to be considered 4
ECONOMIC & RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT Macroeconomic impacts: The Economist will analyse the macroeconomic implications of hydropower development in Myanmar Productive sectors: The SEA will primarily focus on strategic issues and impacts of hydropower on the productive sectors: fisheries, agriculture, mining, forestry, navigation. The analysis will not include SMEs Distributional impacts: work closely with the Social/Livelihoods experts to determine the distributional impacts of hydropower on poverty and livelihoods Limited Timeframe: The SEA is a 12-month project that will focus on strategic issues, relying on secondary data and linking with ongoing activities e.g. SOBA, Power Sector Planning, Tariff studies Renewable energy: several investments and studies considering wind, solar and mini hydropower projects and off-grid electricity to inform energy planning and rural electrification. 5
GEOMORPHOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY Activity 1 of the Australian Water Partnership (AWP): To support the SOBA the AWP are carrying out a hydrological data audit of the Ayeyarwady basin, including digitising existing data. Linkages with SOBA Package 3 (Sediment/Geomorphology): The SEA will draw on the information compiled on sediment and geomorphology for the Ayeyarwady Limited Hydrological data for the Thalnwin River: Only two gauging stations on the Thalnwin River, IWMI can will provide information on the SWAT model for the Thalnwin. Contact hydropower companies for flow data. Sediment budget: consider estimating the sediment budget for the major river basins in Myanmar, including the quality and type of sediment Geology layer: IWMI is also developing a geology layer to inform sources of sediment in the Ayeyarwady basin Lower Yeywa or Balachaung Cascade: may be used as a case study in the SEA to highlight existing and planned hydropower development 6
HYDROPOWER & ENERGY Hydropower project (HPP) database: Consultation with MOEE, MONREC and ministries to update the HPP database and understand the project approval process Small-scale hydropower: The scope is projects greater than 10MW, this was selected as this is when the impacts of HPP could become significant at a basin level Contested areas: the locations of planned HPP are in contested areas and control of natural resources is a critical governance issue National grid: The absorptive capacity of the national grid and location of HPPs in relation to high voltage transmission networks should be included Tariffs: The tariffs negotiated for HPP will be examined by the Economist, World Bank have commenced a study on tariffs in relation to HPP Power sector planning: Engage with JICA on the Master Planning, the preliminary results of modelling demand forecasts will be available in March 2017 7
SOCIAL & LIVELIHOODS Community based (CB) strategic environmental assessment (SEA): Consult with the Renewable Energy Association of Myanmar (REAM) who carried out a community based SEA on hydropower. Upper Thalnwin people living within 5km of the river: Important to consider the use of the river by people living in the Upper Thalnwin, due to the steep valleys and escarpments people have difficulty accessing the river Census 2014 data at the village level: Difficulty obtaining the Census 2014 data at the village or village tract level 8
CONFLICT Spatial analysis at the township level: Location of ethnic armed groups (EAGs) Contested areas and regional autonomous areas Conflict events IDP camps Conflict will be presented as a separate layer and additional risk criteria will be developed for the categorisation of HPP in contested areas Plan to engage with EAGs in April/May 2017 International Conflict Advisor: engaging with armed groups and strategic advice on conflict in relation to the SEA Myanmar Conflict Advisor (s): assist in stakeholder engagement and research for a case study
SEA Baseline Assessment Workshops 2 ND AG MEETING FRIDAY, 13 TH JANUARY 2017
BASELINE ASSESSMENT WORKSHOPS The team will conduct three multi-stakeholder baseline assessment workshops in January and February 2017: 1. National Multi-Stakeholder Workshop: Friday, 27 January, 2017 in Yangon 2. Ayeyarwady-Chindwin Multi-Stakeholder Workshop: Tuesday, 31 January, 2017 in Myitkyina, Kachin State 3. Thalnwin Multi-Stakeholder Workshop: Friday, February 3, 2017 in Loikaw, Kayah State The national workshop will cover all the major river basins in Myanmar and include participation of Union level government representatives. The Ayeyarwady and Thalnwin workshops will focus on identifying key issues and opportunities facing river basin development at the basin and include participation of subnational government.
OBJECTIVES Share findings from regional river basin consultations and other stakeholder engagement activities Present the initial spatial and trend analysis under each of the strategic themes for the SEA Identify key issues and opportunities in river basin development in the major river basins in Myanmar Set priorities for the key issues and opportunities.
IFC ONLINE REGISTRATION
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT MAP Cover al states/regions affected by existing and future hydropower development
SITE VISIT TO BALACHAUNG 1, 2 & 3 HPP The SEA team plans to separate into two groups: 1. Social/livelihoods: consultation with one or two villages affected by the Balachaung projects 2. Hydropower: site visit to collect project-specific data for Balachuang projects and consult with hydropower company on technical issues The consultations with one or two villages affected by the Balachaung projects will involve surveys and participatory approaches to identify changes in water resources, fisheries, land-use and livelihoods. The site visit to the Balachaung projects will allow the SEA team to update the HPP database and highlight any technical issues