China: Yantai Higher Vocational School Project

OBJECTIVE

To supply job-ready professionals by increasing the capacity of employment-oriented education infrastructure.�

DESCRIPTION

The Project will finance the construction of Phase 1 of the new campus of the Yantai Institute of Science and Technology (YIST) at Yantai, Shandong Province, China. The new campus will be used to facilitate educational activities, including the launch of new courses in the areas of engineering, computer and software, art and design, and international education. The total construction area of Phase 1 is about 276,000 m², covering five learning facilities, student accommodations, a theatre, a stadium, international exchange centers, and other related amenities.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INFORMATION

Applicable Policy and Categorization. The AIIB’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), including the Environmental and Social Standard 1 (ES Assessment and Management) and 2 (Involuntary Resettlement), and the Environmental and Social Exclusion List (ESEL), applies to the Project. Since there is no indigenous community in the Project vicinity, ESS 3 (Indigenous People) is not applicable. The Project has been classified as category B because the scale of land acquisition, transfer, and physical relocation is small, and the environmental impacts of the Project are assessed to be short-term, local, reversible, and of low significance, which can be avoided or mitigated by the implementation of good international practice.

Environmental and Social instruments: As part of Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD), an environmental and social (ES) compliance audit was performed to identify gaps in the current YIST’s ES Management System (ESMS), construction works, existing campus operations, environmental management, land acquisition, and resettlement. A corrective action plan (CAP) has been developed and reflected in the Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP). Additional ES instruments include an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), an ESMP, and a Resettlement Plan (RP) which have been prepared but implementation is yet to begin.

Environmental Aspects. The ESDD concluded that this Project is expected to have minimum impacts and risks associated with construction and operation activities. The risks and impacts during construction include, but are not limited to, contractors’ ES management, air and noise pollution, impacts on water resources, waste generation, labor and working conditions, health and safety, and increased traffic. The construction contractor has prepared mitigation measures to manage environmental impacts during the construction phase, which are currently under implementation. The risks and impacts during the operation stage include the impact on water use, solid waste, labor and working conditions, and health and safety. The ESDD has highlighted the gaps in the current ES management practices. The proposed gap filling measures included in the ESAP will be implemented, including the ESMP.

Social and Gender Aspects. The Project has acquired land for the construction of the new campus, affecting 49 households, 11 small businesses, and one state-owned company. All affected households have been compensated, while only one household physically displaced is currently in the transitional phase, as the replacement housing will be completed by December 2024. The gaps identified as part of the ESDD have been addressed through the ESAP, which includes a social impact assessment, resettlement plan, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring plan. The ESIA and RP has been prepared but implementation is yet to begin. A female management procedure has been established by the Project, which covers gender equality, security assurance, promotion, and training. The female management procedure contains a clear description of female labor rights to provide a safe and fair environment in the workplace. The ESIA will include an analysis of the potential impacts of the Project on women and recommend actions to mitigate the impacts, including the concerns related to gender-based violence (GBV). A gender action plan (GAP) will be prepared accordingly.

Occupational Health and Safety, Labor and Employment Conditions. The ESDD assessed health and safety risks to the Project workers and the Project-affected communities and suggested measures to prevent accidents, injuries, and diseases. The measures include a site-specific labor influx management plan, a workers’ camp management plan, a traffic management plan, and an occupational, health and safety plan for both construction and operational phases.

Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure. The Project has undertaken consultation with the host community and the project-affected persons (PAPs). YIST will continuously engage and consult with various stakeholders, including women, throughout the Project cycle by implementing a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) to be outlined in the Resettlement Plan. The ES instruments including ESAP will be disclosed on both the Client’s and AIIB’s websites. The printed versions in Chinese will be made available in the Project area.

Project Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). A Project-specific GRM will be established that will receive, acknowledge, evaluate, and facilitate resolutions of complaints related to the ES issues along with the proposed corrective actions. The YIST already has a functional GRM for workers, and therefore, a new GRM for workers is not required. The information of established GRM and Bank’s Project-affected People's Mechanism (PPM) will be timely disclosed in an appropriate manner.

Monitoring and Reporting Arrangements. The Project’s ES issues, including the implementation of ES instruments, will be monitored by a qualified and experienced third party. This third party will prepare a biannual E&S monitoring report for the first two years based on agreed format and annually until the final maturity date. AIIB will conduct on-site supervision missions at regular intervals.