Below, please find the non-technical summary of the ESDD carried out in Gunung Leuser.
Background
Gunung Leuser legacy landscape is a program advanced by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in partnership with the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) through Gunung Leuser National Park (Balai Besar Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser), the Natural Resource Conservation Agency (Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam, BKSDA) for Aceh and Aceh Forestry and Environment Agency. The program area comprises Gunung Leuser National Park and Forest Management Unit VI, totaling an area of 11,525 km² within the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra, Indonesia. WCS has a long-term presence in the area holding strong multi-stakeholder partnerships.
From February to September 2021, MFC Social & Environmental Performance LTD conducted environmental and social due diligence (ESDD) for Legacy Landscapes Fund (LLF) in the Gunung Leuser landscape, Indonesia. The assessment was conducted on behalf of Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) development bank. For further details on the Gunung Leuser legacy landscape (LL), supported by WCS, please consult the program page.
This ESDD Non-Technical Summary aims to present the results of the initial feasibility assessment for program development, funded by LLF, in the Leuser landscape area. It emphasizes the importance of strengthening multi-stakeholder cooperation, particularly supporting the MoEF in protecting endangered species, managing protected areas, and facilitating community empowerment around conservation areas.
Methodology
The ESDD included a standardized desktop review and remote research, followed by fieldwork conducted by Indonesian researchers, under the direction of national and international specialists. The team engaged with key stakeholders including Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP), Natural Conservation Agency of Aceh (BKSDA Aceh) and Forest Management Unit (FMU) VI authorities, partner organizations, and local community members.
Main Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts
The risks identified in the ESDD are divided into two categories: contextual risks and program-funded activity risks. The most significant contextual risks assessed were challenges related to implementing a new and robust site-specific environmental and social management system. However, since Indonesia does not recognize private parks, partners such as WCS can participate in park management through a Memorandum of Understanding. Substantial and high program related risks were related to security and social risk management, occupational health and safety, illegal land use and encroachment, economic displacement, and community development, including for Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable groups.
ESDD Categorization
Gunung Leuser LL has been classified as a category B+ (substantial risk) program based on the findings of the ESDD.
Foreseen Mitigation Measures as per ESAP
Gunung Leuser’s environmental and social action plan (ESAP) aims to continually improve management of the program’s environmental and social risks and impacts. It foresees developing an environmental and social management framework (ESMF), supported by a Memorandum of Understanding of WCS with the MoEF, and establishing a dedicated environmental and social safeguards team to supervise the ESMF development, implementation, and monitoring. The ESAP also recommends advancing an integrated occupational health and safety management and monitoring system, a pest management plan, and a community health and safety plan, as well as a security management system, all based on risk assessments. It also foresees developing and implementing a process framework to mitigate access restrictions, including advancing village activity plans and the implementation of a free prior and informed consent (FPIC) protocol. Finally, the ESAP proposes the development of a stakeholder engagement plan, including a grievance mechanism, that benefits from a multi-stakeholder committee for analysis and resolution of grievances.
For more information, please consult the following links: