Summary of the Request

The Request describes potential harm to the environment, historical heritage, and health of residents of a city in Argentina, due to the reorganization and rehabilitation of a local estate, which is part of the metropolitan investment actions contemplated in the Program.

Specifically, the Requesters point out that the intervention on the property contemplates the extraction of a significant number of adult trees, with the consequent loss of environmental services offered to the city, the impact on the fauna of the area and the decrease in absorption of ground water. This action of tree removal, they add, also represents a direct harm to the historical heritage due to the importance of the estate for the city.

Additionally, they point out that, during the intervention, a considerable increase in noise, gases and waste materials is expected and that these will affect hospitals, schools, and sports facilities. Likewise, they add that the rehabilitation design contemplates the opening and improvement of streets, which will represent a significant increase in traffic over the years and the fragmentation of the property. All these effects and negative impacts, they claim, would not have been correctly identified prior to the intervention in the area.

Finally, the Request also describes the lack of information available on the Program, mainly on environmental and social impact studies.

Regarding the MICI process, the Requesters opted for both Phases, the Consultation Phase and the Compliance Review Phase, if the Request is declared eligible.

Recent actions

The Second Monitoring Report verified progress in the implementation of the different components related to the agreement reached. As an example, advances in the plantation of different tree species agreed was verified, as well as progress in the consultancy to design the Administration Consortium. The next Monitoring Report is expected in November 2024.

Past actions

2022

On November 2 2022, MICI submitted, for information, the First Annual Monitoring Report to the Board of Executive Directors.

2021

On February 16, 2021, MICI notified the Requesters and Bank Management of the registration of the Request.

On March 16, 2021, after the period established for the Management Response, the Project Team requested MICI to suspend the eligibility determination process (paragraphs 21 and 23.C of the MICI Policy), to enter into contact the Requesters and make corrections to the Project. Management’s response includes an Action Plan and schedule to carry out different activities, among which the following stand out: meetings with the Requesters, a socio-environmental supervision in the field, generation of additional studies, as well as a potential complementary public consultation and possible modifications to the design of the Project.

On March 30 2021 and after establishing contact with the Requesters and the Project Team, the Director of the MICI granted Management the period of suspension of the eligibility determination process, for an initial period of 15 business days, a period that expires on next April 20, 2021.

On June 15, 2021, MICI determined that the Request was eligible because it met all the eligibility criteria established in the MICI Policy. This determination of eligibility is not an assessment of the merits of the Request or of the issues contained therein.

The Request was transferred to the Consultation Phase as per the decision of the Requesters.

On July 22nd, 2021 MICI submitted its Assessment Report of the Consultation Phase, indicating that a dispute resolution process is feasible.

In a harmonious atmosphere and as a result of a collaborative dialogue facilitated by MICI between the Ministry of Territorial Development and Habitat, authorities from the Province of Santa Fe’s Ministry of Economy, Rosario’s Metropolitan Coordination Entity (ECOM), officials from the IDB, and representatives from a group of residents from Granadero Baigorria in the Province of Santa Fe, the beforementioned Parties reached an agreement regarding final aspects of the “Plan for the Restructuring of the Complex comprised by The Eva Perón teaching hospital and Juan Domingo Perón boarding school” in the city of Granadero Baigorria.
 
Representatives of the mentioned actors met regularly throughout a month and a half to analyze different aspects of the project that had motivated the request in MICI. On August 23rd 2021, through a gradual progress that happened in the dialogue sessions and bilateral meetings, the Parties reached an agreement that establishes a series of measures aimed at addressing the concerns expressed by a group of residents from the city.

These measures include mainly the increase in the number and types of trees to be planted, strengthening of community participation in the administration of the complex, minimizing the possibility of change in the use of the land, modifications in the internal street layout in a way that preserves the areas with architectonic and historical value, as well as changes in the project’s signaling and official documents held by the IDB, the executing agency and the subexecuting agency.

On September 17, 2021, the Consultation Phase Report, including the Agreement reached and the Monitoring Plan, was distributed to the Executive Board for their consideration by short procedure.

With the approval of the Monitoring Plan by the Board on September 27, the Monitoring Stage began.