PILOT PROGRAM TO CONSERVE THE BRAZILIAN RAIN FOREST
Revised Terms of Reference for the International Advisory Group
Brasilia, June 2000
Background
1. The purpose and functions of an International Advisory Group (IAG) were initially described in the Establishment of the Rain Forest Trust Fund Background Note (March 13, 1992). The original purpose of the IAG was “to review periodically progress in implementing the pilot program and provide a technical opinion on program impact to the rain forest pilot program participants.” This role was later clarified and revised in terms of reference dated February 18, 1993. According to these TOR, the purpose of the IAG was “to provide an independent technical judgment on the design and implementation of individual projects, and on the effectiveness of the Pilot Program as a whole.” Thus, the scope of the IAG’s responsibility was increased to assess effectiveness at the level of individual projects as well as the overall Program.
2. The IAG has usefully summarized its main contributions to the PPG-7 in its July 1999 report as having helped with: (a) decentralization of the Rain Forest Unit from Washington to Brasilia; (b) integration of four separate environmental policy projects into one program (the Natural Resources Policy Project); (c) conception of Integrated Environmental Management Projects (PGAIs), involving municipal participation, in all nine Amazon states; (d) a shift in the original PPG-7 emphasis on conservation towards the notion of sustainable development; (e) creation a monitoring and analysis component; and (f) initiation of the institutional review. Thus, the IAG has played an influential and constructive role in the Program over the past six years.
3. During this period, the IAG passed through two phases. At the beginning, the IAG was fundamental for its bridge-building ability by bringing closer together different actors who were not accustomed to working with one another. Once greater collaboration was achieved, the IAG then began focusing on the problems that had arisen concerning the design and implementation of projects. Now that the PPG-7 has learned mechanisms for collectively designing and implementing projects, the IAG is ready to move into a third, more forward-looking phase.
4. At the same time, the Pilot Program is going through a period of institutional reform that includes a review of the objectives and functioning of the IAG. Specifically, the 1999 Interim Participants’ Meeting (April 5-7, Paris) agreed that:
Revised Terms of Reference for the IAG would be prepared by the World Bank and presented for consideration at the next Participants’ Meeting using inputs from: (a) GOB, donor, and Bank comments received on the interim institutional review report, (b) the IAG’s internal review during its next meeting in July 1999, and (c) the final report of the institutional review.
These revised terms of reference are a response to this agreement and are based on: a) the review of options for the IAG at an Interim Participants’ Meeting held in Brussels, Belgium from October 4-5, 1999; b) discussions held at the Participants’ Meeting in Brasilia, Brazil from October 27-29, 1999; and c) decisions made at the first Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting on December 16, 1999 in Brasilia.
Composition and Selection
5. The IAG will consist of up to ten members whose expertise is drawn from the natural, social and economic sciences. In terms of professional background, the IAG should comprise a balanced team of representatives from the academic, scientific, public, private, and NGO sectors. Overall, the IAG shall have:
· Recognized international and Brazilian expertise on tropical forests and integrated environmental management in Brazil and/or elsewhere, including global environmental issues and multi-lateral environmental agreements. The team should also include expertise in economics and social development, institutional governance and change management.
· Competency in English and preferably in Portuguese; and
· No conflict of interest, as determined by criteria established by the JSC.
The JSC has decided on the following conflict of interest provisions: a) No member of the IAG should be directly employed by a donor organization, trustee (World Bank) or implementing agency (including the MMA), on a medium or long-term basis, if this is related directly or indirectly to the Pilot Program; b) IAG members cannot have managerial, operational or decision-making responsibility within the Pilot Program; and c) consultant assignments in connection with work undertaken for or by the Pilot Program, and involvement in directed and other research projects funded by the Program will be subject to review by an Ethics Committee of the JSC. The Ethics Committee will consist of one member each from the MMA, donor community, IAG, and the World Bank. The IAG member being considered for such consultancy assignment or research project is responsible for notifying the World Bank of a possible conflict of interest. Failure to do so will result in automatic dismissal from the IAG.
6. Members shall serve for a three-year period that can be renewed once for
three-years. The option of extending for a second three-year term applies to new, not existing, members of the IAG. Renewal will be conditional upon a satisfactory performance evaluation for the member in question set against his/her individual terms of reference and professional objectives within the IAG.
7. Starting with the December 1999 IAG meeting, three members identified by the IAG itself will leave the group each year, until the current membership is depleted. As vacancies occur, Pilot Program Participants will be asked to nominate new members to the IAG. Nominations will be reviewed by the Ministry of Environment (MMA) and the World Bank who will then jointly select new members from the nominees. The World Bank will be responsible for contracting the selected members, based on the ‘no objection’ of Participants.
IAG Tasks and Procedures
8. The IAG will focus on four major tasks:
· Helping Participants to formulate and update a PPG-7 strategy;
· Advising on ways of improving overall Program effectiveness;
· Assisting the AMA project with its evaluation methodologies; and
· Contributing to the design of a learning strategy for the Pilot Program.
It is understood that, in order to accomplish these program and strategy-related tasks, IAG members will make regular visits to PPG-7 projects to familiarize themselves with developments on the ground. The JSC, in direct consultation with the IAG, may review and amend this list of tasks as they see fit. The IAG may also propose modifications of these terms of reference to the Participants with the purpose of improving the effectiveness of the IAG’s contribution to the Pilot Program.
9. In principle, the IAG will meet once a year in Brasilia. On an exceptional basis, at the request of the IAG or a Program Participant, justification for a second meeting can be presented to the JSC for its decision. Any variation on this frequency or changes in other operational procedures will only be undertaken following consultation between the IAG and the JSC.
10. At the end of each meeting, the IAG will prepare a report in English covering its findings and recommendations concerning the tasks mentioned above. This report will be submitted to the Joint Steering Committee and presented for discussion at the next Participants’ Meeting. The World Bank will arrange for Portuguese translation and forward a translated copy to the MMA for distribution.
11. The IAG will elect its own chairperson for a three-year term, non-renewable. The IAG chairperson will be responsible for:
· Chairing each IAG meeting during his/her tenure;
· Organizing the agenda for the next IAG meeting after soliciting inputs from the IAG membership;
· Proposing meetings in Brasilia and field trips after canvassing members for their suggestions; and
· Presenting the IAG report to the Participants’ Meeting.
Operational Matters
12. The World Bank will provide the IAG with operational support to enable the group to carry out the tasks described above. In consultation with the IAG chairperson, the World Bank will make arrangements for travel of IAG members to and within Brazil and, in coordination with the MMA, will arrange an itinerary for meetings in Brasilia. The World Bank will provide secretarial support for the IAG meeting and may designate staff to attend as observers. The IAG report will reflect the opinion of the IAG and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of the World Bank or its members, or any organizations with which individual members of the IAG may be affiliated.
13. All IAG costs, including travel, subsistence and other related costs for the meetings in Brazil, and for the IAG chairperson’s participation in the Participants’ Meeting will be covered by the Rain Forest Trust Fund.
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