manual for social impact assessment of land-based ... - Forest Trends

Description of Method
Stage 1. ‘Conceptualize’
Step 1A. Selection of the initial project team
Step 1B. Definition of scope, vision and targets
• Scope: this refers to a general description (or ‘broad parameters’) of what the project is
trying to achieve and over what area.
• Vision: this refers to a description of the desired state or ultimate condition the project is
working to achieve. A brief vision statement is recommended.
• Targets: this refers to the specific targets of the project, e.g., achievement of net positive
community benefits. The current status of each target should be described.
Step 1C. Identification of critical threats
For each target, the direct threats to achieving the target should be identified. These threats come
mainly from human activities; physical or natural phenomena; local power, governance or political
pressures; and wider policy, legal or institutional factors. These threats should be ranked in terms of
the extent of the threat and its likely severity on the targets.
Step 1D. Situation analysis
This step involves a holistic analysis and description of the project context, including the biological,
environmental, social, economic, political and institutional systems that could affect the project
targets. This understanding gives the project developer a better chance of designing activities that
will achieve the desired impacts.
Part of the situation analysis involves identifying the factors driving the threats identified in Step 1C.
These factors can include indirect threats (also known as ‘root causes’ and ‘drivers’), ‘opportunities’
and ‘enabling conditions’. An opportunity (the opposite of a threat) is “a factor identified in an
analysis of the project situation that potentially has a positive effect on one or more targets, either
directly or indirectly” (e.g., developing nurseries provides an opportunity for enhancing female
employment); and an enabling condition is a “a broad or high-level opportunity”, e.g., a change in
the national legal or policy framework. These opportunities and enabling conditions can range from
local to global factors. Each 'factor' is then linked to one or more stakeholders (individuals, groups or
institutions with an interest in or likely to be affected by the project activities). Stakeholder analysis
should be used to consider potentially positively and negatively influenced stakeholders.
As part of the situation analysis, a ‘conceptual model’ should be developed. This is “a tool that
visually portrays the relationships among the visual factors in your situation analysis.” This should
illustrate the cause and effect relationships in the project area. It needs to be built up in a team
exercise, and ground-truthed via discussion with key project stakeholders and partners. Figure T2
presents an example of a conceptual model for a watershed site. Finally, the conceptual model
should be peer reviewed.
Social Impact Assessment of Land-Based Carbon Projects (1.0) – Part II | 5