EHPMP Project

The Government of Zambia with support from the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility is implementing a project entitled, Environmental Health and Pollution Management Project (EHPMP), has an objective to reduce unintentionally produced organic pollutants pollution in pilot sites and strengthen the institutional capacity to manage and regulate solid waste and e-waste in Zambia.

The proposed EHPMP is aligned with the WBG’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. The EHPMP is aligned with and will support the objectives of Pillars 1 and 2 of the Bank’s Africa Strategy – competitiveness and employment, and vulnerability and resilience, and the foundations of the strategy – governance and public-sector capacity. EHPMP will promote sustainable inclusive growth by improving access to environmental services through knowledge sharing and capacity building. EHPMP will further strengthen human capital by improving health of vulnerable populations, especially children. The EHPMP will complement other regional initiatives and individual projects, focusing on competitiveness, sustainability and governance.

The EHPMP will contribute to the GEF 6 Chemicals and Waste Focal Area Strategy that aims to achieve the long-term goal “to prevent the exposure of humans and the environment to harmful chemicals and waste of global importance including POPs, mercury and ozone depleting substances.”

The project is consistent with the Country Partnership Framework (FY19-FY23) that aims to help the Government of Zambia address the development challenges in its priority areas identified in the Seventh National Development Plan. The project will directly contribute to the CPF’s focus area 1 “More even territorial development: Opportunities and Jobs for the poor”. Furthermore, Zambia recognizes that the challenges in pollution management facing the country require increasing efforts to reach a sustainable future growth scenario. The national development strategy identifies improper solid waste management as a health risk to the affected communities, further highlighted in the National Solid Waste Management Strategy (NSWMS) of 2004 which sets out an integrated approach to addressing the problem. The EHPMP is aligned with the second National Implementation Plan (NIP) for Zambia (2017), which sets out the roadmap and methodology for implementing the Stockholm Convention in the country. The NIP identified a need to strengthen environmental monitoring capacity, mechanisms and enforcement capacity of responsible institutions, as well as increase the level of awareness on the health risks associated with POPs and chemical pollution.