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OCIAL DEVELOPMENT PAPERSENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

Paper Number 32July 1999

Social Assessment of theAzerbai an NationalEnvironmental Action Plan:

A Focus on Community Responsesto the Caspian Sea EnvironmentalDisaster

Ayse KudatAhmed MusayevBulent Ozbilgin

THE WORLD BANK

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Social Development Papers

Paper Number 32July 1999

Social Assessment of theAzerbaijan NationalEnvironmental Action Plan:

A Focus on Community Responsesto the Caspian Sea EnvironmentalDisaster

Ayse KudatAhmed MusayevBulent Ozbilgin

This publication was developed and produced by the Social Development Family of the World Bank.The Environment, Rural Development, and Social Development Families are part of the Environmentallyand Socially Sustainable Development (ESSD) Network. The Social Development Family is made up ofWorld Bank staff working on social issues.

Papers in the Social Development series are not formal publications of the World Bank. They arepublished informally and circulated to encourage discussion and comment within the developmentcommunity. The findings, interpretations, judgments, and conclusions expressed in this paper are those ofthe author(s) and should not be attributed to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations, or to members ofthe Board of Executive Directors or the govermnents they represent.

Copies of this paper are available from:

Social DevelopmentThe World Bank1818 H Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20433 USA

Fax: 202-522-3247E-mail: [email protected]

Contents

Acknowledgments ii

1. Overview 1

Objectives 1Achievements 1Participatory Process and the NEAP 2Project Implications 3Social Development Concerns and Main Findings of the Socioeconomic Studies 3Main Findings 4

2. Background 7Neftchala Region 8Lenkoran Region 8Astara Region 9Methodology of Social Analysis 9Analyses 10Priority Problems and their Relation to the Caspian Sea Rise 12Impacts on Employment 15Impacts on Health 15Impacts on Education 17Impacts on Local Infrastructure 18Migration versus Relocation 20The Situation in Baku 22

3. Recommendations Proposed by Residents of Affected Communities 25

4. Epilogue 28

i

Acknowledgments

The Social Assessment is funded by the Environment Action Plan; Janis BernsteinSwiss Trust Funds that helped establish made valuable contributions to this earlierSocial Science Networks in a number of draft. It was subsequently re-drafted byCentral Asian countries. The authors are Ayse Kudat as part of the Bank-widegrateful for the generous support of the Social Assessment Thematic Team's effortSwiss Government. to make available case studies of such

assessments to a broader audience withinThe National Environment Action Plan for and outside the Bank. Thanks are due toAzerbaijan (NEAP) was task managed by the Rockefeller Foundation for hosting theKristalina Georgieva of the World Bank. author as a resident scholar in theThis paper was originally drafted in late Rockefeller Foundation Study and1996 by the authors as an input to the Conference Center in Bellagio during thefinalization of Azerbaijan National preparation of this document.

This SA is dedicated to Professor Ahmed Musayev, Director of theSorgu Institute for Applied Social Science Research and the founderof the Azerbaijan Social Science Network. Professor Musayev died inDecember 1997, an an early age. His contributions to innumerablesocial assessments of Bank projects are invaluable.

ii

1. Overview

Objectives Achievements

The SA represents a partial attempt to The SA objectives were planned to be metidentify stakeholder perspectives for priority in several stages:environmental action in Azerbaijan withinthe framework of the National Environment 1. Develop an understanding ofAction Plan (NEAP). At the outset of the environmental priorities of communitiespreparation of the NEAP, the intention was affected by the rise of the Caspian Seato:

2. Reach out to the rest of the population,Systematically identify social with a focus on internally displaceddevelopment and participation issues that people, and rural and urban residentsresulted in segments of the populationsuffering from environmental problems 3. Use this information as representing theand/or hindered their ability to affect views of the ultimate stakeholders (theimprovements in their environment people at large) and facilitate other

stakeholder (including institutionalDefine a sustained participation agents) consultations around themframework to ensure stakeholder needsare integrated in environmental planning 4. Analyze existing local and nationaland management environmental planning and

management processes to facilitate* Identify appropriate institutional sustained stakeholder participation

mechanisms to ensure that environmentalaction is inclusive and responds to the 5. Organize stakeholder workshops toneeds of the poor and the vulnerable integrate social development and

sustainable participation concerns into* Propose a monitoring and evaluation the NEAP.

framework, including social impactmonitoring, for the management of the However, as a result of budgetaryenvironmental agency and for constraints only 1 and 5 of the stagesenvironmental projects. outlined above were carried out. As such, the

1

SA of the Azerbaijan NEAP

SA presented here represents a partial a Extent of social and human damageeffort. In the main body of the SA report,the main findings of the participatory * Danger of irreversibly losing naturalinformation-gathering efforts carried out in resourcesthe Caspian Sea communities aresummarized and the implications for the * Adverse employment conditions, loss ofNEAP and the follow-up investment project income, and other economic hardship toare presented. Information available be suffered by impact populations.through other SAs carried out by theAzerbaijan Social Science Network also Using these criteria, the SA pointed to thedrew attention to environmental priorities of following priority actions:displaced populations-namely, demining.

* Relocation of households in the affectedParticipatory Process and the NEAP regions of Neftchala, Lenkoran, and

AstaraThe NEAP process was carried out by a

joint team of Azerbaijani professionals, * Prevention of secondary pollution of theinternational consultants and World Bank sea from oil-related activitiesstaff, supervised by a high-levelgovernmental steering committee. During * Restoration of some of the Sea-basedthe process, a multidisciplnary team of localexperts prepared environmental and natural mdustries and re-creating the jobs lost asresource sector studies and analyzed a result of damage to these industriesenvironmental issues within their physical, Restoration, relocation or protection ofsectoral, and institutional contexts. Experts infrastructure of national importance,from the Committee of Ecology, other such as critical land-basedgovermmental and nongovernmental trasportat links.organizations, the Academy of Sciences, transportation links.and representatives of local administrations, . .

industries, ministries, the media, universities Theopaticitory apo pedand regional authorities were closely incorte citiznsl ndan d proris.esinvolved throughout the development of the intote natin plnnin oc ItNEAP and, in particular, during the promoted greater ownership of NEAPiEAnt , i,in pan tiscus, of nti objectives and follow-up action. The process

environmental priorites and criteria for also increased the visibility of environmentalranking those priorities, institutions within the government, as well

as in the country as a whole. In addition,environmental awareness was enhanced

Withionswere thcuenedNEAPbou adirent and the capacity of institutions dealing withacistions wenireommentaldamge and to aenvironment was strengthened. During the

prevent more damaga damage Caspian NEAP preparation, media coverage ofpreen mor damage in heCaspia environmental issues increased and civilcommunities alone. To carry out all these socieor aniatious incrudan natilactions would have been beyond the society organizatons, including nationalfinancial means of the government; thus, associations of women, took greater interestsetting priorities was particularly important. in environmental protection. However,The SA, based on people's views, assisted ensuring sustained stakeholder participationthe NEAP team in using the following in the environment may prove difficult duecriteria in prioritizing these actions: to the pressing economic and political

2

Overview

problems the Republic is facing. * Protecting sturgeon from extinction

ProjectImplications * Preserving the value of sturgeon as asource of medicine.

To make sure that implementation of themost pressing actions would not be delayed Social Development Concerns and Mainuntil the finalization of the NEAP, the Findings of the Socioeconomic StudiesUrgent Environmental Investment Projectwas initiated in 1997, financed by the World The key social development concern wasBank and other donors. This project for vulnerable populations. These wererepresented a first step toward NEAP grouped into those once displaced by armedimplementation in Azerbaijan and conflict that had returned (or intended toaddressed the following components: return) to their original homes, and those

displaced or otherwise impacted by the* Sumgayit city mercury cleanup environmental disaster caused by the rising* Sturgeon hatchery development level of the Caspian Sea. The concerns of the* Oil pollution mitigation internally displaced populations (IDPs) were* Institutional strengthening. addressed through a comprehensive process

of SA, initiated in 1994 and completed in

The SA's contributions were limited1 to 1998 (Brown 1998)2 and through thedeveloping the sturgeon hatchery, but an Azerbaijan Pilot Reconstruction Projectearlier SA on the Baku Water Supply and financed by the World Bank and otherSanitation Project had, in 1994, called donors. The concerns of the populationsattention to oil pollution problems. affected by the Caspian Sea disaster were

incorporated in the NEAP and in the follow-The sturgeon hatchery component up Urgent Environment Investment Project

included in the Urgent Environment as described above. While measures haveInvestment Project that would help address been taken to strengthen national andthe decline in sturgeon stock and would regional institutions to oversee the relevantprovide relatively high-income jobs to a environmental actions, no specific socialnumber of people in one of the most impact monitoring has been incorporated ineconomically depressed regions of the the Project's Monitoring and Evaluationcountry. Additional incomes would be (M & E) component.earned from fishing and caviar production,and trading. The service and manufacturing A series of consultative and systematicindustries that support fishing and caviar information activities was carried out in theproduction would also be aided. Thus, in preparation of the SA. In early 1996, a teamthe long term, the component would of local social scientists and Bank socialimprove the sustainability of sturgeon assessment specialist visited the Caspian Seafishing and caviar production and help communities and carried out a rapidpreserve sturgeon's historic importance to assessment based on ten focus groupAzerbaijan's culture and economy. meetings and a large number of semi-Additional benefits include: structured individual interviews. The team

also visited local government representatives

Increasing the commercial value of and central government institutions.sturgeon Secondary data were collected and the

potential relevance of SAs carried out for

3


other Bank-funded projects was assessed. exposure to poor sanitary conditions as aSubsequently, a team of local social scientists result of the sea rise. Seventy-oneand members of the local Association of percent of Neftchala residents think thatWomen in Development were trained to their health was better before the seacarry out surveys and focus group meetings started to rise, and 36 percent indicatein affected areas as described in the rest of that their current health situation isthe paper. The findings were presented to poor; the situation is similar in otherthe relevant government agencies and were regions. All of these regions reportedshared with the NEAP team. They were also cases of asthma, tuberculosis, andpresented to the national stakeholder rheumatism. In Lenkoran and Astaraseminar organized to establish regions, in particular, there has been anenvironmental action priorities for increase in snakes and bugs inAzerbaijan. residential areas and homes due to a

proliferation of swamps by receding seaMain Findings water.

The following were the main findings of * The sea rise has serious indirect impactsthe SA: on the level and quality of education

available in these three regions, mainlyIncome and employment are the most because of the heavy damage toimportant concerns for local people transportation and communication lines.living in coastal settlements of Neftchala, Even though the majority of educationalLenkoran, and Astara. The rising sea facilities are not directly affected by thelevel is perceived to be a priority concern sea rise, many roads are blocked andonly where it is recognized as a main communication among settlements is, atcause of unemployment. In Neftchala, best, irregular. Consequently, it hasfor example, most unemployment is become extremely difficult to findperceived to be related to the sea rise teachers willing or able to go to schools.because it was responsible for destroying The declining quality of educationthe sturgeon hatcheries and fishing in further erodes the base on which newthat region. Consequently, the majority local development initiatives can be(almost 90 percent) of the people in this started. Unless the road infrastructure isregion views the rising level of the improved and the local educationalCaspian Sea as a priority concern. In institutions start functioning, the futureLenkoran and Astara, by contrast, the could result in further economic declinerising level of the sea is not perceived as in the coastal settlements.a hazard. Although the rising level ofthe Caspian caused some households to * Local basic infrastructure hassuffer, region-wide impacts are less deteriorated due mainly to the effects ofimportant than those in Neftchala. And the sea rise as well as poor construction.unlike many of the residents of Electricity is the only source of energyNeftchala, the people of these regions for most people, but the supply ishave access to other means of survival unreliable. In each of the three regionssuch as subsistence farming. surveyed, rising ground waters have had

a significant effect on the water supply.Residents of coastal settlements In most cases, good quality drinkingexperience severe health problems from water is not available. People usually

4

Ove&iew

have to fetch water from a distance, and infrastructure, lack of opportunities forin most cases, pay for the water. A alternative employment). Furthermore,majority of households that cannot these three regions have differentafford to pay, use poor quality water, socioeconomic characteristics (forwhich results in added health problems. example, Neftchala has oil wells

whereas Lenkoran and Astara are on anHouseholds in the city of Baku are not important international railway route).directly affected by the sea rise. In the Different measures for different regionssuburbs of Baku, there are very few should be envisioned.cases in which the rise in sea level hasdirectly affected houses. Most concerns * Most people trust the centralstem from the economic and government and think that theirenvironmental effects of the sea rise, problems can only be solved throughsuch as the blockage of sewerage lines government intervention. Favoritism,and the deterioration of production together with adverse conditions causedenterprises. by the sea rise and economic conditions,

have caused people to lose trust in localFor most households in the affected administrations. Therefore, people docommunities, migration to other regions not have many expectations with respectis not viewed as a desirable option. But a to local governments. If they have alarge percentage of the population who choice, they prefer to give localare directly affected would be willing to governments a limited role in furthermove to other areas of the same village. impact mitigation. They expect theEven though some relocation has been central government to take the initiativeundertaken by the authorities, it has to start mitigation measures inbeen limited in scope and in most cases, collaboration with internationalfalls short of the real needs of people. organizations who are experienced inMany households that do not want to such activities.migrate do so because they do not wantto change their lifestyle. Some families * Because the adverse impact of the risingthink that they can stay in their homes sea levels vary widely from one region tountil they are directly affected by the the other, a case-by-case assessment ofrising sea. Others continue living in the affected communities is necessary tohomes that are largely inundated by sea achieve maximum protection. In somewater. Their main reasons appear to be settlements, for example, almost half thetheir perception that those resettled are villages have been destroyed by the sea.not faring well. While migration is not a In other settlements, by contrast, only adesirable option for most households in small number of households are directlyaffected coastal communities, relocation affected. In designing mitigationwill be acceptable if livelihood in the strategies, therefore, it is important tonew locations are sustainable. Any assess the actual level of damage in eachactions involving relocation should settlement.consider its long-term sustainability withrespect to further (indirect) impacts of * In one area, it is possible to reversethe sea rise (for example, further economic conditions by improving thesalinization of the land, lack of fishing industry. The relevanttransportation, lack of basic investments recommended by the

5


communities include: drainage works in undertake only limited measures to savethe delta of the Kura River to deepen the the day until the sea returns to its formerriver and restore the operation of fishing levels. Recognizing the uncertaintiesboats (it is believed this measure will surrounding the sea rise, residents in allallow fish to swim into the mouth of the three regions expressed a need toriver and will revitalize the operation of forecast the sea rise through scientificfishing stations); constructing a canal methods requiring the involvement ofextending from the Kura River to the international organizations. PerhapsCaspian Sea to ensure the flow of Kura more importantly, long-term land usewaters into the sea, thus enabling fishing regulations are required to ensure futureboats to move and restoring fishing safety.stations; and supplying the necessarymeans to help create fishing teams, __

including the reconstruction of the fishplant for selling fingerlings. Since the onset of the NEAP in 1996, the water

level in the Caspian Sea has declined slightly.There is a clear need for timely and This has a significantly altered the relativeaccurate information regarding the orderor priority action in the NEAP as

cyclical nuprotection measures became less urgent, andcyclical nature ofts ise gepe time was gained to develop a coastal zonesea level changes, and future mitigation protection plan before new areas were flooded.measures. Although people are Nonetheless, the damage was pervasive, withsomewhat aware of the cyclical nature substantial social, environmental, andof the sea rise, some believe that the sea economic costs. Moreover, damage is on-goinglevel has stopped rising, and is now in some areas, because of wave action andregressing. This perception, coupled significantly higher groundwater levels.with peoples' desire to stay in theirboirthplaces (often located on valuable 2 Jonathan Brown. Listening to People in

,rhlc(otnthem to Azerbaijan, Post-Conflict Reconstruction: A User'spieces of seaside land), cause them to Perspective. The World Bank. 1998.stay in heavily affected areas and

6

2. Background

Among the republics of the Former Soviet meters below ocean level. The sea isUnion (FSU), Azerbaijan has the most expected to continue to rise until aboutsevere environmental problems. The country 2020, when it is expected to reach the levelinherited (from the Soviet period) an observed in 1900 (25 meters below oceaninefficient environmental management level). The principal productive sectorssystem and massive environmental affected by the sea rise are the oil and gasdegradation related to the high level of industry, chemical industries, agriculture,industrial development (particularly oil and fisheries.extraction and processing, chemical andmetallurgical production in the Absheron Apart from the long-term fluctuation ofpeninsula where the capital, Baku, and the the average sea level, there are also seasonalindustrial city, Sumgayit, are located). In fluctuations ranging from 20 to 55 cm. Thisaddition to these environmental concerns, results from seasonal fluctuations of thethe Caspian Sea level is rising rapidly, inflow of rivers and evaporation. The seaflooding industrial, urban, and agricultural reaches its highest level in June and July.lands. Due to the direction of winds and changes

in atmospheric pressure, the level may riseThe Caspian Sea, the biggest inland sea as high as 80 cm. Tidal variations are limited

body in the world, is approximately 1,200 to 2 to 6 cm.km. long and, on average, 320 km. widewith a total area of 350,000 km2. The total The Kura River delta (Neftchala region)length of the coast is 6,500 km, of which 800 with impacts on sturgeon fisheries, caviarkm belong to Azerbaijan. Fishing, especially production and sturgeon processing plantsfor sturgeon, is important to local and the southern areas of Lenkoran andeconomies. The sea is also rich in natural Astara with impacts on housing, transport,resources such as oil and natural gas. and energy infrastructure are among theCurrently, a serious environmental concern priority areas identified. In addition, largefor the Government of Azerbaijan is the parts of the Absheron Peninsula, includingcyclical rise of the Caspian Sea level. Baku and Sumgayit, where rising CaspianHistorically, the sea level has fluctuated and groundwater levels may cause severegreatly. In 1977, the lowest water level of pollution by flooding old oil fields and wastethe last 500 years was recorded -29 mieters ponds, sewage systems, and hazardous andbelow ocean level. In the last two decades, radioactive waste sites are also priority areasthe water rose two and a half meters to 26.5 to be considered.

7


Neftchala Region fishing plants,2 and 500 households invarious settlements.

The city of Neftchala is located 170 km.south of Baku in the delta of the Kura River. In addition to large parts of the regionAt its current level, the town is only a few which are already flooded, the level of themeters above the sea level. The local Kura River is also rising with the sea level.economy heavily depends on sturgeon Major portions of the sturgeon hatchery inhatcheries and cotton production. The total the region are permanently flooded and theland area of the region is 1,500 km2 . rest have been damaged during storms.According to local authorities, the Buildings of the hatchery have also beenpopulation of the region is 67,700 of which flooded several times. The production19,300 live in urban areas (28.5 percent) and capacity of the plant is currently about 20 -48,400 live in rural areas (71.5 percent). 30 percent of what it was before.3 Revival ofMost areas in the region are flat and below the hatcheries is of great economicsea level. The oil field of Neftchala region is importance as Azerbaijan's sturgeon andlocated 12 km to the south of the mouth of caviar production is directly linked to thethe Kura River. After iodine and bromine number of fingerlings released.were discovered in the region, an iodine-bromine plant was also set up here; Impeded drainage, the rising groundhowever, the plant is currently not water levels and salt water intrusion duringoperational. The main agricultural products storms cause salinization of the land in theare cotton and grain. The total area of land region. As the sea rose, the mouth of thethat can be used for agriculture is 49,300 ha. Kura River became partially blocked byFishing is one of the most important sources sedimentation caused by the fluctuations ofof income: the region has the biggest fish the sea level, creating an obstacle for fishingplant and largest fishing grounds of boats. To keep the river accessible for boats,Azerbaijan. However, this industry has been a canal has been constructed, whichdamaged by the rise of the Caspian Sea, reconnects the river and the sea. However,greatly affecting the livelihood of residents. flooding has occurred several times even

around the canal. Therefore, the localAccording to the data provided by economy is heavily affected by the sea rise

executive authorities of Neftchala, the rise of and living conditions haye considerablythe Caspian Sea level has already affected worsened.2,866 ha. in the region which has a coastalline of 17.5 km. Overall, eighteen settlements Lenkoran Regionalong the coast have been affected.' Inaddition, 210 oil wells, which used to The territory of Lenkoran region is 661produce 142 tons per day, have been km2. Its total population is 190,000 people,affected by water. Other facilities and of which 58,000 (30.5 percent) are urbaninfrastructure that were damaged due to the and 132,000 (69.5 percent) are rural.sea level rise are: roads (40 km., of which 20 Lenkoran is the most densely populatedkm. belong to the state and 20 km. belong to region of Azerbaijan. There are two cities,the local administrations), electric and Lenkoran and Port-Ilich, and eighty villagescommunication lines (50 km.), oil and gas in the region. Average population density ispipeline (35 km.), Neftchala iodine-bromine about 230 people/km2 . The territory of theproduction association, agricultural land region is not flat-there are both plains and(1,500 ha), pastures and wildlife preserve, mountainous areas. The economy of the

8

Background

region depends on agriculture. The main The main road to Iran, crossing throughproducts are vegetables and tea, but the Lenkoran and Astara, is an importantregion is also well-known for its citrus international road link. The railway passingplants. There are 27 industrial enterprises in through the region is heavily used tothis region, which include 2 vegetable/fruit transport passengers and goods from Astaracanning plants, 6 tea plants, 2 fish and Lenkoran to Baku. However, in someprocessing plants, 3 textile plants, 3 car areas, the coast is so eroded that the railwaybuilding plants and 1 electronics plant. and the roads have been undermined and

washed away. The current condition ofAccording to information obtained from roads seriously hampers land

regional authorities, around 850 households transportation. In this area, coastalare affected by rising sea levels along the protection against the rising sea level andcoast, which has a total length of 40 km. In wave action is insufficient or completelyLenkoran town, for example, 672 houses absent.and 18 public buildings along the coast havebeen evacuated due to permanent flooding. Methodology of Social AnalysisIn addition, the economy of the region isalso heavily affected. The Narimanov fish The main goal of the socioeconomicplant, Lenkoran nutria facilities, and the surveys and qualitative investigationsLenkoran branch of the Baku knitwear carried out for the SA was to examnine theplant are closed. The total agricultural area social, economic, and psychological impactscovered by water is approximately 200 ha. of the Caspian Sea rise and the attitudes ofIn addition, 900 ha. of pastures and 90 ha. the people living in the coastal communitiesof wildlife preserves have been lost to floods. of Azerbaijan. The specific objectives of the

assessment were to assess the number ofAstara Region households affected by the sea level rise;

determine the extent to which they areThe total area of this region is 616 km2. affected; explore the problems of households

Its population is 77,000 people, of which living in these coastal communities; explore17,000 are urban (22 percent) and 60,000 these communities' responses to therural (78 percent). There are fifty-six villages environmental problems and their copingand one city in the region. The local methods; assess their attitudes towardeconomy depends on tea and vegetable further rise in sea levels; and based on theseproduction as well as on fishing. As in findings, contribute to the NEAP process byLenkoran region, citrus plants are cultivated making recommendations on actions forhere. According to information obtained mitigating further impacts of the Caspianfrom local authorities, around 30,000 people Sea rise.are affected by rising sea levels: 560households in the region are directly Following rapid assessments andaffected at the coastal line which is 21 km. evaluation of secondary data, thelong. Industrial enterprises and institutions socioeconomic analysis comprisedthat were affected include the Motor interviews with 432 households in affectedVehicles Agency in the rayon, asphalt plant, communities of Neftchala, Lenkoran, andand Shahagaci tractor park. In addition, 400 Astara regions and seven focus groupha. of cultivated land in the region were discussions in these regions and Baku. Inwashed away by rising water and an addition, in-depth interviews wereanother 600 ha. became marshland. conducted in the communities and

9


discussions were held with local leaders. statistics on affected households differTable 1 lists settlement names, their somewhat from SA findings. This is duepopulations, the number of households, and partly to differences in the date of datathe number of families affected by the sea collection and to the criteria used forrise foT settlements included in the sample. classification. The SA results are based onInterviewers conducted the survey by going people's judgments on the nature and typeinto each of these settlements and of adverse impacts.interviewing every third house on all streetsaccording to the numbers on houses. In case Analysesthe house was empty, or the family did notwant to be interviewed, interviewers Household Compositionproceeded to the next house. The sample isrepresentative for coastal settlements at the Households in affected communities areregion level. Settlements which are further relatively large and many host a smallaway from the sea (and therefore not extended family of a couple, their children,directly affected) are not included in the and a widowed parent. Family memberssample. Table 1 illustrates the official help each other to cope with enormouspopulation data and data on the number of difficulties imposed upon them both by thehouses directly affected by the sea rise as environmental disaster and by theidentified by the interviewers. Official transition. Out-migration from Neftchala

Table 1. Population in Social Assessment Communities

Settlement Population Seriously PartiallyRegion Name (thousands) Households Affected Affected

(relocated)

Lenkoran Lenkoran Town 46,000 9,000 672 n/aPor-llich town 11,182 2,049 50 170Narimanabad 7,100 1,400 70 150Veyli 4,000 800 13 50Sirinsu 2,000 420 0 50Siyavar 2,000 350 0 15Subtotal 75,482 14,549 825 480

Astara Astara Town 20,000 3,500 50 150Gamishovka 200 40 5 20Shahagaci 7,000 200 25 130Kaladaniya 350 60 10 20Subtotal 27,550 3,800 90 320

Neftchala Sarigamish 320 65 43 22Mikayilli 400 81 0 20Mayak- I 551 137 28 40Mayak- II 371 76 15 15Subh 336 72 27 25Banke 7,000 1,200 0 50Subtotal 8,978 1,631 113 172

TOTAL 112,010 19,980 1,028 972

Source: Local Executive Offices of Neftchala, Lenkoran, and Astara regions, 1996.

10

BackgrDund

where employment opportunities have country, this is particularly evident. Indramatically shrunk resulted in substantially Lenkoran, where the adverse impacts of thesmaller household size in this region: while disaster is particularly pronounced in termsin Lenkoran and Astara households room of agricultural productive capacity, monthly5.6 and 5.4, respectively. In Neftchala, 4.6 household incomes are as low as U.S.$58;4persons live in a household. In Lenkoran in the two other regions the monthlyand Astara, there are many Talish people household incomes are slightly lower thanwho practice polygamy and value extended $80 (Figure 1). The Caspian Sea rise hasfamily traditions. This is yet another reason inundated many citrus gardens and resultedfor larger household size in these regions. in a loss of cultivable land. MoreThe out-migration of working-age importantly, the rise of the water table andpopulations from Neftchala is also reflected extreme increases in its salinity have made itin the relatively younger composition of the impossible for the people to produce citrushouseholds in Lenkoran and Astara: In and to raise livestock. In the region, once aNeftchala the average age of the household major exporter of these goods, collectiveis 29, in the other regions, it is 27. Young farms have been unable to pay farmers.people in Neftchala usually go to Baku, the More so than other regions of the Republic,capital, for work. reported wage and pension arrears were

high, with households barely able to copeIncome Levels with subsistence agriculture and with

occasional incomes earned in Baku.5 TheIncomes throughout the communities inability to trade with Russia and enhanced

affected by the rise of the Caspian Sea are difficulties of getting employment in Russialow. In comparing these with incomes further added to their problems. Inrevealed by the poverty surveys for the Neftchala, the local economy, which once

Figure 1. Income Levels in Coastal Communities

Average IncomesI The primary reasons for lower

Neftchala. 315,635 manats ($77.9) ncomes In Lenkoran are the loss ofLenkoran: 233,697 manats ($57.7) 1 . revenues from cultivating citrusAstara: 321,422 manats ($79.4) Ilants and raisin livestock

36 No ohn4 ouea lanos aevels

30 - tl D Lenkoran

| 25 X | k S L X~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Astara

210 -- [

11


provided some 1,200 jobs directly within the losses of income suffered by households,sturgeon hatchery and larger numbers in however, is less evident and more difficult tosupporting industries and services, is capture through the methodology employedlikewise severely affected. As a result, in the social assessment. In Baku, affectedpeople in Neftchala fully attribute their areas were previously used for leisure or forcurrent unemployment problems to the commercial activities. Other parts of theenvironmental disaster. In the other regions coast were used for industrial purposes byperceived linkages between current enterprises that no longer function as aemployment conditions and rising sea level result of transitional economic problems.are weaker. Needless to say, the loss of commercial and

industrial activities might have causedIn Neftchala, despite severe damage to actual losses and increased opportunity

the local fishing industry, some people cope costs. The overall productive capacity isby fishing, although this is not legal. perceived to be much less affected by theSimilarly, in other regions informal activities environmental disaster in Baku than insupplement incomes.6 A similar pattem is other coastal settlements.observed in Astara. Income levels in Astaraare slightly higher than those in the other Priority Problems and their Relation totwo regions. This is partially due to the level the Caspian Sea Riseof informal economic activities in the region.For example, during focus group In the affected coastal communities,discussions, residents of Shahagaci village in economic problems of transition andAstara region reported that they earn most problems caused by the rise of the Caspianof their revenues on "private economies.7" Sea are considered the most importantVillagers are engaged in fishing which is concerns in daily life. Other concems suchdone informally and, in some cases, illegally. as employment, health, education, andThis is no doubt the case in many villages in demographic problems are all connected tothe coastal areas of Azerbaijan. Even these two major problems.9 According tothough open sea fishing is prohibited, in the household survey, about 86 percent ofmost villages, it is the only way of sustaining the households in Neftchala relate theira livelihood for many families due to the economic problems to the rise of thelosses of arable land, livestock, and the Caspian.salinization of available land.8

People who had to move from theirIn addition to cash income reported as homes consider the sea level rise as an

wages, salaries, pensions and/or part- time important factor affecting their livelihood injobs, etc., households generate some income general even in their new locations (Table 2)from their garden plots; however, as even though their situations seem to bementioned earlier, the rising sea level has better than those who did not move. Foradversely affected the ground water and example, only 37 percent of the householdscaused deterioration of soil conditions, thus, that moved relate their health problemsmaking it difficult for families to have a directly to the rise of the Caspian; thereasonable return to their agricultural region's average is 68 percent. The majorityactivities. of residents links ecological problems such

as formation of swamps and polluted pondsThe coastal areas of Baku are also and infrastructure problems directly to the

inundated by the rising Caspian Sea. Direct sea rise.10

12

Background

the rise of the Caspian as compared toTable 2. People's Perceptions of the residents of other regions. One possibleRelationship between Priority Problems and reason for that is Neftchala's flat landscapethe Sea Rise (percent of interviewed households) and its heavy reliance on sturgeon fisheries,

Problems Neftchala Lenkoran Astara which have been heavily damaged by theflooding sea waters. Currently the water has

Economic 88 62 67 regressed to some extent and exposed some

Infrastructure 85 45 89 land; however, this land is saline and not fitHealth 68 43 60 for agriculture. In Neftchala region, 100Ecological 96 62 93 percent of the households agreed thatEducation 58 12 51 pcnDemographic 42 44 44 salinization of land is an important problemOther problems for them. Unemployment problems caused

caused by the sea rise 100 95 98 directly by the sea rise are compounded due

Source: Caspian Sea Communities, Household Survey, 1996 to the flat geography of the region. While inhigher elevations in Lenkoran and Astarasome people can raise livestock and fruits,

There are significant differences among the flat terrain in Neftchala, and the factcommunities with respect to the perceived that almost all the land is at the same levelrelationship of current economic problems as the sea, makes a shift to agriculture morewith the rise of the Caspian Sea level are difficult. The settlements in Neftchala region(Figures 2, 3 and 4). More people in are somewhat universally affected by theNeftchala region connect their economic, sea rise, whereas in Lenkoran and Astara,employment and infrastructure problems to the impacts can better be analyzed on a

Figure 2. Priority Problems and their Relations to the SeaLevel in Neftchala, Lenkoran and Astara

D-mogr.phIo _U_ *i..

E df 2 hn-| Ne ftc halaEn ploymnent

Econom c probl.n.'

o .0 09 00 fs o 120

Len ko ran | e .,0, ' , : =

E.-I. p.bi... ~ ~ en ply .0

Source:~~~~~~ Casia Sea Commuriitie Hoseol Surey 1996,

oe 002,.pI40 31 *0 4~ ,1k0 eo 001

Educ.rNon -A-fi | ~~~~~~A s ta ra|

Economic probloms*

Source: Caspian sea comnunities Household Su7ey, 1996.

13


Figure 3. Priority Economic Impacts of the Sea Rise

./ W X _ _ 4 _ _,_| *~~~~~~L nkoranl

25 _ _ =_

_r _

20 -. tt .t:i tte g .

15 '

Source: Caspian Sea Communities Household Survey, 1996.

Figure 4 Sociolgical and Environmental Problems in Coasal Conunmitiesdue to the Caspian Sea Rise

U Astwa60-

w i l0| 60

60 L h 40 50~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0

40-40

3 030

20~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2

100 . , 0

olls-0 0 A~~~~~~~e -.

Source: Caspian Sea Communities Household Survey, 19%6.

14

Backgraund

comnmunity basis. In Neftchala, the sea rise latter that previously had employmentaffects the livelihood of residents in almost opportunities. Residents of these settlementsall settlements due to flooding from the think it crucial for their livelihood to haveKura River and the flat geography of the the fish processing plant brought back intoregion. operation (to resolve their unemployment

problems). The closing of the fishing plantImpacts on Employment hit the local economy, including nearby

villagers, hard.According to the household survey,

fishing was the most common employment In Astara, too, people do not heavilysource in Neftchala before the relate their unemployment problem to theenvironmental disaster. About 24 percent of sea rise. A number of industrial enterprises,the population (older than 20) were directly social facilities and enterprises located alongengaged in the fishing business. However, of the seaside had to close due to the rise of thethis 24 percent, the majority (66 percent) are sea level. Among people who are older thancurrently unemployed, the main reasons 20, a high portion was working inbeing that people are unable to find agriculture (25 percent) before the sea rise.employment that matches their skills and However, currently only 16 percent of thequalifications. The premises of the fish plant population between ages 16 and 65 are(including special pools for fingerlings and reported to be employed. The local economyworkshops) are currently in poor shape. in small coastal settlements of Astara regionAccording to focus group participants, a depended heavily on fishing. The localhigh number of workers were dismissed on population is experienced in fishing andgrounds of redundancy. In addition, raising citrus trees, and sees these activitiesbecause of silting in the Kura River delta, as the main sectors of the economy in thefishing boats cannot be used-fishing future as well. They expect governmentstations close and employees are laid off. In action to reverse conditions. Table 3 andthis region, almost everybody has an Figure 5 summarize the economic impacts ofemployment problem and 85 percent link the sea rise as perceived by the residents.these problems to the rise of the Caspian."1

Impacts on HealthAccording to focus group discussions, in

Lenkoran, even though wage employment The sea rise has adverse effects on theproblems are important, they do not have health of the local population in the affectedthe absolute priority that they have in coastal regions of Azerbaijan. For example,Neftchala, and people seem to think that a significant portion of the people in coastalthese problems are not necessarily settlements of Neftchala (71 percent) thinkconnected to the rise of the sea, but rather, that their health was better before the seato the transition to a market economy. Sixty- started to rise, and 36 percent of the peoplefive percent of the respondents in the region say that their current health situation isconsider wage employment problems poor. On average, this region's residentsimportant. Even though some production were sick for 5.98 days during the monthfacilities in the region were seriously before the survey. Their complaints includeaffected by the rise of the sea level and rheumatism, asthma and, in some cases,consequently ceased operations, not all tuberculosis. During focus groupunemployment is caused by the disaster. discussions, some villages in the regionIndeed, small settlements are more affected indicated that they have no medical facilitiesas compared to larger towns and it is the

15


Table 3. Perceived Economic Impacts of Rising Sea Levels in Coastal Communities ofNeftchala, Lenkoran, and Astara

Problem % Households who find a particular problem importantNeftchala Lenkoran Astara

Fishing industry ruined 73 70 75Industrial enterprises ceased working 37 26 56Agricultural enterprises ceased working 38 26 78Employment problems increased 95 58 78Transportation and communication lines not working 59 31 71Food supply worsened 78 67 90Water infrastructure not working 78 91 96Energy infrastructure notworking 54 64 91Personal plots are non-usable 96 90 92


because rising water encompassed those worsened. On average, people here werebuildings, barring access. sick for 3.7 days out of one month. This

average is slightly lower than that forThe rise of the Caspian Sea caused health Neftchala. In focus group discussions, it was

problems in Lenkoran, too, where about 20 established that in Lenkoran, the quality ofpercent are in poor health, and more than drinking water has worsened considerably80 percent think that their health has and that the increase of swamps has

Figure 5. General Impacts of Sea Rise in Neftchala, Lenkoran and Astara

Households Impacted by the Sea Rise

NeftchataNeftchala

Lenkoran L LAnkoranA sta ra

Astara

0 20 40 60 80 100

percent of households

Specific Impact of the Sea Rise on Affected Households

1[)11 r- _ - _F:'X''1~~~~~~~~...............9t}4 . ....... . ,-- -_7 ..... ......... _ .----- -- -- ---------- --- .'''.'.'...''.. 0

60, l) t: ' ' '- ' ----- ----- '-' ......... 0 ..(t~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. . . . . .. ._.D ]_ L

Hous-e floded Yard flooded and Roads blocked Lostjob Electricty and Drinking wateruseless communicaion worsened

coine d


16

Backgrmund

resulted in bad sanitary and hygienic Lenkoran, cases of snakes entering housesconditions. The number of registered cases were reported."3of rheumatism, astima, and infectiousdiseases went up. The increase of swamps Impacts on Educationled to an increase in the number of snakes inresidential areas.'2 Sector-specific ecological In the affected communities, mostassessments are necessary to evaluate the schooling facilities were not directly affectedcurrent conditions of swampy areas and by water; however, indirect impacts havemarshlands, which are major causes of serious implications for the level and qualitydiseases. of education in these regions. In Neftchala

region, 60 percent of the schools were notaffected directly by the rising water. Yet, in

EspeaUy in teSheahapciandNarinanabad focus groups, it was emphasized that thevillages of Lenkoran, hwlth conditions werevery bad. At least one person in-eac quality of education had deteriorated. Forhousehold was with or example, regardless of the fact that theasthma. nPort4h, an entirEefaiywas lost Sarigamysh school was moved to Mikaillyas a result of tuberculosis and poor w ~village, classes are not held. There are noPeople tend to go tostte hospitals and cins teachers in the village and teachers fromfor treatinof tubexuklsi;however,mostof outside cannot travel to Mikailly for lack ofthesickberedonotstandachanceof recevtg transportation. There is no way for childrentreatment Asompergsonsaid, . . oursin to study somewhere else. Thirty-fouris worse than even the refugees, butwe can't percent of the respondents indicatedtalk about it. At least the refugees have financial and work-related reasons for notinternational aid and teir health problems going to school, and 6 percent complainedare somewhat taken care of. Hee, we get si aout t school, beng to fareto traveland die, but nobody knows about it even just about the school being too far to traveloutside thesettlement........... "without adequate means of transportation.

Source; Focus group discussions, 1996

There ar hardly any jobs inSarigamysh village.The only available means of sustaining a

Deteriorating health conditions were also livehood are through fishing and ivestockreported in Astara region. Twenty percent raising. Jobs may be available inother villages,of the population in this region are in poor butthelackof traortand thepoorstateof the

healtindicated that their roadsmakecommutingalmostimpossible. Afterhealth was much better before being he local collective farm and the iine plant in

Neftdala closed down, residents were left withimpacted by the sea rise. On average, no employment oppor There are no

residents of this region were sick for 4.49 educational fcfflties in the vilae-floodngdays of one month. Cases of rheumatism, watershavemadetheschoolb unusable.tuberculosis, and asthma among peopleliving at the seashore increased. The number Of the total 56 households in Sarigamysh, 43of marshes and pools with dirty water also were completey ruined. Currtly 22 house-increased due to the fluctuations of sea holds remain in the sedlement (33.8 percent oflevels, which exacerbated sanitary the original). Some of these households had toconditions and led to a spread of contagious relocate to ote relatively sites within thediseases such as malaria and skin diseases. 3kmagesw.s edbtD,ikaye,abutHere, too, the number of snakes at the seashore has considerably increased. As in Source: Focus group discussions, 1996.

17


Astara residents also mentioned adverse According to the household survey, abouteffects of the rise of the sea level on 93 percent of households in Lenkoran haveeducation, which led to an increase in the electricity and everybody interviewed innumber of school absences. Fourteen Narimanabad has it. However, centralpercent of the population interviewed heating is unavailable for almost allmentioned financial problems as reasons for households interviewed, and central waterchildren not going to school. Generally, supply is low in Lenkoran (10 percent in theeducation possibilities for children from affected communities of the region).'4coastal communities have been considerablyrestricted. Children from households located Water Supply. The supply of drinkingin the remote parts of villages have to walk water is problematic in Neftchala region.long distances to get to school. Table 4 About 78 percent agree that their waterprovides a snapshot of people's views of the supply has worsened as a result of the seaperceived social infrastructure impacts of rise. Focus groups found out that drinkingthe sea rise. water is brought by trucks at a price of

70,000 manats per truck. Most householdscannot afford this amount, and are forced to

Table 4. Perceived Social Impacts of Rising Sea drink salinized or dirty water, or carryLevels in Coastal Communities of Neftchala, water from far away, on foot. There is alsoLenkoran and Astara

no drinking water for animals, which causes% Households who find a livestock to perish as they are forced to

Problem particular problem important drink salty sea water.Neftchala Lenkoran Astara

Health problems Availability of good quality drinkingbecame more acute 70 44 60 water also constitutes a serious problem for

people living in affected cities of AstaraEducation levels fell 62 16 37 region. For example, 97 percent of

Housing is destroyed 88 83 96 households say that good quality drinkingwater is not available, and 90 percent link

___ _- __ their worsening local water supply to theSource: Caspian Sea Communities Household rise of the Caspian Sea. The local populationSurvey, 1996. uses water from wells for drinking;

however, due to the rise of the sea, thewater in shallow wells has become saline

Impacts on Local Infrastructure and there are even cases where seweragewaters have nmxed with drinking water

According to the focus group from wells. Currently, people living at theparticipants, the road connecting Mayak-I seaside are forced to bring drinking watervillage and the regional center is in poor from the upper part of the town, but thisshape. This is verified by the household water, too, is not of good quality.survey, which shows that almost everybodyin Mayak-I agrees that the sea rise ruined The majority of the householdstheir transportation and communication interviewed reported that they werelines. The physical damage caused by sea affected by the rise of the sea level one wayrise in other villages is similar. or another (84 percent in Neftchala, 91

percent in Lenkoran, and 93 percent inElectricity is supplied on an irregular Astara). About 34 percent in Neftchala were

basis to the affected communities. completely flooded by the Caspian at some

18

Background

Narimanabad village, Lenkoran regior, was affected from all directions as it is located on an island. Thee usedto be 1,732 households in Narimanabad, of which about $00 were affected: over 200 of hese were oompetelydestroyed. Some affected households received aid in cash (300,0 manats per household) and constructionmaterials (5 sacks of cement per household but tuese measures compensated for only a small portion of thedamage incurred, and did not satisfy the local people. There are reports of land allotments (60 square miles);however, the piee of land are too small, and too far away from the city. Even if people had the means tomove to those land plots, they would not be able to sustain a living on them.

Residents who used to iive in the flooded parts of Narimanabad village did not move out of the village,choosing instead, to relocate to other parts of Narinanabad. These households' conditions are particularlybad: they lack access to even basic uWities Only a few residents succeeded in salvaging their property.

In Shahagaci village, where many houses on the shoreline were completely ried, the situation is even worse.The distance between shoreline homes and tie sea used to be between 01,000 n. before the sea levels rose.Today, mosthouses are less than 500 m. away from the sea, and are thus in a constant state of danger, especilyduring high tides andstrong winds. The sea washes away wals and groundwork of tese houses. In total, 85

houses in the village were reported to be directly affected by the water. Of this number, 40 were completelydestroyed. The rest face a similar fate.

Source. Focus group discussions, 1996.

point, and 59 percent reported partial Neftchala than in other regions areflooding. More than 90 percent indicated completely flooded, more land plots havethat their land plots were rendered useless become useless, and access to farmland fromas a result of flooding (Table 5). the city is blocked in many instances. Not

surprisingly, people in Neftchala moreAlthough the situation is similar in other commonly link the reasons for their poor

regions, Neftchala residents report a more living conditions directly to the sea rise inacute deterioration in living conditions. contrast to the residents of Lenkoran andAbout twice as many households in Astara. With respect to communications

Table 5. Type of Adverse Household-Specific Impacts of theEnvironmental Disaster (percent of households)

Neftchala Lenkoran Astara

Impacts on the homes 84 91 92House partially flooded 59 57 69House completely flooded 34 20 20Yard flooded and became useless 97 91 92

Impacts on infrastructureRoads to farmnlands blocked 97 76 82Electricity and communication lines

to house ruined 68 62 68Drinking water supply worsened 95 99 97


19


and electricity infrastructure as well as houses on their own, and were not able toaccess to drinking water, all three regions take most of their property with them. Someare similarly affected by the sea rise. moved to the house of their relatives, others

moved into public buildings, while someFocus group discussions and household households failed to find any refuge, and

visits in Lenkoran revealed that people in had to stay in the affected areas. Regardlesssome homes lived practically in water: first of the fact-that households affected by thefloors of multi-story buildings were filled water were offered new sites in safe parts ofwith water, so families live on the upper the town, no construction work isfloors. Snakes and other bugs were underway there, due to a lack of finances.commonplace-when one interviewerwanted a demonstration, household In Neftchala, the impact of sea rise on theresidents went downstairs and promptly livelihood of people in terms of theirreturned with a snake to show her. economic situation and hopes for the futureRegardless of the fact that plots in the safe is severe. Most households in coastalpart of the village were allocated for settlements are completely ruined: theirhouseholds affected by the water, people gardens have perished, and their land isdid not have the means to construct new salinized. Local authorities allocated plots inhouses. Although families living in houses safe areas of the region for residents ofwhich were completely destroyed found Subh, Mayak-I and Yenikend, but villagersrefuge in different parts of the village there are unwilling to move to these new plots,appeared to be a general resistance to leave. mainly due to lack of money, and becauseThe fact that many of those who were the small size of these land plots makes itallocated land by the government elsewhere nearly impossible to raise livestock,in the settlement or the region did not fare vegetables, or fruits.well, and had severe difficulties in buildingtheir homes, had much to with the peoples' Perceived impacts of the rising level ofapparent willingness to continue to live in the Caspian Sea were not confined tohomes largely inundated by floods. economic and social problems. Residents of

coastal communities were particularlyThe coastal part of Astara city in the articulate about their concern with

Astara region has been severely affected by ecological damage caused by the sea.the rise of the Caspian Sea. According to Indeed, there was far greater agreementresidents, there used to be three rows of among residents of all regions about thishouses at the seaside. All houses in the first damage (Table 6). Less clear to all wasrow were completely ruined and residents whether any of this damage washad to leave. The same happened in the reversible-many sought clarification andsecond row, but the majority of households scientifically valid explanations to addressin this row did not leave their homes, even their concems.when seriously impacted, because of theirinability to move, or reluctance to change Migration versus Relocationtheir lifestyles. About 150 houses arepartially affected and 50 households have Migration to other regions unaffected byalready moved because of the rising water the rising sea was not seen as a desirablein Astara town. option by most households in the coastal

communities. In Neftchala, only 24 percentFocus group discussions showed that of the households were willing to migrate.

most people in Astara moved from their Thirty-five percent in Lenkoran, and 17

20

Background

Table 6. Perceived Ecological Impacts of Rising Sea Levels in CoastalCommunities of Neftchala, Lenkoran, and Astara

Problem % Households who find a particular problem importantNeftchala Lenkoran Astara

Fish species endangered 81 82 49Water pollution became acute 88 98 96Salinization of land increased 100 98 99Formation of swamps spread 99 99 100Humidity increased 95 99 96


percent in Astara had the same view. For were also worried about employmentthose who wanted to migrate, the most opportunities or bad living conditions inimportant reason was the level of damage to other regions, and were reluctant to migratetheir homes. The second reason was the lack without prior reliable knowledge orof support provided by the regional and guarantee of employment, income andcentral government to their situation. Many assets.households indicated that while they didhave confidence in the future, they also An important portion (82 percent) ofknew that they would have to continually those who did not want to migrate felt thatrely on family, relatives, and friends to be even if things change for the worse, theyable to survive. Moving elsewhere was not would rather stay in their home towns andan option as it would result in loss of social move to places where water would notcapital. In Neftchala the majority of people affect them, than leave their communitiesfelt that living conditions elsewhere were (Table 7). The facts that Neftchala has oilbetter. This perception was less dominant in wells and foreign companies that produceother regions. oil, and Lenkoran and Astara are on an

important international railway (which theThe households that did not want to government hopes to restore), increase the

migrate offered, as a reason, their perceived opportunity cost of migration.unwillingness to change their lifestyle. As However, even relocation within a narrowmentioned earlier, to many this meant the geographical area is a source of concem todeprivation of social networks and the fear many, with implications of high opportunityof losing their community. Also, some costs in terms of potential loss of access tofamilies felt that they could stay in their social networks and basic infrastructure.homes until they were more directly affected Thus, while both the donors andby the rising sea. There were fears that life governnent were interested in relocation asin other regions would be similar to life in a potential remedy to the disaster, fewtheir own region. Therefore, a large portion people who were actually facing the relatedshowed willingness to move to other areas problems were eager to move. Table 7of the same village or region only in the presents the attitudes of people with regardevent that their homes and plots were to relocation.completely inundated by floods. People

21


Table 7. Attitudes toward Migration (percent of households)

Neftchala Lenkoran Astara

Willing to migrate. Priority reasons to migrate 24 35 17(among those who want to migrate)

Home seriously damaged 41 34 52Lack of government support 21 36 13Better life conditions in other places 7 2 0Notrustinthefuture 24 27 13Other reasonsa/ 7 1 22

Reasonsfornot wanting to leave settlement(among those who do not want to migrate)Unwilling to change lifestyle 40 36 44Home not affected yet 34 24 29Potential employment problems 2 6 8Potential bad living conditions 6 12 9Would not migrate; move to other parts of village 18 22 10

a / Other reasons for migration include family and health reasons.Source: Caspian Sea Communities Household Survey, 1996.

The Situation in Baku in summer houses at the coast-many ofthese recreation places are flooded now and

There are very few cases reported in trees and vegetables in their gardens haveBaku in which the rise of the Caspian Sea been killed by salty water.brought direct damage to households in thecity. These were mainly in the Govsany The rise of the Caspian Sea level affectssuburb of Baku and in summer cottages. the level of ground water under the city ofHowever, participants mentioned some Baku. The water table in some parts of thedamage to industrial enterprises of Baku. A city is reported to have risen by two metersnumber of industrial enterprises on the coast and its effects can be seen on the vegetationwere seriously affected such as a ship yard, in the city. Pollution from Baku City and itsharbor, and the Govsany fish plant. This surroundings goes directly into the sea andplant used to have a large production results in diminishing the number of fish incapacity. Now its capacity has considerably the sea. Some types of fish that can live indiminished and it is practically out of polluted water have been reported.operation.

Participants of the focus group in BakuSocial infrastructure in Baku has also evaluated environmental conditions in the

been affected by the rise of the Caspian Sea. city, in particular, and in Azerbaijan, inA number of beaches, boulevards and other general, as very bad, placing specialrecreational areas have fallen into disrepair importance on education. They mentionedpartially due to the rise of the sea level. that the rise of the sea level led to increasesResidents of Baku used to spend the summer in the number of contagious diseases and

22

Background

created favorable conditions for the spread Azerbaijan before the sea started to rise. It wasof infection. Water pipes in the city of Baku a popular place for people from around theare old and in poor shape. Leaks cause Soviet Union to come and spend theirpolluted water to mix with the drinking vacations. Because of that, there are manywater supply. And the rise of the sea level beautiful houses in the village and peoplewatersupply.nAnd the dtrutis of the seatle sometimes do not want to leave these houses

because of their previous value. The region ispipes. in a sub-tropical zone and the soil used to be

good for agriculture. Even though the groundMembers of the focus group believed water is salinized in coastal villages, there are

strongly that the resolution of the still areas in which small-scale agriculture canenvironmental problem caused by the rising still be undertaken.sea level should not to be left to Azerbaijanalone, but should be handled at the "Private Economies" refer to mostly informalinternational level. The felt it important that economic activities such as selling produces atan intemational institution or center be set the market. It can, in some cases, be illegal i.e.up in the Caspian Sea area to research the fishing and selling fish to neighbors andperiodicity of the rise in the Caspian Sea relatives.level for future forecasts and devise At first, people did not want to talk about beingprotection mechanisms. engaged in illegal fishing because fines are

heavy and there is favoritism on the part ofsome local authorities, who sometimes "finepeople they do not know well (or do not like)

These settlements are as follows: Neftchala and turn a blind eye to their friends andtown, Banke, Hasanabad, Sarigamysh, relatives doing the same thing." Local peopleMikailli, Gyzgayitli, Hakhverdili, Yenikend, say that whenever they feel they will not beMayak-I, Mayak-1I, Subh, Shirvankend, Yeni caught, they go for open sea fishing, that is, ifGyshlag, Khazar, Mirzabanly, Dalga, Kurdili they can find a boat in working order. Evenand Sahil villages. though people understand that the sturgeon

population is decreasing and fishing is doing2 Neftchala fish breeding plant; Kura mouth harm to it, they see fishing as the only way to

(Upper Kura) sturgeon breeding plant; Kura sustain their livelihood while waiting for themouth fishing industry; fish processing plant economic conditions to improve in their(750 tons of fish annually); Oryat pool facilities villages.(800-1,000 tons of fish annually).

9 People living in coastal regions think their3 For example, the plant used to release 10.7 situation is as bad as the conditions

million fingerlings a year. Currently, the experienced by the Internally Displaced Peopleproduction is down to 2.7 million fingerlings (IDPs) who are dispersed throughout theper year. country because of the conflict with Armenia.

However, they say 'we can't voice our4 Exchange rate at the time of the survey was complaints because it would not be

4,050 manats per one dollar. appropriate while there are 600,000 refugeesall over our country." Even though they need

5 About 40 percent in Neftchala, 13 percent in help, they are hesitant to ask for it.Lenkoran and 44 percent in the interviewedsettlements of Astara say that they lost their 10 One woman in a focus group in Neftchalajobs directly as a result of the Sea rise. region said "Once, during Soviet times, there

was an increase in mosquitoes around our6 According to focus group participants, village. Special people came from the capital

Lenkoran region was one of the best regions in and exterminated the mosquitoes and then

23


took care of the swampy areas. Now, the 13 Some people live on second and third floors ofsituation is much worse. We, our health, are all houses in which first floors are flooded. Theysuffering because of mosquitoes and all kinds say, ". . . we have snakes all over the place. As Iof other bugs, but no one seems to care about it. go to my bed at night, I always check under myWe need help to deal with this problem and we mattress to see if there are any snakes hidingneed it urgently." there, and almost always there is one there. .

In addition, favoritism is said to be an 14 Electricity is usually the only source of energyimportant problem in the affected available. Before, there were trees which couldcommunities. People claim that local state be cut down and burned to obtain heat inenterprises favor their own people who are emergencies; however, salinization of the landusually relatives or close friends of managers has caused all these trees to die and new onesof these enterprises. In some cases, people are are not growing, so the wood supply is gone.put out of their jobs because somebody else Most households use their ovens as a heater,who knew an important person was placed in trying to obtain heat while food is beingthe same job. This naturally decreases trust in cooked. The unreliability of the supply oflocal administrations and increases the sense electricity is another serious threat to theseof helplessness that appears to prevail in these people's livelihood.once dynamic coastal communities.

According to the survey and in-depth12 A resident of Lenkoran region said ".. .Only interviews, most residents felt that it was

this morning I saw a snake with its tongue out important for scientific studies to be carried outstaring at me. My son told me not to come close to identify protective measures.to the snake. . ."

24

3. Recommendations Proposed byResidents of Affected Communities

The people involved in in-depth Digging a new canal from the Kurainterviews, focus groups, and household River to the sea, to ensure the flow of thesurveys were eager that measures be taken Kura's waters into the sea, enable theto improve their livelihoods. To this end they fishing boats to move, and restore fishinghoped to receive international assistance. stationsThey proposed many ideas for improvingtheir situation. However, they felt that they Supplying necessary means (boat, fuel,did not have the required information to net, etc.) to help create fishing teams.make informed decisions.' For example, due Reconstruction of the fish plant wouldto the seasonal fluctuations in the sea level, help the local economy through sales ofmost people falsely believed that the sea fingerlings.would not rise any more, and therefore, didnot invest in shore protection. In fact, Participants of the focus group discussionforecasts showed that the sea is likely to rise in Lenkoran stated that Goyshaban villageanother 1 - 1½/2 meters. When presented with in Lenkoran was good at raising vegetablesthese forecasts, people felt it important to and crops, and fishing, and that it was-receive timely and accurate information on possible to promote these industries in thethe sea level rise and on protection village. Villagers have the necessary know-measures. how for fishing. It was clear from the focus

group discussion that residents of bothSpecific protection measures suggested by Goyshaban and Lenkoran used to have

the coastal communities of Neftchala were higher incomes. Their main sources ofparticularly interesting: these were based on income were salaries eamed in the statethe assumption that the sea level would sector, revenues from fishing, and yields oncease to rise. Residents here suggested the their personal plots. However, currently, thefollowing recommendations: potential for all these activities is severely

limited. Figure 6 summarizes people'sConstructing drainage works in the recommendations for measures to mitigatedelta of the Kura River to deepen it and problems caused by the Sea rise.to restore the operation of fishing boats.This measure, residents believed, would Many of the priority improvementsallow fish to swim into the mouth of the expected by people require heavyriver and to revitalize the operation of involvement of the central govemment andfishing stations international organizations. Trust in the

25


Figure 6. Priority Interventions to Cope vwth Sea Level Rise

18Protect enterprises and 13

fishing tacilities 2 |]3 AstaraU Lenkoran. ....... ].....I. ... t....l1

Create specialfund LE] _ ___ _ Neftchala

Construct shore protection 4 7 ~ ~ 3wall - = =3

Involve Intemational 290 Organizations 36

Design Govemment 236integrated program 236

Use scientific methods to 'define protection measures 13

0 5 10 i5 20 25 30 35 40


local and regional government institutions Coastal settlement residents also believe ithas been shaken. Because the natural would be possible to adopt measuresdisaster coincided with a period in which through use of modem technology.the government lacked the means to provide Specifically, they mentioned that it ispeople with appropriate assistance, people possible to perform shore reinforcementfelt particularly abandoned by the works and referred to efforts undertaken ongovernment. The government was able to their own and successful experience of theprovide only a minimal amount of aid to railway agency. People in the settlementsthose who were severely affected by the sea included in the SA have already undertakenrise and the recipients were largely some shore reinforcement works on theirunsatisfied. In spite of that, the majority of own, but these efforts are piecemeal and arethe households favor government-led not adequate to protect the large-scaleintegrated projects, which encompass a damage to houses in the villages.large set of measures as compared to stand-alone prevention methods. They also favor _ _

the idea of international organization andexperts' involvement in protection measures. l According to the survey and in-depthFigure 7 presents the priority of stakeholder interviews, most residents felt that it wasresponsibilities as identified by the important for scientific studies to be carried outrespondents in coastal communities. to identify protective measures.

26

percert of houteholil

0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~

Govemment , ii

¢=D' _ .''"""" '""""'" '~~. ........ .\ ....

o Intemational \Organizations .

S § Loul _.,, ....

Cl) ~~~Local .

Adminisbtabons

Special

'.I II I Commdfeesto be tr iI " I

a_led I: .

I

4. Epilogue

The SA presented in this report lacks the is partially a result of lack of funding of therigor and depth of analysis of many other NEAP and the follow-up investment project;SAs carried out in the ECA Region of the the SA team's participation in the work ofWorld Bank. Therefore, it is important to re- the technical team assessing the investmentiterate the reasons for this publication and project was not solicited because of lack ofexplain why the SA team wanted to share funds.the results with a broader audience.

The SA has a third weakness relating toAs summarized in Part I of this report, the effort devoted to analyzing the relatively

this SA represents a partial effort in two large body of information gathered on thesenses. First, instead of providing an Caspian communities. The data wereunderstanding of environmental concerns of presented only with sub-regionalmiany different groups in Azerbaijan as an breakdowns, rather than exploringinput to the preparation of the NEAP and to differences in the views of significant socialthe identification of follow-up priority groups (men and women; younger andactions to be included in an investment older residents; and occupational groups).project, the SA focuses on the victims of the This was by design; there was a high level ofCaspian Sea environment disaster. This did agreement among residents of each regionnot happen by design of the SA; rather, the on perceived needs and recommendedinadequacy of funding made it impossible action; thus, analyses of data by gender,for the SA team to complete its work once age, occupational group did not revealthe Caspian communities were consulted. significant differences. Rather, the moreSecondly, the SA fell short of addressing all direct the adverse impacts of thefour of the basic principles of good SA environmental disaster on the household,practice and concentrates more heavily on the higher was the level of deterioration ofmaking information available about the living standards, the perceived failure ofaffected communities, their needs and public institutions to provide useful support,perceptions, and the actions that they and the reliance on the central govemmentrecommend be taken. It does not sufficiently and intemational financial institutions fordeal with institutional issues, the mitigation action.participatory framework for investmentprojects, or with monitoring and evaluation There were, nevertheless, good reasonsto measure development effectiveness of for sharing the SA results with a broaderactions adopted to improve environmental public despite the above mentionedconditions in the Republic. This situation too deficiencies.

28

Epilogue

* Many SAs carried out by the Bank- one -restoration of the sturgeonfinanced projects are partial in terms of hatchery -directly responds to the callsgeographical coverage, rigor in of the victims of the disaster andinformation collection and analysis, and provides mitigation against some of theadherence to the four principles of SA adverse economic and ecological impacts"Good Practice." It is therefore useful to of the rising sea level. Anothermake available explicit information component-capacity building-alsoabout a partial SA. partially addresses the need of the

affected populations for timely and

* The information contained in the report reliable forecasts on changes in the seadeals with the problems and level.expectations of direct victims of one ofthe world's best known environmental * The report also shows how broad thedisasters: the rising of the Caspian Sea. It needs of the affected populations are,is therefore important to make this and how difficult it would be toinformation public. formulate affordable mitigation

measures to deal with the remaining

* While the SA might have been partial in damage caused by the Caspian Seaterms of the preparation of the NEAP, it disaster. Indeed, the SA shows that thenevertheless provided a direct input to investment project will only address athe investment project that resulted from very modest part of the neededthe NEAP process. Of the three major investment package required to mitigatecomponents of the investment project, the disaster.

29

SOC IAL DEVELOPMENT

Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development NetworkThe World Bank1818 H Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20433 USA

Fax: 202-522-3247E-mail: [email protected]

social assessment of the azerbai an national environmental … · 2016. 8. 29. · systematically...

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