Namibia PDNA 2009 - GFDRR

NB: as a first approximation, all park visitor revenue in Kavango
and Caprivi was estimated to derive from international tourists.
International and domestic revenues were estimated separately
for Etosha, hence the relative reduction in the impact on
balance of payments.
Early recovery
Given that the damages and losses evaluated in Table above
fall entirely within the public sector, there is little direct impact
on local communities. There were reports of loss of access to
wild spinach varieties which form an important complement to
local diets in the oshanas. In the floodplains of the north-east,
the common property resources most relied on by locals, fish
and grasses, will probably be more abundant this year as a result
of the flooding. Wildlife conflict does appear to have been an
issue in certain locations, but when compared to background
rates and the scale of agricultural damages caused directly by
flooding, the incremental impact of wildlife is likely more of a
localized irritation than a serious impact.
The most serious environmental issue for local people remains
the potential for indirect impacts in the oshanas due to the
additional pressure of displaced people and for housing material
on already highly stressed resources. Significant environmental
deterioration has been underway in the oshanas for a couple
of decades and is well-recognized as an issue. However, its
solution will be a lengthy process that goes well beyond the
recovery from the 2009 floods. If relief and recovery activities
are not well managed, there is a serious risk of temporarily
aggravating the situation, but in a broader perspective, the
floods are beneficial to the system and it is drought and
desertification that pose the real threat when overlaid on top
of continuing human pressures.
Recovery Framework and Needs
Summary goals & principles
The environmental recovery goal is to manage immediate
impacts and restore damaged assets in a manner that reduces
both disaster and environmental risks.
In the case of the impacts enumerated specifically within this
section that is relatively straightforward. For other sectors,
it will necessitate a broad range of principles, including that
reconstructed roads are subject to proper environmental
engineering and drainage provision, and that building
reconstruction does not deplete local resources. These
principles must be included within each sector as appropriate.
Needs
Needs taken directly from the environmental damages and
losses (Table 89) comprise the repair costs for the roads in
protected areas, the additional wildlife management costs
incurred at Etosha and in Caprivi, and the additional waste
management costs incurred in Oshikoto.
Needs associated with risk reduction to be accounted in this
section comprise of the costs of upgrading affected protected
area roads to be more resistant to future flooding, and of
upgrading the additional refuse tip to a properly engineered
landfill to mitigate risks of further environmental degradation.
Based on assessments of park authorities, each of the three
damaged roads will cost an additional N$2-3m to upgrade
beyond the baseline repair cost. The total cost is therefore
estimated at an additional N$7.5m.
Based on the volume of the refuse dumps (roughly 50x50x5m),
the capacity of the new disposal site is estimated at roughly
10,000t. At a landfill cost US 20/t (based on international
comparisons for small-scale landfills), the upgrade equates to
a total cost of US$200,000. The incremental cost of upgrading
the open dump site is therefore roughly estimated at N$1m,
beyond the initial cost of N$500,000 for an un-engineered
site. It should be noted, however, that landfill costs are very
dependent on local conditions and economies of scale, and
therefore a specific assessment would be needed to design
and cost the facility.
The main environmental capacity need is to strengthen the
ability to manage watershed and floodplain management,
including appropriate environmental impact review for projects
within sensitive areas. This will be incorporated into the overall
recommendations on river basin management, however, and is
not separately accounted here.
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