Second Programmatic Development Policy Loan for Sustainable Development

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This document is for a Second Programmatic Development Policy Loan for Sustainable Development (SusDevDPL II) to the government of Colombia. This development policy loan (DPL) is the second in a series of three loans supporting the government's efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Specifically, the program has the following objectives: (i) improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the National Environmental System (SINA); and (ii) integrating principles of sustainable development into key sectors, with a particular emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable groups. The program supports developing a results-based framework for planning and monitoring progress of the Sistema Nacional de Ambiente (SINA) toward goals directly linked with sustainable development and achievement o f the MDGs; improvements in inter-institutional coordination and increased public participation in decision-making; and preparation of critical policies and regulations related to air quality, water quality, solid waste management, and environmental licensing. The SusDevDPL Program has clear poverty implications, given that environmental degradation disproportionately affects the poor and most vulnerable populations, and thus increases inequality. Improvements in air quality, water quality, and hygiene in urban centers will lead to decreased morbidity and mortality from diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory illnesses and other health effects, and allow for reductions in avertive expenditures to address health risks. Increased accountability, transparency, and improved public participation will provide the most vulnerable groups a voice in environmental decision-making.