ID: 1808
Presenting Author: Aradhna Mathur
Session: 652 - EA in Latin America: Bridging Infrastructure and Communities for Sustainable Development
Status: pending
The quality and dynamics of information flow can influence environmental and social outcomes during project implementation.
The World Bank Environmental and Social Framework emphasizes transparency and stakeholder engagement, yet many development projects, including those in the Caribbean, still approach communication as a one-way disclosure exercise. When information flow is overly technical, fragmented or delayed, it weakens understanding among affected communities and interested parties, enabling misinformation and resistance that threaten project performance.
The presentation will explore how the quality and dynamics of information flow influences environmental and social outcomes during project implementation. Using examples from World Bank – financed infrastructure projects in the Caribbean, it will demonstrate how communication bottlenecks — between project management units, consultants, and community stakeholders — can impact Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) effectiveness and stakeholder trust.
Strong information systems are critical to credibility of impact assessments, environmental and social compliance and social cohesion. Strengthening two-way information flow transforms communication from a mere procedural requirement into an important driver of sustainable development outcomes.
Aradhna Mathur is an environmental specialist with over 20 years of experience working on environmental risk management across developmental projects.
Coauthor 1: Svetlana Khvostova