Strategic Environmental, Social and Climate Assessment (ESSC) for the Sustainable Development of the Capricorn Bioceanic Corridor

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) invites specialized consulting firms to submit their proposals to carry out the Strategic Environmental, Social and Climate Assessment (SESCA) aimed at sustainable development and regional integration of the Capricorn Bioceanic Corridor (CBC) in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay.

The study will assess the direct, indirect and cumulative risks and impacts arising from infrastructure projects in transport, energy, mining (including lithium), agriculture and logistics, proposing mitigation measures, climate-smart alternatives and planning tools aligned with the IDB's Environmental and Social Policy Framework (ESPF) and the Paris Agreement.

1. Technical scope and strategic axes

Analysis of cumulative and indirect impacts: Macro assessment of climate risks, land use change, deforestation, GHG emissions and effects on biodiversity in critical and natural habitats.

Valuable Ecosystem Components (VECs): Identification and vulnerability analysis of environmental, socio-cultural and economic VECs to natural hazards and projected climate scenarios.

Territorial rights and inclusion: Sociocultural assessment with emphasis on indigenous peoples and traditional communities, physical/economic displacement, gender gaps, and prior consultation safeguards (PIEC).

GIS geospatial platform: Development of a geospatial platform in GIS software (such as ArcGIS Online) with data layers (shapefiles) and two differentiated interfaces: an internal one for decision-making and project evaluation, and an external one for transparency and public disclosure.

2. Key implementation activities

Stakeholder mapping and participatory consultation: Comprehensive mapping of public institutions, private companies, social organizations and local communities. Execution of preparation and dissemination workshops.

Regulatory analysis and comparative cases: Diagnosis of institutional capacities, analysis of regulatory gaps against international standards and extraction of lessons learned from other regional corridors.

Scenario modeling: Benchmarking development trajectories (low, medium, and high) that includes socio-environmental trade-offs, climate resilience, and green financing opportunities.

Regional outreach workshops: Conducting at least four (4) hybrid outreach workshops (minimum one per country), including a presentation at the CBC Health and Sustainability Committee in Antofagasta.

3. Expected deliverables

Deliverable 1 — Kick-off report: Detailed work plan, executive timeline, approach methodology, and initial stakeholder map.

Deliverable 2 — Scoping Report: Document review, methodological delimitation of analysis (corridor level vs. project) and Stakeholder Participation Plan.

Deliverable 3 — Draft ESSC, GIS platform and recommendations: Consolidated report of the ESSC, delivery of the operational geospatial platform and strategic guidelines for policy, governance and investment.

Deliverable 4 — Reports of preparation and dissemination workshops: Systematization of minutes, disaggregated registration of participants, matrix of comments received and final adjusted version of the SESCA.

Note: Interested companies should review the requirements on the BEO Bidder Portal. TheInter-AmericanDevelopmentBank(IDB)invitesspecializedconsultingfirmstosubmittheirproposalstocarryouttheStrategicEnvironmental,SocialandClimateAssessment(SESCA)aimedatsustainabledevelopmentandregionalintegrationoftheCapricornBioceanicCorridor(CBC)inArgentina,Brazil,ChileandParaguay.Thestudywillassessthedirect,indirectandcumulativerisksandimpactsarisingfrominfrastructureprojectsintransport,energy,mining(includinglithium),agricultureandlogistics,proposingmitigationmeasures,climate-smartalternativesandplanningtoolsalignedwiththeIDB'sEnvironmentalandSocialPolicyFramework(ESPF)andtheParisAgreement.1.TechnicalscopeandstrategicaxesAnalysisofcumulativeandindirectimpacts:Macroassessmentofclimaterisks,landusechange,deforestation,GHGemissionsandeffectsonbiodiversityincriticalandnaturalhabitats.ValuableEcosystemComponents(VECs):Identificationandvulnerabilityanalysisofenvironmental,socio-culturalandeconomicVECstonaturalhazardsandprojectedclimatescenarios.Territorialrightsandinclusion:Socioculturalassessmentwithemphasisonindigenouspeoplesandtraditionalcommunities,physical/economicdisplacement,gendergaps,andpriorconsultationsafeguards(PIEC).GISgeospatialplatform:DevelopmentofageospatialplatforminGISsoftware(suchasArcGISOnline)withdatalayers(shapefiles)andtwodifferentiatedinterfaces:aninternalonefordecision-makingandprojectevaluation,andanexternalonefortransparencyandpublicdisclosure.2.KeyimplementationactivitiesStakeholdermappingandparticipatoryconsultation:Comprehensivemappingofpublicinstitutions,privatecompanies,socialorganizationsandlocalcommunities.Executionofpreparationanddisseminationworkshops.Regulatoryanalysisandcomparativecases:Diagnosisofinstitutionalcapacities,analysisofregulatorygapsagainstinternationalstandardsandextractionoflessonslearnedfromotherregionalcorridors.Scenariomodeling:Benchmarkingdevelopmenttrajectories(low,medium,andhigh)thatincludessocio-environmentaltrade-offs,climateresilience,andgreenfinancingopportunities.Regionaloutreachworkshops:Conductingatleastfour(4)hybridoutreachworkshops(minimumonepercountry),includingapresentationattheCBCHealthandSustainabilityCommitteeinAntofagasta.3.ExpecteddeliverablesDeliverable1—Kick-offreport:Detailedworkplan,executivetimeline,approachmethodology,andinitialstakeholdermap.Deliverable2—ScopingReport:Documentreview,methodologicaldelimitationofanalysis(corridorlevelvs.project)andStakeholderParticipationPlan.Deliverable3—DraftESSC,GISplatformandrecommendations:ConsolidatedreportoftheESSC,deliveryoftheoperationalgeospatialplatformandstrategicguidelinesforpolicy,governanceandinvestment.Deliverable4—Reportsofpreparationanddisseminationworkshops:Systematizationofminutes,disaggregatedregistrationofparticipants,matrixofcommentsreceivedandfinaladjustedversionoftheSESCA.Note:InterestedcompaniesshouldreviewtherequirementsontheBEOBidderPortal.

Executing unit: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

IDB project: RG-T4776

Contact: kanain@iadb.org

Financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).