Ex-post Evaluation

1-1. Background of the Project

In 1993, the Government of Mexico submitted an official request to the Government of Japan for cooperation in the development of the National Center for Environmental Research and Training (CENICA). Accepting this request, the Government of Japan, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), implemented a joint project with the National Institute of Ecology (INE) for two years from July 1995 to build the physical and institutional foundation of CENICA. Building on this foundation, the National Center for Environmental Research and Training (Phase II) Project was initiated in July 1997 by INE and JICA for the purpose of the further institutional development of CENICA as well as its technical capacity development in the areas of air-pollution and hazardous waste. This Phase II Project was extended for two years until June 2002 in order to fully achieve the objectives of the project.

1-2. Project Overview

(1) Overall Goal

To improve the ability of environmental protection in the United Mexican States

(2) Project Purpose

Structures and activities of the National Center for Environmental Research and Training

(3) Outputs

1) The management of CENICA is improved.

2) Facilities and equipment necessary for environmental research and training are effectively used by counterpart personnel.

3) Technical information related to the establishment of the environmental protection standards is provided to relevant Mexican authorities.

4) Knowledge and techniques of federal government officials, local authorities and industry personnel on environmental protection are improved.

5) The role of CENICA in data collection and publications related to environmental matters (particularly air pollution and hazardous waste) is improved.

(4) Inputs (as of the Project’s termination)

Japanese side:

Mexican side:

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact

The Project had various impacts that were principally positive. The Overall Goal of the project was considered to be achieved but only to the extent that such improvements have not resulted in the actual improvements in the quality of environment. The project contributed to the achievement of the Overall Goal through the capacity development of CENICA. The principal positive impacts of the Project but not intended in the project framework were that; 1) CENICA was promoted to be a General Direction of the National Institute of Ecology; and 2) CENICA became a regional center to provide technical advisory and assistance in Latin America in the field of air pollution control and waste management. No particular unintended negative impact was observed.

(2) Sustainability

Sustainability of the Project is considered to be firm. Although CENICA has not grown in terms of its number of personnel and its budget scale since the end of the Project, it has developed institutionally, which was supported by the fact that CENICA has taken greater responsibilities in the Federal Government and often represented the Federal Government in various international environmental meetings and negotiations. CENICA has also developed technically based on the foundation of the Project, which was demonstrated by the fact that CENICA has undertaken plentiful research and training activities independently. This self-reliant technical and institutional development process is quite likely to continue in the future considering its sound policies of the human resources development and the investments in its infrastructure, i.e. the equipment in particular.

3-2. Factors that have promoted project

(1) Impact

The determination of the government toward the better environmental protection as well as the good economic performance of the nation in recent years were considered to be positive factors for the Project.

(2) Sustainability

The policy environment has been favorable for sustainable development of CENICA by having generated strong demands for the services of CENICA.

3-3. Factors that have inhibited project

(1) Impact

No perticular impedous factor was observed.

(2) Sustainability

No perticular impedous factor was observed.

3-4. Conclusions

Overall, the Project is considered to be successful in terms of both its Impact and Sustainability. Considering the current strong demands for the services of CENICA, it has significant positive impacts on the environmental management in the country, and will continue to develop sustainably.

3-5. Recommendations

For the Mexican federal government

Like many other countries, the government organizasions for the environmental administration are relatively new and have not had time to increase their personnel more than a sufficient level. On the other hand, the social demand for the environmental administration is growing and becoming more complex. Therefore, although the current federal government policy of reducing the number of officials is sound, it requires cautions to apply the policy to the branch for the environmental administration.

For CENICA

In Mexico, state and municipal authorities are given heavy responsibilites of the management of air pollution and wastes, without having sufficient resources and capabilities. Hence, CENICA shall expand its training, research and advisory services intended for state and municipal authorities. This will be the most direct way of contribution for CENICA toward the improvement of the environmental quality.

It is worth considering to publish working papers on its web-site in order to stimulate the research activities.

It is important to construct a system and nurture an organizational culture of sharing the experience and knowledge among its staff for the purpose of securing the sustainable institutional development. Since the replacement of staff inevitably occurs from time to time, transfer of experience and knowledge from the outgoing staff members to remaining and new staff members is vital in order to prevent their loss. Without such a system and a culture, there will be no accumulation of experience and knowledge as an institution.

3-6. Lessons Learned

It was observed that one of the significant advantages of CENICA was that it has both functions of research and training (including consultancy and advisory) because they give beneficial effects to each other. A lesson learned here is that when considering to establish an institute for environmental research or training, it would be beneficial to assign it to the both.

Another advantage of CENICA is that it is located in the Metropolitan Autonomous University and has access to the university libraries. It is a good option to establish a government research institute inside an university in order to save the cost for purchasing reference materials.

3-7. Follow-up Situation

JICA has been developing several projects with CENICA since the Project ended. Those include projects for the capacity development of environmental management in Mexico as well as for the asistance to other countries in Latin America.