Abbey Abramson

  Mangroves and forest ongoing maintenance What to put in contracts so trees live Pay for survival, not planting Milestone payments at 12 and 36 months are tied to independent survival audits (with methods published). Species-site rules based on ecological zoning (e.g., pioneers on seaward edge, higher-salinity-tolerant species in exposed sites; no planting on historic seagrass beds). Remote verification requires geotagged plot maps and publishes drone- and satellite-based checks, allowing the public to verify canopy growth (Primavera manual; CBMR) (Primavera et al., 2012). Build tenure and benefit-sharing into the design Consent and rights : where indigenous or customary rights exist, secure Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) ; define who owns wood and non-wood products. Benefit-sharing contracts : publish the percentages and timing; let communities track payments—lessons echo REDD+ research on transparent BSMs (CIFOR-ICRAF, 2023).  O&M for forests (yes, really) F...

  Operation and maintenance budgets for flood controls O&M Budgets: the new corruption frontier Well-built assets still fail without operation & maintenance. In drainage systems, annual desilting, trash rack cleaning, weed control, lubricant changes, and electrical checks keep systems alive. When O&M lines are neglected or never maintained, risk accumulates quietly until the first major storm. Global practice recognizes O&M as a distinct contract type (e.g., management/O&M/O&M PPP contracts), with specific deliverables and service-level agreements; however, many adaptation projects celebrate commissioning and overlook the decade that follows (World Bank PPP/O&M notes) (PPP Knowledge Lab). Corruption risks migrate into O&M in three ways: Chronic under-budgeting so emergency direct awards become the norm (see Chapter 4). Ghost maintenance: invoices for pump servicing with no actual work; dredging measured in paperwork, not in cubic meters removed. Co...