Environment and Development

Introduction

As one of the wealthiest regions in the world, the EU takes its responsibility to cooperate with the developing world seriously. EU Official Development Assistance (ODA) goes to more than 100 developing countries worldwide and amounts to over €43 billion a year. This currently accounts for around 55% of the world's total development aid and makes the Union the world’s largest donor. The European Union ODA is mainly targeted towards achieving long-term development goals (poverty reduction in the context of sustainable development, Millennium Development Goals) but is also used in conflict resolution, humanitarian aid and reconstruction/rehabilitation programmes. A considerable amount of funding also goes towards environmental projects and programmes in the developing world.

Environment, Development and Poverty

Eradication of poverty and sustainable development are the global objectives of development cooperation. There are numerous links between poverty, development and environment.

A healthy environment and equitable access to environmental goods and services are amongst the key factors underpinning sustainable development processes. Poor people in developing countries are, much more than others, dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods: their activities are based on access to and exploitation of natural resources and environmental goods and they are also suffering more from environmental degradation and disasters. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment provides further background and explanations on this issue.

Furthermore, development strategies, plans and programs cause environmental impacts which, in some extreme cases, may even undermine development efforts. It is therefore of utmost importance to integrate environmental concerns from the earliest stages of the definition and programming of development cooperation all the way through implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

The EU has been working to integrate environmental concerns into its development policy for the past years. While developing countries are responsible for identifying and responding to environmental issues that arise within their borders, it is important that EU development co-operation should support environmental protection efforts.

Political framework

In 2005, the EU adopted the European Consensus on Development, a joint policy adopted by the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament. It sets out a new framework that will enable improving the better integration of environment in development cooperation policies, strategies and programs. First of all, the overall objective of EU development cooperation is the "eradication of poverty in the context of sustainable development". Environment is also identified as one of the possible sectors that may be selected as a priority. Finally, it states that the Commission should systematically undertake Strategic Environmental Assessments when appropriate.

Published in 2006, the Court of Auditors' report on the integration of environment in the EC development cooperation recognises that progress has been made but asks the Commission to increase its efforts and several concrete recommendations are made in this respect.

The new European development policy requires that environment and sustainable management of natural resources be treated as a crosscutting issue to be integrated into all development activities. It can also be included as a focus of action in country and regional support strategies, for example through support for:

management and protection of forests, water, marine resources and biodiversity
access to sustainable energy
climate change , desertification and soil degradation
sustainable management of chemicals and waste
sustainable production and consumption

The Commission's environment integration strategy outlines how the EU can best help developing countries to respond to environmental challenges as they work to reduce poverty.

In 2009, after consultations with the Member States and Civil Society as well as other organisations, the Commission adopted Staff Working Document SEC2009(555) to report on the implementation of the 2001 environment integration strategy.

Subsequently, the European Council adopted on 25 June 2009 25 June Conclusions which inter alia invited the Commission to set up an appropriate framework, consisting of the Commission and Member States, to prepare and monitor the implementation of the EU approach to environment integration, and to prepare an ambitious EU wide environment integration strategy, to be presented to the Council by late 2011.

International Cooperation

The Commission is actively involved in international donor coordination on these issues. It supports and takes an active part in the work of the Poverty Environment Initiative, which provides a platform for donor agencies, multilateral institutions and Civil Society Organisations to exchange experiences, undertake specific studies and promote the integration of environmental concerns into the development cooperation agenda. The OECD-DAC Network on Environment and Development Cooperation is another international body active on these issues, providing data and guidance.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are fully integrated in EC development cooperation policy and DG Environment pays particular attention to MDG7 on environmental sustainability.

Environment and development in EC context: concretely

There are two types of financial allocations through which funding for environment in development cooperation can be secured:

The geographical allocations, relating to country or regional funding envelopes, such as the European Development Fund (EDF) for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries;
The thematic programs, of which the Environment, Natural Resources, including energy, Thematic Program (ENRTP) will ensure funding for environment related issues at global level. The ENRTP can not be used to fund programs in specific countries.

The Commission efforts to mainstream environment into development cooperation led to the setting-up of a "Helpdesk on environment integration". Its three main tasks for the years 2004-2007 are 1) training of staff and stakeholders, 2) provision of tailor-made support services to the Commission desk officers and delegations and 3) update of the manual on environment integration (finalised in December 2006 and available in English, French and Spanish).

For the 2007-2013 programming cycle, the Country and Regional Strategy Papers (CSPs and RSPs), developed jointly by the Partner Country and the Commission, have to integrate several elements related to environment integration.

First of all, a Country Environmental Profile should be prepared. Its executive summary will appear as an annex to the CSP and a specific chapter on the country environmental situation will be drafted on this basis. The design of the response strategy should take into account its findings and recommendations.
Environment may be selected as one of the focal or non-focal sectors.
Environment has to be mainstreamed into the focal and non-focal sectors strategies and programmes. All proposals must be screened to identify potential environmental impacts. A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will be undertaken if such impacts can be expected. In some cases, like for example roads or infrastructure projects, detailed Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) will be prepared.

Additional information on these elements/tools can be found on the Helpdesk website.

Monitoring

In order to monitor the impact of EU co-operation programmes and policies, the Commission is developing detailed internal performance criteria. In the meantime, the OECD’s sustainable development indicators will be used.