Environment & natural resources
Support for biodiversity, water and energy and the fight against climate change are key areas for Community development cooperation, as stated in the European Consensus on Development 
. Environmental sustainability is also one of the Millennium Development Goals.
Story from the field
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National Forest Programme Facility
The National Forest Programme Facility in 2007 reached 60 partner countries. It aims to establish a consensus on how to address forest related issues at the national level and integrate sustainable forest management in order to tackle poverty. -
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Centre for Biodiversity
The Project leads to the establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, a regional organisation with mandate to support ASEAN Member States in their effort to formulate and coordinate their biodiversity conservation policies. -
Conservation of the Bismarck and Solomon Seas
The Bismarck and Solomon Seas region covers 2000 km of coastline in New Guinea and a string of islands from the Bismarck archipelago to the Solomon Islands. It is of international, national and local significance in terms of marine biodiversity.
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What's On
Press Pack- World Water Week 2011
22 August 2011 - The World Water Week takes place between 21st and 27th August in Stockholm. It is a forum where experts gather together to discuss how they can make sure that people in some of the world's poorest countries can access water to drink and basic sanitation facilities.
EU implementation plan for disaster risk reduction in developing countries 2011-2014
This implementation plan, approved the 16 February 2011, complements the EU strategy and intends to become a tool for increased EU aid effectiveness in disaster risk reduction support for developing countries.
Thematic Strategy Paper and Multi-Annual Indicative Programme 2011-2013
This strategy, covering implementation of the Environment and natural resources thematic programme for the period 2011-2013, builds on the 2007-2010 Strategy and the mid-term review that was carried out in 2009. The indicative amount available for the period 2011-2013 is approximately €517 million.
Financial support
For the period 2007-2013, the EU's activities in these areas are financed through two types of instruments:
- the implementation of the policy at national and regional level is supported by geographical instruments, such as the European Development Fund (in the ACP countries), the Development Co-operation Instrument (in Latin America, Asia and South Africa), and the European Neigbourhoud & Partnership Instrument (in the neighbouring regions),
- a specific thematic programme, addressing issues not priorities under the geographical instruments as well as issues common to groups of countries not belonging to a single region.
Background information
The world’s poorest are those most directly dependent on natural resources for their daily survival and therefore most vulnerable to environmental hazards, including the effects of climate change. This is why the European Commission has made the protection and sustainable management of natural resources a key priority in its poverty reduction policies.
The EU is the strongest international advocate of sustainable development and decision-making that takes full account of environmental and social aspects. The EC has ratified all the major Multilateral Environmental Agreements, including the Conventions on Biodiversity, Desertification and Climate Change. The Commission is also involved in several international processes, such as the UN Forum on Forests, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management and the UN Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea.