Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming

1. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming

2. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Income poverty: A person is poor if her income level is below the defined poverty line - having enough income related to a specified amount food and basic needs (energy, water). Capability perspective: Poverty represent the absence of some basic capabilities to function - a person lacking the opportunity to achieve some minimally acceptable levels of these functionings (elements of human well-being) Physical ones like being well nourished, being adequately clothed and sheltered and avoiding preventable morbidity, a clean and healthy environment, energy for cooking, being able to cope with extreme events More complex ones like social achievements such as partaking in the life of the community. UNDP Human Development Reports

3. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Ecosystems -- a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their nonliving environment interacting as a functional unit -- provide goods and services (e.g. food, clean water, energy and shelter) Ecosystem services include: provisioning (food, fiber, fuels); regulating (purification, detoxification, mitigation of floods and droughts) and enriching (spiritual, aesthetic, social). UNEP

4. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Environmental Sustainability: The longer-term ability of natural and environmental resources and ecosystem services to support continued human well-being. Environmental sustainability encompasses not just recognition of environmental spillovers today, but also the need to maintain sufficient natural capital to meet future human needs World Resources Institute, 2005

5. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Poverty and environment are inter-linked through four main dimensions: livelihoods, resilience to environmental risks, health and economic development. The world’s poor depend more on the environment for their food and livelihoods (agriculture, hunting, fishing), as well as water and energy needs. Poor people are more vulnerable to natural disasters (e.g. flooding, drought), the effects of climate change, and environmental shocks that threaten among others their livelihoods and undermine food security Environmental conditions account for a significant portion of health risks to poor people.

6. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming The environment contributes directly and indirectly to economic development and level of employment through sectors such as agriculture, energy, forestry, fisheries, and tourism as well as manufacturing, energy. Environmental degradation is causally linked to: Poverty and hunger (food security), Gender inequality (Women and girls uniquely vulnerable to environmental degradation: deforestation, water shortages) and Health (exposure to bacteria, parasites, diseases vectors and chemicals) Economic development

7. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming

8. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming

9. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming

10. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Environmental degradation arising from the activities of both poor and rich people increases poverty and hampers growth The poor degrade the environment from over extraction driven by lack of alternative livelihoods and incentives for sustainable management (e.g. property rights). Over exploitation is also driven by consumption patterns of the rich. For example deforestation is driven both by the demand for agricultural land/construction material by poor people as well as demands of rich consumers for timber and forest products Unsustainable exploitation results in the loss of important environmental services which reinforces poverty

11. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming “…… The informed inclusion of relevant environmental concerns into the decisions of institutions that drive national, local and sectoral development policy, rules, plans, investment and action.” (IIED)

12. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Current rates of human-engendered environmental destruction threaten the natural base for development – natural capital (MA,2005) Environmental degradation depletes the stock of natural capital (forests, minerals, soils, and energy resources) and in turn national wealth that supports economic activity and social well-being Traditional systems of national accounting fail to include both the measures of natural resource depletion and environmental degradation as well as the real contribution of environmental services to growth and economic development

13. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Structural and policy changes are needed to maintain ecosystems and their services, control water and air pollution, and reverse the trends leading to global warming – in order to achieve environmental sustainability and development objectives. Without environmental sustainability at national, sector (both natural resource based sectors and service sectors) and local levels we will be unable to meet National development objectives and the UN Millennium Development Goals (poverty, hunger, health, education, discrimination against women, and sustainable development)

14. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming All regions face global problems of climate change, biodiversity loss, and fisheries decline, however each region faces immediate concerns: In SSA the major environmental issues are soil and water degradation; depletion of forests and freshwater resources and poor indoor air quality Middle East and North Africa suffers from declining per capita water resources, loss of arable land, pollution related health problems, and weak environmental institutions and legal frameworks Environment and Human Well Being (UN Millennium Project, 2005)

15. UNDP-UNEP Poverty- Environment Initiative ? Environmental degradation hinders long term economic development The country-specific links between poverty and environment are rarely identified The contribution of environment to social and economic development is often poorly understood

16. UNDP-UNEP Poverty- Environment Initiative Difficult to influence government priorities, considering many competing agendas Working in a multi-ministerial context (multiple stakeholders) ? Need to operationalize P-E mainstreaming into PRSP and key sectors (from plan to implementation). Key sectors include natural resource based sectors (Agriculture, Water) as well as service sectors such as health, education, transport, energy Competing priorities for budget allocations Lack of financial mechanisms for environmental sustainability

17. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Poverty and Environment Initiative (PEI) supports governments to: Integrate environmental sustainability into national, sector and decentralized development plans and processes e.g. Poverty Reduction Strategies, Sector and Local level plans, budgets and monitoring systems Build national capacity to: Identify contribution of environment to poverty reduction and pro-poor growth Effectively integrate environmental management into national development processes, including budgeting and investment plans

18. Poverty and Environment Mainstreaming Leading example of UN interagency co-operation Current funding from Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, UK, EC with ongoing discussions with others. Program budget of $33m for 2007-2011 (50% mobilised)

20. UNDP-UNEP Poverty- Environment Initiative A comprehensive, programmatic approach to mainstreaming is needed - a project approach will not work (long term objectives/change in behavior). Deep engagement is necessary Focus on results, not agency Detailed mapping of government macro and sectoral policy, planning, and decision-making processes (“machinery of government”), institutions and individuals relevant to the national development process is required The Planning/Finance ministry must be an equal or primary focal ministry in the process from the beginning

21. UNDP-UNEP Poverty- Environment Initiative A realistic assessment of country commitment at different levels and in both environment and planning ministries is necessary Supporting a country-led environmental mainstreaming process has high transaction costs, because it seeks to change government priorities, and involves a number of ministries. “Stubborn persistence and attention to detail” Detailed, country-specific evidence on the links between environment, poverty reduction, and pro-poor growth is needed to convince policy makers, economists, and planners that investment in environment sustainability is worthwhile.

22. UNDP-UNEP Poverty- Environment Initiative Developing a full partnership approach with key in- country donors is vital for long term success in several areas (Capacity building, sector mainstreaming, sustainable domestic financing for environmental sector) Applying integrated economic and environment projects, programmes, and policy appraisals needs to become standard operating procedure for planning/finance and sectoral ministries Timely support from UNDP Country Office is critical Working within national coordination frameworks: e.g. One UN, UNDAF and donor coordination processes

23. UNDP-UNEP Poverty- Environment Initiative

24. UNDP-UNEP Poverty- Environment Initiative Thank you http://www.unpei.org