E
N
V
I
R
O
N
M
E
N
T
P
O
L
I
C
Y
Mainstreaming the Environment
Across DFID’s Work
Contents
What is environmental mainstreaming?
 What is DFID’s approach?
 What tools do we use?
 How do our new environmental procedures
bring this together?

Defining Environmental
Mainstreaming

Integrating environmental sustainability
(wherever appropriate) into development
policy, planning and programmes for long
term poverty eradication.
Poverty Environment Links
E
N
V
I
R
O
N
M
E
N
T
RURAL + URBAN
LIVELIHOODS
OPPORTUNITY
HEALTH
VULNERABILITY
TO
ENVIRONMENTAL
CHANGE
PARTICIPATION IN
DECISIONMAKING
SECURITY
EMPOWERMENT
Linking Environment and
Economic Issues
 Understanding
the environmental drivers of
macro-economic growth….
 …and the drivers of environmental
degradation
 Integrating environment into national plans
/ PRSPs / budget support processes
 Promoting fiscal policy analysis; addressing
market failures
 FDI, private sector investment etc.
Linking Environment and
Social Issues
Drawing out the environment in Participatory
Poverty Assessments
 Poverty-environment indicators: their further
development, use, and impact
 Causal links between poverty and natural / manmade disasters
 Integrating environmental issues into social
impact analysis
 Aiming to promote community management of
environmental resources and services, and to
protect and expand natural asset base

Linking Environment and
Governance Issues
Environment as an entry point to achieve pro-poor
governance objectives
 Institutional capacity to mainstream environment
 Decentralisation
 Supporting demand for better environmental
governance
 Identifying incentives for improved environmental
management
 Tackling conflict & corruption linkages

A Wealth of Other
Environmental Issues
Global environmental issues, e.g.:
 Climate change and impact on MDGs
 GMOs
 Biodiversity
 Conflict and environment
 Trade, transparency, etc.
 Environment and other sectors (health, education,
agriculture, infrastructure….)
 Mandatory environmental procedures

‘Upstream’ Policy Context
Three Related Processes
PRSPs
Poverty Reduction
Support processes
Donor Support
(Budget and Sector
support,
PRGF and PRSC)
Budget
(MTEF)
Sector Strategies
How Does DFID Promote
Environmental Mainstreaming?
Developing
Country
Governments
Influencers
DFID
country
desk &
programmes
Knowledge Bank
i.e. multilateral
system, other
donors, OGDs, DFID
London, NGOs
Environment
Network
Advisory Service
“Tools” for environmental mainstreaming

Policy guidance: Top management to thematic

New Environment Guide / procedures / training

Policy Division (PD) – new Teams; Chief
Environment Adviser

DFID Intranet and Internet Websites

Environment Enabling Agreement

*Environment Advisers*: PD, regional policy,
country programmes
11
Mandatory Environmental Procedures



It is mandatory to screen all DFID interventions
over £1 million for environmental issues
Screening should still be undertaken for projects
below £1 million where there are potential
environmental impacts.
Screening is undertaken to:
identify and exploit environmental opportunities
 identify and manage environmental risks
 ensure that DFID activities are consistent with
policy


An audit undertaken this year to assess
compliance with these procedures found:
96% of projects in 2003 claim to have undertaken
Initial Environmental Screening
But only 32% are supported by an Environmental
Screening Summary Note
However, completion of ESSNs has increased from a
base level of 5% in 1997
Initial Environmental Screening and
Environmental Screening Summary
Notes 1997- 2003
% of projects claiming IES carried out
% of projects with ESSN available on PRISM
100
90
80
Percentage
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1997/98
1998/99
1999/2000
2000/01
Financial Year
2001/02
2002/03
Content Analysis of ESSNs
2000-2003
Financial
Year
Content of ESSN (%)
No
Weak
Good
Information
Information Information
2000/01
4.55
59.1
40.9
2001/02
0
60.4
39.6
2002/03
0
41.5
58.6
Totals
0.94
52.8
47.15
How Do We Encourage Screening?

Currently training on screening is provided to all
DFID programme officers during the Introduction
to the Project and Programme Cycle course

Since April 1st return of completed ESSN has been
mandatory before funds will be released
ESSN to be signed by Adviser and Project Officer
DFID Environment Guide updated and re-launched
New training courses will accompany the re-launch
of the Guide



DFID’s Environment Guide

DFID’s Environment Guide provides advice on:
 The importance of the environment to the poor
 Guidance on screening
 Sources of further information

To further encourage screening and environmental
mainstreaming we have updated the Guide:
 DFID’s policy and mandatory procedures
 Step-by-step guide to completing a screening note
 Checklists of opportunities and risks
 Advice on screening in PRSPs and DBS
Poverty
Reduction
Strategy
Checklist
DFID’s
Environmental
Appraisal
Process
New Format
Interactive Webpage


CD ROM

As a manual

DFID website
Web Version
Easy to navigate
Examples
Checklists
Step-by-step guide
Further sources of information
Training Updates
Introduction to the Project and Programme
Cycle course updated
 New half day environment training
 Environment Advisers will be given a half
day session on the Guide. With training
ready to deliver to their DFID Office/Desk.

Environment Training






Why the environment is important to the poor?
With examples and case studies
Millennium Development Goal and DFID’s
environmental policy commitments
Why screen for environmental issues?
Who does environmental screening and when?
How to do environmental screening
Tools for further investigation and study and when
to use them (e.g. EIA/SEA)