A healthy climate and environment are core to sustainable development. Long term development is not possible if rivers are polluted, soil is depleted, and ecosystems are destroyed. Mainstreaming environment is the integration of environmental concerns into all areas of development co-operation, enabling environmental considerations to be addressed systematically across policies, plans, budgets and activities.
Mainstreaming environment
Abstract
Mainstreaming environmental concerns means integrating climate change, biodiversity, land degradation and other environment-related issues across all areas of development co-operation. This enables policies, plans, budgets and activities to address environmental considerations systematically and support sustainable development. It may facilitate a coherent approach, helping to avoid contradictory policy choices.
Mainstreaming efforts are often accompanied by activities that emphasise co-benefits and leads to greater investments in the environment. Transitioning to more sustainable growth also holds the promise of significant development opportunities and jobs.
Learning by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members identifies five building blocks for effectively integrating environmental concerns into development co-operation.
Many DAC members emphasise the need for an integrated approach to mainstreaming, where climate, biodiversity, land degradation and other environmental issues are integrated into all development co-operation activities.
Note: The OECD DAC Peer Review Analytical Framework sets out the DAC’s expectations with regard to including environment and cross-cutting issues in policy and integrating them into development co-operation efforts.
1. Strong policy commitment and leadership.
The EU strategy to implement the 2030 Agenda, the new European consensus on development, sends clear signals to staff to apply regulations on mainstreaming.
France, Iceland, and Norway have developed dedicated development co-operation strategies to support the conservation and the sustainable use of the ocean across economic sectors.
The G20 commitment to reduce additional pollution from marine plastic litter to zero by 2050 and the Ocean Plastics Charter have helped to place oceans high on the agenda.
Setting targets can also help to incentivise action. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency’s (Sida) environment targets, with baselines against which to measure performance, have helped to place environmental issues high on the operational agenda, ensuring all staff treat these issues seriously.
2. Robust systems, processes and tools are in place.
Sida’s Environmental Management System (EMS) manages the potential environmental impacts of its diverse role as financier, analyst and dialogue partner. The EMS applies to the full cycle of planning, implementation and monitoring.
Luxembourg developed co-operation strategies for the systematic integration of environmental, climate and gender equality considerations throughout its co-operation efforts.
In France, the AFD’s Sustainable Development Analysis and Opinion Mechanism aims to ensure sustainable development impact by rating at an early stage its projects across six dimensions: biodiversity, climate, social ties, gender, governance and economy.
Under Canada’s Environment Integration Process, mainstreaming occurs throughout project implementation. Environmental clauses are required in all contracts and agreements. Follow-up measures, such as reviews of project documents and due diligence assessments, must be undertaken after approval.
3. Capacity and continuous skill development. Environment-related staff networks can help to provide a space for learning and exchange across units and departments.
In Sweden, training has shaped a common understanding among staff of the diverse and context-specific challenges relating to the environment. This has been most effective when it identified links with other cross-cutting issues, notably gender equality, and included partners.
To complement limited staff capacity, the European Commission recruited an external provider to run an in-house mainstreaming facility. It provides awareness raising, technical assistance, staff training, tracking of financial commitments to the Rio Conventions objectives, and prepares guidance materials.
4. Shared knowledge, learning and engagement.
Sida’s Statistical Handbook offers instructions for classifying activities against the environment policy marker of the DAC Creditor Reporting System, as well as on the use of environmental assessments, active use of environmental information, setting specific environmental objectives and activities, and monitoring them.
Czechia’s Sustainable development of the Area of Aragvi Protected Landscape helped meet local socio-economic needs while protecting natural and cultural heritage. With additional financing from Austria and Slovak Republic, it developed capacity, raised awareness among local farmers and tourism service providers, and promoted protected landscape management and sustainable forestry.
5. Well-supported country systems.
The European Commission supports programmes for in-country mainstreaming, including with country presence to sustain day-to-day work with public and private stakeholders. These efforts have strengthened capacity, supported institutional reforms, increased finance flows and helped build social demand and support.
Austria’s decade-long support helped establish Moldova’s Lower Dniester wetland as a national park in 2022, through local partnerships and projects on water, biodiversity and climate adaptation.
The Climate Bridge Fund (CBF), established by BRAC and financed by Germany through KfW Development Bank, supports locally led climate adaptation projects for urban communities displaced or at risk of displacement due to climate change. The Fund builds on partnerships between local government, large NGOs and small local groups.
How do we know if DAC members are moving in the right direction?
All bilateral ODA and non-export credit other official flows are screened against the OECD DAC Environment Policy Marker and Rio Markers.
A growing share of that finance has environment as a significant objective.
Evaluations of projects and programmes take into account the environmental impact of interventions in partner countries.
DAC members have also agreed to monitor the share of ODA that supports sustainable ocean economies and to identify good practices in this area.
Recommendation of the Council on Environmental Assessment of Development Assistance Projects and Programmes, [OECD/LEGAL/0458].
Greening Development Co‑operation, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Mainstreaming Biodiversity for Sustainable Development, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Mainstreaming Cross‑cutting Issues, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Promoting Sustainable Ocean Economies, Guidance for Development Co-operation, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Scaling Up Private Action for Nature, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Finance for sustainable development, OECD [website].
DAC Evaluation Resource Centre (DEReC), OECD [website].
More Framework principles are available on Development Co-operation TIPs • Tools Insights Practices.
