Programming Principle:

Environmental Sustainability

• 3 groups of global environmental problems: – Global Commons Ozone depletion– Shared Natural Resources Cod fishery– Trans-boundary Externalities Chernobyl

• Policy options for countries:– Informally agree on the solution and implement individually. – Formally agree on the solution in “soft law” Rio Declaration– Treaty agreement in “hard law” or Multilateral Environmental

Agreement (MEA) Convention on Biological Diversity

• Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs): – In 3 broad clusters (climate, biodiversity, chemicals) with

standards, rules, decision-making procedures, programmes to govern state parties

– Many National Action Plans (NAPs)

Environmental Sustainability in the UN system

• Environmental Policy Integration

• Transparency, Public Participation, and access to Information and Remedies

• Precaution;

• Polluter-Pays;

• Responsibility for trans-boundary Harm;

• Subsidiarity & Decentralisation

Principles of Environmental Sustainability

• Analyse and monitor the linkages between major development problems and the environment – Screen for environment linkages during country analysis

• Advocate to include environment linkages in national development processes (PRSs, MDG strategies)

• Set priorities addressing linkages and develop strategic programmes for UN-Government cooperation – Preliminary environmental review of draft UNDAF results

• Sustain Country-led effort to “operationalize”: from plan to implementation

• Engage with state actors, non-governmental actors and other development partners

Methodology

• Find the right entry point• Find “champions”• Ensure the commitment of the planning or

finance team • Provide country-specific evidence• Perform integrated policy appraisals• Engage key sector agencies• Consider the environment agency capacity• Acknowledge the need for sustained support

Challenges