Greening Development Co-operation

Lessons from the OECD Development Assistance Committee

How can members of the DAC effectively tackle critical environmental challenges and threats – such as climate change, pollution, and loss of soil fertility and biodiversity – in activities supporting the 2030 Agenda in developing countries? Most already have environmental safeguards in place to screen out negative environmental practice, but they need far more robust policies, capacities and approaches for mainstreaming environment across all their development co-operation activities. This report examines five critical areas for mainstreaming: strong policy commitment and leadership; robust systems, processes and tools; capacity and continuous skill development; shared knowledge, learning and engagement; well-supported country systems. On that basis, the report suggests priority actions for the OECD-DAC, its Network on Environment and Development (ENVIRONET) and the wider development community.

Published on October 15, 2019

In series:The Development Dimensionview more titles

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Electronic Supplementary Material3 chapters available

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Greening Development Co‑operation: EU Report	Read PDF
Greening Development Co‑operation: Sweden Report	Read PDF
Greening Development Co‑operation: Canada Report	Read PDF

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ENVIRONMENT MAINSTREAMING

THE FIVE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR ENVIRONMENT

1 - Strong policy commitment and leadership 2 - Robust systems, processes and tools 3 - Capacity and continous skill development 4 - Shared knowledge, learning and engagement 5 - Well-supported country systems

IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED IN THE AREAS OF:

Biodiversity Desertification and loss of soil fertility Pollution, in particular ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ...which is a bigger killer annually than AIDS, TBS and Malaria

The report offers a set of lessons for DAC members and other development co-operation providers hubbed around five key building blocks for environment mainstreaming. These are illustrated by concrete examples of good practice from the Canada, the European Union and Sweden.

Read the Chapter 3

Read the Highlights

COUNTRY REPORTS AND BRIEFING NOTES

Three country reports provide a brief overview and synthesis of lessons from Canada, the European Union and Sweden on their approach to environment mainstreaming. The briefing notes prepared for each peer-learning visit offer further details.

Canada: Peer-learning country report, briefing note (contact Global Affairs Canada for a copy)
European Union: Peer-learning country report, briefing note
Sweden: Peer-learning country report, briefing note

INVENTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND GUIDANCE

This inventory contains links to environmental policies and guidance of DAC members and other providers of development co-operation.

MOVING FORWARD

There is a lot of common ground amongst DAC members in the lessons and challenges of environment mainstreaming. Areas for future collaboration include:

Developing peer review guidance
Sharing and harmonising mainstreaming tools, materials and facilities
Improving engagement with country stakeholders
Enhancing coherence and effectiveness of multilateral partners approaches to environmént mainstreaming
Filling thematic gaps in mainstreaming
Improving systems.
Read more

FURTHER INFORMATION

For the peer-learning process, please contact John.Egan@oecd.org
Read more about the OECD’s work on environment and development.
Join the conversation on Twitter: @OECDDev
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Canada