Environmental Policy for Developing Countries
Managing natural resources to preserve important ecosystems and ecosystem services while supporting economic growth, and strengthening resilience to climate change
We live in a world of expanding populations, increasing pressure on finite natural resources, evolving sociopolitical landscapes, and a changing climate. In response, we partner with government, private sector, nongovernmental, and local community stakeholders to create solutions that promote livelihoods, protect precious freshwater supplies, conserve natural environments and biodiversity, and reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience to climate change. Over the past 40 years, we have amassed the experience needed to tailor our global expertise to locally relevant development programs. Tapping our worldwide network of development professionals and drawing upon this experience, we help local and national stakeholders devise and carry out people-focused approaches that deliver development results for clients in:
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation—Helping community, business, and government partners to translate climate science and global climate models into downscaled, locally viable strategies and solutions. We work with local and national governments and the private sector to develop programs and policies that will improve resilience to climate impacts, mitigate behaviors that exacerbate vulnerabilities, and protect freshwater supplies, forests, food security, and economic development.
Water Services and Resource Management—Improving the management and use of our precious and threatened freshwater resources. We assist national and local governments and private water service providers with the development and implementation of innovative approaches for providing water and sanitation services to meet current and future demand. Our teams also help local and national governments, farmer associations, and private businesses to improve water use efficiency in agriculture, manufacturing, and urban areas, and plan and implement strategies to secure water resources for current and future generations.
Sustainable Livelihoods—Analyzing value chains to craft partnerships between governments, communities, and enterprises to design policies, programs, and incentives that stimulate business and economic growth based on sustainable economic, social, and environmental returns. We assist local communities and nongovernmental groups to analyze current and potential livelihoods practices, adding value to activities that people already understand, and seize opportunities to generate new, small and medium enterprises.
Natural Resource Management—Balancing the protection and management of forest, water, and coastal resources. We work to improve welfare while preserving important natural resources and ecosystems for future generations. Developing countries often face seemingly impossible choices that pit protecting ecosystems against leveraging natural resources to fund economic growth. We harness both these impulses by helping governments design policies and regulations and assisting communities to implement actions that promote the sustainable extraction and management of timber and non-timber resources, preserve biodiversity and habitat, and provide direct incentives and livelihood opportunities for local stakeholders through the development of value chains and direct payments for carbon and other environmental services, thereby delivering tangible economic and social benefits while protecting the integrity of ecosystems.
Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency—Delivering modern energy services more widely, reliably, and securely. Worldwide, 2.4 billion people still rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating, and 1.6 billion people lack electricity. But energy is critical to sustainable livelihoods and economic development. We support countries around the world in designing policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption by promoting investments in clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency, without compromising economic development.
