UNITAR Introduction to Sustainable Development in Practice

The need for adopting an integrated approach to reducing poverty and safeguarding the environment is
growing stronger. An integrated approach helps:

 Tackle interlinked problems and underlying system failures

 Develop holistic solutions and policies

 Combine efforts and resources in addressing multiple challenges

What are the key global problems that an integrated approach to sustainable development can help
resolve?

Around the world, poor people are often the ones directly dependent on the environment for their
livelihoods.

This means, they are also the most vulnerable to its degradation.

While being dependent on the environment, poor people can also play a critical role in reducing
environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.

Would you agree with this statement? Why?

Governments and private companies are not the only ones determining the quality of the local
environment and global public goods, such as oceans and forests. Women, men, and indigenous people
too have a big role to play in managing soils, water and biodiversity.

Poverty and environmental problems are interrelated. They cannot be dealt with separately.

The complex and interlinked climate, biodiversity, poverty, and health crises have massive impacts on
our global society.

The livelihood of billions of people who depend on nature, starting with farmers and fishermen, are
increasingly coming under threat.

The underlying causes of poverty and environment issues are often identical and reflect systemic
failures. What do you think are some of the causes?

Example: Global warming significantly increases diseases like malaria, dengue, and zika, since insects like
mosquitoes thrive in warmer conditions.

The risk of getting infected increases in low-income communities where there is poor waste
management, inadequate sanitary facilities and a lack of preventive measures.
Loss of working days due to illness, high treatment costs, and death of bread-winning family members
can push families further into poverty traps. (Source: Banerjee/Duflo, 2012(opens in a new tab)).

Some of the identical underlying systemic causes include:

 bullet

Unchecked power of some groups over others

 bullet

Erosion of rights and capabilities of poorer groups

 bullet

Economic signals that make environmental assets worth more if converted than if conserved (e.g.,
cutting down trees for timber over preserving forests)

System-wide shifts are needed to tackle poverty and environment issues in an effective and sustainable
way.

How can we bring about transformative

and sustainable change?

Most responses to complex problems have been fragmented, short-term, or lacking in vision. Institutions
need to complement and cooperate with each other. But too many institutions are 'siloed' and cannot
work well together.

What do you think are the drawbacks of institutions working separately on poverty reduction and
environmental sustainability?

Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.

 It makes institutions compete for attention and resources.

 Different institutions may come up with similar solutions, leading to redundancy.

 Overlapping solutions may cancel out some of the positive impacts.

 The cause is not fully addressed, therefore the vulnerability for people and/or the environment
remains.
  The solutions may have negative impacts on other related areas that are not fully considered.

SUBMIT

When institutions work separately, they compete for attention and resources. Since the cause is not fully
addressed, the vulnerability for people and the environment continues, and the solutions might even
lead to negative impacts.

Though different institutions may come up with similar solutions, this reinforces their relevance and
practicality from different disciplinary perspectives, and would not cancel out positive impacts.

Danger of one-sided solutions

Many social risks may arise from new environmental policies. For example, the commitment to protect
30% of land for biodiversity by 2030 (30x30) aims to protect nature and biodiversity (The Global
Biodiversity Framework(opens in a new tab)). However, it can also threaten the quality of life and
livelihoods of various social groups and create inequalities. These are risks that must be accounted for
and mitigated through an integrated policy design.

Single solutions are rarely transformative on their own

To make sure solutions lead to real change, most often multiple policies and measures need to be
packaged together. This requires the involvement of multiple institutions.

For example, reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires not only technological and business
innovations, but also social and behavioral changes.

Why is it critical that we address poverty

and environment issues by 2030?
As discussed, we are facing interrelated economic, social and environmental emergencies. Taking
isolated action in one area can worsen the situation in other areas.

We have until 2030 to avoid social, economic and environmental tipping points that will result in a
cascade of system collapses. This is the warning given by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC(opens in a new tab)), the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services (IPBES(opens in a new tab)) and other interdisciplinary groups of experts.

Governments have realized that the integrated nature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
requires a cross-government integrated approach to their planning and monitoring. In fact, across the 17
SDGs, 93 indicators are related to the environment.

Why is an integrated approach a more efficient and innovative way to tackle interlinked problems?

An integrated approach offers a multidimensional lens for addressing problems and finding solutions.

For example, something that has been seen as an environmental problem can sometimes be better
resolved if it is instead treated as a poverty problem, and vice versa.

Let's look at an example where addressing an environmental problem through a gender lens creates a
more robust solution.
Click each numbered button in the image for details.

An integrated approach combines energies and resources and fosters system-wide reform, creating a
more robust solution.

Can you match the situations we need to move away from with the situations we need to move
towards?

Drag the options on the left to the corresponding options on the right to construct a statement. Then,
click Submit.

 Move away from individual 'magic bullets'

 Move away from a vicious downward spiral of cascading problems

 move towards a virtuous circle of reinforcing solutions

 move towards systemic institution reform

SUWe need to move away from a vicious downward spiral of cascading problems towards a virtuous
circle that reinforces solutions. Similarly, we also need to move away from individual solutions towards
systemic institutional reform. BMIT

Types of Integration Needed

What kinds of integration are needed to

achieve sustainable development?

Solving poverty and environment challenges requires more effective public policy-making, planning,
budgeting, investment management, and governance.

Take a look at the four kinds of integration needed to achieve sustainable development.

Example 1

Key local stakeholders are involved before, during and after the creation of a Municipal Development
and Land Use Plan. This results in long-term benefits to both local communities and the environment.

This example represents stakeholder integration since it links the capacities, resources and motivations
of key stakeholders.

Example 2

The goals of the Paris Agreement, 2015, agreed upon at an international level, are met through
Nationally Determined Contributions (envisioned at a national level). These are then implemented at
national, subnational, and local levels.
This example represents vertical or temporal integration. Vertical integration not only links top-down
vision with societal demand, but also links various decision-making hierarchies, for example, national
government with local government. It could also be temporal integration since the goals are
implemented at various levels throughout the decision-making cycle.

Example 3

Strategic Environment Assessment requires iteration with new plans and evaluations. This allows a
continuous improvement approach to environmental integration from the very beginning, thus ensuring
long-term sustainability.

This example represents temporal or horizontal integration. Temporal integration enables iteration and
integration throughout the decision-making cycle while horizontal integration links themes and
disciplines.

Example 4

Holistic and comprehensive energy efficiency policies can reduce energy demand and pollution across
multiple sectors. They also improve people's health, productivity and well-being.

This example represents horizontal integration as these policies link themes and disciplines across
multiple sectors.

In most countries, some of these elements of integration are already in place. They might be at a pilot
scale connected to international development cooperation projects (such as the Poverty-Environment
Initiative (PEI) or Poverty-Environment Action (PEA)).

In some cases, they may be more deeply embedded, for example, in the case of indigenous societies,
where holistic governance still applies.

Robust and long-term solutions require that all different types of integration are woven together to
support the achievement of the SDGs in an effective, efficient, equitable and sustainable way. Good
integration tools often cover all four types of integration— such as Strategic Environment Assessment.

QUIZ:

Why is an integrated approach needed to solve poverty and environment issues?

Poverty and environment are inter-related and affect each other. Very often, the same underlying causes
results in poverty and environmental issues. Usually, the poor are most dependent on and affected by
the environment. An integrated approach is required as the solutions so far have been siloed and not
sustainable.

While the statement 'Unequal access to technological developments widens the gap between rich and
poor' is true, an integrated approach to poverty and environment does not pertain to it.

Question 02/03

Find the links between poverty and environment problems.

Drought and water depletion result in longer times for women to fetch water daily.
Soil degradation results in food insecurity, hunger, malnutrition, and stunting in children.

Sustainable conservation of forests results in preservation of the lifestyles of indigenous people and
revenue opportunities from eco-tourism.

Question 03/03

How does an integrated approach help in addressing poverty and environment issues and advancing
sustainable development?

An integrated approach provides multidimensional lenses which improves the robustness of responses.
It also helps in combining efforts and resources, and fostering system-wide reform.

An integrated approach takes a lot of effort in terms of design, development and execution.

Welcome to the interactive lesson for Module 2 of the e-course Introduction to Sustainable
Development in Practice.

This lesson consists of three parts and a short quiz. We'll look at the:

 Historical events and international agreements that have increased efforts to address poverty
and environment issues in and integrated manner

 Factors and institutions that drive poverty and environment integration

 Progress made by the PEI/PEA programme towards poverty and environment integration

This module is based on Chapter 1 of the Handbook 'Sustainable Development in Practice: Handbook for
Integrating Environment, Climate, and Poverty Reduction' (Bass et al., 2023).

Over time the need for an integrated approach to sustainable development has arisen at various levels—
sub-national, national and international. This evolution has led to a widespread recognition of the need
for an integrated approach to considering poverty and environment issues. But we still have a long way
to go.

How has the concept of sustainable development emerged and evolved over the past fifty years at a
global level?
As discussed in Module 1, siloed solutions are not sustainable. Similarly, if only a few countries work on
poverty and environment issues using an integrated approach, the effect would not be truly
transformative and sustainable at the global stage. Nations and governments have realised the need to
work together in order to tackle poverty and environment-related issues and see true impact.

Over the last five decades, the integrated approach to sustainable development has gradually evolved,
starting with the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment—a landmark event in the history of
sustainable development.

The graph below gives a brief overview of the evolution in ideas since the 1970s.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development became a pinnacle of global efforts towards an
integrated approach because it presented sustainable development as the integration of challenges.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development called for an integrated approach to implement multiple
commitments in an indivisible way. It placed equal emphasis on economic, social and environmental
dimensions to ensure benefits in all five areas in the long-term.

Based on the 2030 Agenda, many intergovernmental initiatives have been following up on key goals and
commitments. Let's take a closer look at two of them.

Click each tab for details.

THE UNITED NATIONSOECD

The UN has been pushing for consensus on the importance of poverty and environment issues. It has
been an intellectual and operational leader for integration.

 2018: A UN General Assembly Resolution(opens in a new tab) reaffirmed the need to “better
support countries in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda in line with national needs and
priorities in a coherent and integrated manner.”

 2019: The UN Environment Assembly(opens in a new tab) adopted a comprehensive resolution

to act in response to the challenges of the poverty and environment nexus.
Are international efforts alone sufficient to enable real integration at local and national levels?

Despite international progress, the record of real integration till now has been less impressive. Though
there has been some progress in the integration of poverty and environment issues, it has often been
sporadic or short-lived.

One possible explanation is that then integration is imposed externally (top-down), it often does not
truly get embedded into institutions and systems. An internal (bottom-up) approach may be more
effective. Such bottom-up decision-making is typical of traditional and indigenous peoples' governance.

Traditional and indigenous peoples’ governance and resource management provide a powerful example
of integration, which government agencies can learn from.

 bullet

Indigenous governance and knowledge systems are based on nature.

 bullet

Traditional governance honours the complex interdependence of all life forms.

 bullet

Traditional governance does not separate the well-being of people from that of nature.

Traditional systems embrace cycles, communities and linkages rather than being based on linear and
individualistic concepts of progress. Such traditions recognise that poverty is experienced very
differently, depending upon context.
Moreover, local people directly experience environmental, poverty, gender or conflict issues, whereas
government and aid policy focus on economic, sectoral, or policy issues, which are more abstract for
ordinary people.

Reflect on capacities/resources of local people as you read the case study below.

Click to take a look at the Kalahan Forest Reserve story.

The Ikalahan people of Santa Fe in the northern Philippines were facing multiple challenges such as
poverty, environmental degradation, and cultural erosion.

Under a community-based forest management programme, they were given control over about 15,000
hectares of their ancestral land in exchange for protecting the water supply for the users downstream.
Over the years, the community developed sustainable livelihood opportunities related to forest
resources, such as food processing from local fruits.

Being involved in all stages of the programme—from planning and implementation to monitoring and
evaluation, the local community reaped the rewards of achieving sustainable livelihood, biodiversity
conservation and enterprise development (Rice, 2009)(opens in a new tab).

What are the main resources and capacities of Ikalahan people that ensured the economic, social, and
environmental success of the initiative?

Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.

 Funding from external investors

 Traditional knowledge of nature

 Community-based governance system

 Local entrepreneurship capacities

 General public support in the Philippines

SUBMIT

That is right! Indigenous people posses specific resources and capacities that allow them to ensure social
and economic success on their own terms, while avoiding environmental degradation.

TAKE AGAIN
Benefits to empowering indigenous peoples

As we saw in the example, transferring rights to indigenous people can lead to a number of benefits,
including:

 Economic and social empowerment for local communities

 Ecosystem conservation and restoration

 Increased carbon storage

 Preservation of cultural heritage and tradition

 Sustainable food production

Yet these local and traditional integration approaches have often been excluded from formal decision-
making at national levels.

What is the role of national government systems and institutions in enabling the integration of
poverty and environment issues?

Besides global governance at the top level and traditional governance at the bottom level, national
government systems and institutions have an important role to play in enabling the integration of
poverty and environment issues into formal policy-making processes.

Click to take a look at an example of country-level integration.

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is a land rich in natural resources. The Government of Lao PDR
wanted to encourage investments in the natural resource sectors to directly and indirectly support
poverty reduction. However, unregulated investments resulted in serious social and environmental
issues such as village displacement, land grabbing and segregation of resources vital to the livelihood of
people.

At the invitation of the Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, UNDP and UNEP jointly
supported the government in developing investment regulatory tools to assess, measure and enforce
financial, social, and environmental obligations of investors. This was done to ensure investments were
economically beneficial for communities, reduced poverty and protected the environment. Focusing on
green growth and quality and responsible investments lead to economic benefits being more fairly
distributed among local communities.

Authorities that already have mandates for coordination and coherence can drive change for poverty
and environment issues, for example, finance ministries requiring public expenditure reviews of climate
and environment or requiring environment and poverty criteria to be included in all public investment’.

Nevertheless, these initiatives have begun to influence day-to-day government planning and procedures.
The next lesson reviews those trends towards integration.

Trends Towards Integration and Convergence

Over the longer term, we can observe a gradual convergence of institutions local, national and
international level to integrate environmental and human issues.

Continued

Real integration has been the result of a slow and quiet evolution of perspectives and paradigms (at its
best, learning from traditional approaches and enabling them). Globally, especially in many progressive
countries, there has been a gradual trend from completely siloed institutions that work separately and
sometimes conflict to some mutual recognition and safeguards to do no harm and realize synergies to
fuller integration of agendas to address synergies and thereby do more good.

Here is a look at the relationship between development and environmental institutions at each stage of
the evolution towards integration.
Real integration is truly possible only when developmental and environmental institutions work
together in consideration of each other rather than in spite of each other.

As a result of this convergence:

Environmental institutions, in most countries, now no longer adopt the simplistic approach of just
keeping people out of protected areas. Many have instead moved to community biodiversity
management(opens in a new tab) and similar practices.

Development institutions, in most countries, now rarely adopt a blunt 'liquidate natural capital to
replace with physical and financial capital' approach. Many embrace the SDGs, which are devised so that
people and nature thrive together.

This evolution towards greater integration of poverty and environment issues seems to take place when
certain elements are in place.

Click each question mark for details.

Together, government, civil society and business drivers open up possibilities for integration.

Mainstreaming Initiatives: The Case of the PEI/PEA Programme

Has there been contribution to poverty and environment integration from targeted development
programmes?

UNDP and UNEP's Poverty Environment Initiative (PEI) and Poverty Environment Action (PEA) are
examples of successful programmes that responded to and mobilised many of the drivers highlighted in
this module. PEA and PEI have led efforts towards an integrated approach to sustainable development
for over sixteen years in four continents (2005-2022). In turn, the programmes have
themselves become significant drivers of integration, for example by developing and mainstreaming
many tools and approaches widely used by policymakers around the world.

These programmes promoted an integrated approach that contributed to bringing poverty, environment
and climate objectives into the heart of national and subnational plans, policies, budgets, and public and
private finance. This helped in strengthening the sustainable management of natural resources and in
alleviating poverty.

Further progress has been made in three priority areas.

FINANCE, METHODOLOGY and APPROACHES

In more than one way, the PEI/PEA initiative has made a significant contribution to achieving an
integrated approach to sustainable development

Here are a few examples.

Advancing a Programmatic Approach

PEI/PEA has advocated a programmatic approach that looks for strategic entry points in existing national
decision-making processes. It then feeds those processes with analysis and ideas, and improves them by
bringing in new actors and tools.

Pioneering One UN

As a one UN iniatitive, PEI/PEA helped to address both development and environmental authorities and
players, and improve unity among them.

Focus on finance and planning authorities

PEI/PEA increased focus on the coordination of finance and development authorities as integration
leaders. This is because real budgets, taxation, expenditure and investment are the bottom line of
development, whereas plans often end up being neglected.

Environmental focal points

Environmental focal points have been set up in several government ministries by integrating
‘horizontally’ across sectors and ensuring coordination with the finance and development authorities.
This has helped in guaranteeing that relevant environmental issues are always considered, and
safeguards are deployed in their planning, budgeting and spending.

Integration of gendered and other disaggregated social dimensions

Integration of gendered and other disaggregated social dimensions with new data on poverty-
environment-gender links have influenced country policies and monitoring frameworks in many
countries.

Decentralisation of integration

Integration has been taken to decentralised levels by integrating ‘vertically’ across levels of government
from national to local. Through vertical integration, they have helped build context-specific poverty and
environment data and capacities for district development plans, green villages, etc.

Integrated knowledge

Integrated knowledge has been created by publishing well-researched stories of change, evaluations,
and guidance on poverty and environment progress. Thus, over the years, a comprehensive body
of knowledge has grown.

Widened perspectives and metrics on poverty

Perspectives and metrics on poverty have been widened with new frameworks, tools and indicators for
multidimensional poverty measurement. This has helped in strengthening the poverty side of
environmental assessment and vice versa. The data has thus aided in getting a better handle on SDG
planning and monitoring.

Economic analyses

Economic analyses including climate and environment expenditure reviews have been conducted. This
has helped reveal the potential to increase income and revenue, and also in targeting public and private
investment.

Continuity of support

Continued support from programmes has resulted in two and even three five-year plans being
influenced in certain countries, for example, Rwanda and Mali. This has helped build country expertise
and have also supported South-South exchange on poverty and environment mainstreaming.

It is estimated that it might take 10 – 20 years to fully achieve poverty and environment mainstreaming
across national, sectoral and local levels. However, countries with which PEI/PEA have worked now have
strong institutional foundations in place. Here's a quick overview of the work in progress and future
goals for poverty-environment integration in countries.

Work in Progress:

While the integration of poverty and environment issues in most countries is not complete and has not
been fully embedded into policies, a strong mandate for further progress has been established.

This includes:

 Creation of assets for future integration that make each country fitter for achieving sustainable
development.

 Clearer in-country entry points for sustainable development that function better than before.
  Experienced people, tested methodologies and sometimes bigger budgets and new funds
where there were limited resources earlier.

Future Goals:

There remains much to be done for poverty and environment integration to become a reality at all levels
—sectoral, national and international.

Here is some work that still needs to be done:

 Plans need to be implemented.

 Capacity needs to be mobilised and incentivised.

 New procedures have to be embedded and streamlined.

 Pilot projects need to be reviewed and scaled up.

The e-courses 'Introduction to Sustainable Development in Practice' and 'Advancing Sustainable

Development in Practice' largely draw upon the experience of the PEI/PEA programme, including specific
country examples, PEI/PEA tools, methodologies and resources as well as human capacity created to
demonstrate and further advance knowledge and action for an integrated sustainable development.

Congratulations! You've reached the end of this module. Before you go, take the quiz to check your
understanding and recap the key points of this module.

Answer the questions in this quiz to recap the key messages.

This is just a practice test; it does not count towards your final grade and certification from the course. If
you’re unable to answer a question, consider reviewing the lesson again before proceeding to the next
module.

Good luck!

Question 01/04

Which of the following are drivers of an integrated approach to sustainable development?

'Drivers' refers to actions that directly (largely) lead to achieving the desired outcome. Hence, societal
demand, international agreements and evidence of poverty and environment links are drivers of an
integrated approach, while infrastructural development and climate change are not.

Question 02/04

Can you match the key words with the level of institutional integration?

Silos Institutions that work separately and sometimes in conflict

Safeguards Mutual recognition and aim to do no harm

Synergies Fuller integration of agendas and aim to do more good

 Structural reform Transformative change for sustainable development

Question 03/04

The 2030 Agenda presented sustainable development as the integration of five global challenges. Which
are these challenges?

The 2030 Agenda presented sustainable development as the integration of peace, people, planet,
prosperity and partnerships.

Question 04/04

Match the governance systems with its approach to development.

Traditional systems embrace cycles, communities and linkages rather than being based on linear and
individualistic concepts of progress. Such traditions recognise that poverty is experienced very
differently, depending upon context.

Welcome to the interactive lesson for Module 3 of the e-course Introduction to Sustainable
Development in Practice.

This lesson has one part which includes three videos and a quiz. We'll look at the challenges to
integrating poverty and environment issues and some best practices to overcome these challenges.

This module is based on Chapter 1 of the Handbook 'Sustainable Development in Practice: Handbook for
Integrating Environment, Climate, and Poverty Reduction' (Bass et al., 2023).

Integration Challenges and Examples of Best Practices

Take a moment to reflect.

In Module 2, we discussed that the integration of poverty and environment issues into development
planning has been driven at various levels—sub-national, national and international, and by various
factors.

When you think about your own country and professional environment, what are the main factors
driving the action on poverty and environment issues?

Growing public demand for more action on sustainability issues, international processes (such as the
2030 Agenda), the positive examples from indigenous people's governance of nature and evidence of
the interlinked impact of poverty and environment issues are some of the drivers that have urged policy
makers to adopt a more integrated approach to poverty and environmental issues.

Despite positive drivers of integration, policymakers still face a number of challenges.

What are the main challenges with adopting an integrated approach to sustainable development?

Integrating poverty and environment issues for meaningful action requires some good tactics. Many
challenges could hinder this integration. This lesson looks at these challenges and some best
practices that can help overcome them.
The PEI/PEA programme has supported governments across Africa with the adoption of an integrated
approach. Let us look at their experience—what were some of the challenges faced and how they were
addressed.

In the video, David Smith mentions that evidence was presented to ministries of finance and planning to
convince them that the environment is a contributing factor for development. What was this evidence?

Select the option you think is correct and click Submit.

Evidence of gaps between budget allocations and policy commitments

Evidence of the lack of investments in sustainable development

Evidence of GDP loss from unsustainable management of natural resources. A significant challenge to
poverty and environment integration is the fact that dominant paradigms and knowledge systems
exclude many poverty and environment concerns, focusing instead on a narrow range of economic and
social goals.

One way to overcome this challenge is to use the economic angle to present evidence in favour of
integrating poverty and environment issues. Such evidence could be in terms of lost GDP from
environmental degradation or potential income benefits from sustainable natural resource management.

In many countries, the move for poverty and environment integration has faced common
challenges. Here are some of them. Can you remember which of the above challenges were mentioned
by David Smith?

How can these challenges to poverty and environment integration be overcome?

Continued

Let's take a look at two examples from two African countries that display best practices in overcoming
poverty and environment integration challenges.

Climate-Smart Agriculture Project in Malawi

The first example is of a climate-smart agriculture project in Malawi which directly benefited women
farmers and local communities. While watching the video, reflect on how the building of greenhouses
benefited women farmers in Malawi.

Click the play button.

YOUTUBE

Malawi Climate Smart Agriculture

VIEW ON YOUTUBE

What poverty reduction and environmental sustainability benefits did the women farmers in Malawi
derive from the greenhouses?

Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.

 Longer shelf life of produce

 Improved food production without the threat of pests and viruses

 More equal land ownership

 Additional income to access better housing facilities

 Surplus of income which can be used to fund girl’s education

The aim of the project was to empower women to use labor-saving, climate-smart technologies and
increase agricultural yield. The success of this initiative put more money in the hands of local women by
protecting crops from severe droughts and infestations. Where they once had just enough to eat, they
now had spare cash. This was used to improve their homes and help others in the community, for
example, by paying school fees for girls who had dropped out of school.BMIT

The example from Malawi demonstrates how challenges are often specific to the local context and
solutions must be tailored accordingly.

In Malawi, the integrated approach looked at creating tools for climate-smart agriculture and parallelly
focusing on reducing the gender gap in agriculture.

Click each tab for details.

CREATING TOOLS FOR CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE

Interventions such as climate-smart aquaculture tools kit, soil loss mitigation action plan and strategy,
Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) reports and policy briefs can create better channels for integration with
policymakers.

REDUCING THE GENDER GAP IN AGRICULTURE

The gender gap is about disparities between men and women and gender gap analysis can be used to
identify and cost these in terms of earnings, productivity, access, etc. Addressing the gender gap in
agriculture through labor-saving technologies like greenhouses brings development benefits through
improved food security and reduced poverty.

Green Villages in Rwanda

The second example focuses on the creation of green villages in Rwanda. This project has been
replicated nationwide owing to the success of the initiative. While watching the video, reflect on the
impact of the green villages on the environment and people of Rwanda.

Click the play button.

YOUTUBE

Rwanda - Green Villages

VIEW ON YOUTUBE

What benefits did the Green Village project have in Rwanda?

Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.

 Lower level of corruption

 Better access to medical services at lower cost

 Decrease in number of trees cut

 Better education for children

 Reduced soil erosion

 Investments from multinational companies

 Improved capacities of local authorities

SUBMIT Before the green villages were set up, the women in these areas spent hours fetching water,
collecting firewood and dealing with the risks associated with these long treks.

The Green Village project led to the following benefits:

 Water tanks and reservoirs reduced the need for long journeys and decreased soil erosion
caused by water run-off; clean water meant fewer diseases as well.

 Biogas meant women did not have to collect firewood, saving both women’s labour and trees.
The additional time could be spent on other income-generating activities further aiding poverty
reduction.
  Children were able to extend their study hours since biogas energy allowed for lighting even at
night.

TAKE AGAIN

The example from Rwanda shows how challenges to poverty and environment integration can be
overcome and resilience can be built resilience through better use of natural capital for equitable
development.

In Rwanda, the 'Green Villages' show a great example of using an integrated approach to address
poverty and environment challenges.

Click each tab for details.

CONDUCTING AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

PEI conducted the 'Economic Analysis of Natural Resource Management in Rwanda' which demonstrated
the economic costs of environmental degradation.

ADOPTING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Adopting innovative technologies, including rainwater harvesting systems, use of biogas residue as
fertilizer and tree planting for climate proofing and terracing caused agricultural productivity to soar.
Excess production led to excess income. The provision of clean water and biogas improved the quality of
life by providing more time to the villagers.

ESTABLISHING A GREEN VILLAGE

Today all district development plans in Rwanda include the objective to establish at least one green
village.

Quiz

By UNCCLEARN UNCCLEARNUNCCLEARN UNCCLEARN

Answer the questions in this quiz to recap the key messages.

This is just a practice test; it does not count towards your final grade and certification from the course. If
you’re unable to answer a question, consider reviewing the lesson again before proceeding to the next
module.
Good luck!

Question 01/03

Why is it important to have the ministries of planning and/or finance take the lead on poverty and
environment policies? Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.
Poverty and environment issues are closely linked to national development planning and fiscal
management. Having ministries of planning and finance lead the process of integration helps include
sustainability objectives in national development plans. It also helps close the gap between policies and
resource allocation. Overall, involving these ministries helps break the administrative silos that act as
barriers to integration.

Question 02/03

How does evidence-based analysis increase the effectiveness of sustainable development projects and
initiatives? Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.

 It helps policy/project formulation.

 It helps to quantify and monitor the benefits of the project.

 It helps get approval from stakeholders for the initiative.

Correct

Think about the Green Villages project in Rwanda. The evidence came in the form of lower medical
expenses, better health, surplus income for the villagers, reduction in soil erosion and a decrease in the
use of firewood for fuel. The overwhelming positive evidence helped gain public approval for the project,
as well as to upscale the project from a pilot initiative to a government-supported nationwide project.

Therefore, evidence can be vital in making the case for poverty and environment integration and
investment.

Question 03/03

Why is it important to look at sustainable development projects from a gendered perspective?

 It provides evidence (economic, social, environmental) of the impact of gender issues.

 It mobilises actions and resources to address gender gaps.

 It highlights gender gaps and needs which are often overlooked.

The exclusion of gender and marginalised groups is a major challenge in integration of poverty and
environment issues. Hard economic evidence is often needed to persuade stakeholders that gender
equity is a requirement for both environmental sustainability and poverty elimination.

Module 4: Applying an Integrated Approach

Welcome to the interactive lesson for Module 4 of the e-course Introduction to Sustainable
Development in Practice.

This lesson has one part and a quiz. It provides an overview of the strategic framework for applying an
integrated approach to sustainable development in practice. We will review each step of the framework
in more detail in the e-course Advancing Sustainable Development in Practice.

This module is based on Chapter 1 of the Handbook 'Sustainable Development in Practice: Handbook for
Integrating Environment, Climate, and Poverty Reduction' (Bass et al., 2023).
Strategic Framework for Integration

What do you think?

Based on the video lecture corresponding to this module, what are some things to keep in mind when
working to integrate poverty and environment issues into decision-making cycles?

A strategic framework for integrated sustainable development

WATCH THE VIDEO

What are some of the things that we should keep in mind when working to integrate poverty and
environment issues into decision-making cycles?

Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.

 We should set up parallel projects for poverty and environment mainstreaming.

 We must work with institutions that have the powers and mandates for coordination.

 Our focus must be on existing decision-making cycles.

 We need to work with decision-making cycles that are resistant to change.

 We must learn about information requirements, timing and actors involved before starting work.

SUBMIT When working to integrate poverty and environment concerns into decision-making cycles, we
must work with institutions that have the powers and mandates for coordination. Our focus must be on
existing decision-making cycles rather than creating parallel projects. We must learn about information
requirements, timing, and actors involved before starting work.

In the previous modules, we have examined the need for poverty and environment integration,
the drivers and the challenges to integration and some of the best practices to overcome such
challenges.

Before moving forward, let us recall some important concepts covered so far.

What is the goal of integrating poverty and environment issues in policy processes?
It is to advance poverty reduction and ensure environmental sustainability, so that both objectives are
mutually supportive. Situations where either poor people or the environment (and sometimes both)
continue to lose out should be avoided.

The graph below illustrates not just a desirable path for integration but also the outcomes of taking on a
narrow, one-sided focus.

Recognising that there are opportunities for integrating poverty and environment issues at every stage of
policymaking, what is the best stage at which we should seek out an opportunity for integration?

Select the option you think is correct and click Submit.

 When poverty and environment issues are being analysed

 During the project planning stage
 Before a policy issue is brought into government agenda
 At the budgeting stage

SUBMIT The ideal time to introduce poverty and environment considerations into policy processes is
before a policy issue is brought into government agenda. When we do this, poverty and environment
concerns become natural and organic components of the policy process.

How can a strategic approach to integration achieve maximum impact?

Continued

Often, in development work, it is assumed that progress will ultimately reach poor people and
environment. However, this has not always happened in reality. To enable real change, it is important to
use integrated approaches that understand local conditions and can support genuine institutional
change and long-term capacity building.

The strategic approach proposed in this module embraces all the poverty and environment integration
tasks, tools and tactics involved in a typical decision-making cycle. The framework recommends
integration across the six main stages of the policy-making cycle from analysis to monitoring. The
importance of institution-building and communications are highlighted foundational elements of the
framework which drive the cyclical policy-making activities.

Here is a look at the stages of integration in the policy-making cycle along with suggestions for
integration at each stage.

Click each '+' for details.

Opportunities for poverty and environment integration may be found at every stage in policy-making and
therefore coordination among different stages is key. By thinking about the whole cycle at the outset,
gaps in capacity and procedure between the stages can be identified in advance.

It will make decision-making more efficient and sustainable.

What would an action plan for the integration of poverty and environment issues look like?

We have looked at a strategic approach to integration. Now, let us see how the approach can be put it
into action.

The action plan presented below aims to help practitioners working on poverty and environment issues
(such as integrated landscape management, community-based
conservation or joint environmental and social protection schemes) achieve truly integrated results.

Click each marker for more details.

It is important to note that in real life, the stages of integration are not clear cut— these stages might
overlap each other. Similarly, integration is not about a standardised top-down imposition. It should suit
national contexts and encourage national and local stakeholders to work together to achieve integration
in a bottom-up manner.

Integration does not look the same everywhere.

It cannot be forced.

Quiz

By UNCCLEARN UNCCLEARNUNCCLEARN UNCCLEARN

Answer the questions in this quiz to recap the key messages.

This is just a practice test; it does not count towards your final grade and certification for the course. If
you’re unable to answer a question, consider reviewing the lesson again before proceeding to the next
module.

Question 01/03

Which of these activities are part of a typical decision-making cycle?

Select all the options you think might be correct and click Submit.

 Planning

 Analysing

 Implementing

 Financing

 Monitoring

 Engaging and dialoguing

A typical decision-making cycle has six stages. It begins with analysing and includes engaging and
dialoguing, planning, financing, implementing and monitoring.

Question 02/03

The action plan suggests identifying decision-making processes relevant to your focus on poverty and
environment issues. Why is this important?

Select the option you think is correct and click Submit.

To determine your potential partners

To align your strategy proactively

To zero in on relevant communication tools

To demonstrate positive impact

SUBMIT Identifying decision-making processes that are relevant to your focus on poverty and
environment issues means finding out which ones already handle some holistic policy commitments and
plans, resist them or fail in them. This will help you align your own strategy proactively.

Question 03/03

The lack of integration of poverty and environment issues can have various outcomes. Can you match
the outcomes to the policy focus?

Drag the options on the left to the corresponding options on the right. Then, click Submit.

Focusing only on natural resource management could mean communities could be dislocated. A focus on
short-term livelihoods to reduce poverty could have a negative environmental impact in the form of
overgrazing and deforestation. Failing to focus on either poverty or environment issues would result in
greater vulnerability to climate change and increasing environmental degradation.

Reports, Online Platforms, Documentaries and Stories of Change.

Poverty Environment Action Interactive Handbook

The joint UNDP-UNEP initiative, Poverty-Environment Action for Sustainable Development Goals (2018-
2022) and its predecessor, Poverty-Environment Initiative (2005-2018), have worked for over 18 years on
four continents to respond to increasing calls on taking an integrated approach to poverty reduction and
environmental sustainability. The soon to be published Handbook presents Poverty-Environment Action’s
main lessons, and draws on other recent experiences around the world, to offer a new, interactive guide
to integrating poverty, environment, and climate in decision-making. the handbook was the primary
reference for the course.

2023 Documentary Videos:

 Rwanda:

 An expanded look at the success of the Green Villages in Rwanda, discussed in Module 3, and
how they are revitalising the lives of the local communities.

 Indonesia:

 A peek into how an integrated approach to sustainable development in Indonesia has leveraged
sustainable budget tagging and green bonds to transform its transportation sector and meet its
climate goals.

 Malawi:

 A closer look at how women led agricultural cooperatives have changed the social and
environmental landscape in Malawi.

The Poverty-Environment Action Resource Space

During its operational tenure, Poverty-Environment Action for Sustainable Development Goals
embarked on eight full-fledged country projects — in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Malawi, Mauritania,
Myanmar, Mozambique, Nepal, and Rwanda — and six technical assistance efforts — in Indonesia, South
Africa, and Tanzania; an establishment of the virtual platform; and via strategic partnerships with the
Asian Development Bank, GIZ and UN Women, in which substantive gains had been made through Phase
2 (2014–2018) of the Poverty-Environment Initiative, and that had high potential to deliver on the shift in
investments expected from Poverty-Environment Action. The resource space features the success stories
of the projects two decade tenure, its key publications and thematic findings.

Stories of change from the Poverty- Environment Action Initiative

This booklet captures the Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) experiences of various stakeholders
ranging from the government to vulnerable groups in Laos, Malawi, Bangladesh, Tajikistan and Uruguay.
It includes chapters on a new climate change accounting system to reveal the real cost of adaptation in
Bangladesh, new green enterprises in Tajikistan and a new wastewater law that recognizes waste
recyclers in Uruguay and catalyses the transition to an inclusive green economy. See also:

 Stories from Africa

 Stories from Asia Pacific