Sustainable Development
Environmental policy and strategy advice
- Policy advice: Improvement of political, legal, fiscal and social framework conditions conducive to sustainable natural resources management, support to the implementation of international conventions (MDGs, CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD), harmonization of framework policies, e.g. formulation of National Forest Programs (NFP).
- Legal advice and law enforcement: Analysis and improvement of legal framework (forest and protected areas legislation), consideration of principles of sustainable forest management and the ecosystem approach, identification of disincentives with negative effect on forests and biodiversity (e.g. market distortions, counter-productive subsidies, obstructive taxation, fees and customs duties), reform or creation of incentives for the protection and wise utilization of natural resources, installation of effective law enforcement, Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT), fight against illegal logging and trade of wood and other illegally obtained forest products, development of transparent procedures for issuing concessions and utilization licenses, establishment of effective control and penalty mechanisms, development of credible, independent certification systems, fight against corruption.
- Environmental governance: Creation of mechanisms for observation, information, consultation and participation, active involvement of all interest groups, empowerment and the creation of ownership, promotion of transparency, Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), consideration of indigenous / traditional / local knowledge, fair access and benefit sharing.
Institutional development and capacity building
- Strengthening of organizations and institutions: Institutional analysis, improvement of institutional structures, curricula development, identification of training needs, training and capacity-building measures for forest / protected areas managers, workers and forest users, creation of synergies through networking, coordination and dialogue with donors, government agencies, research institutes, NGOs and community based organizations.
- Decentralization: Support to natural resource-related governmental organizations in implementing newly obtained tasks in the process of decentralization (in particular forestry / protected area departments on national, provincial, district and local level), integration of co-management structures.
- Communication, education and public awareness: Design and implementation of information workshops, study tours, extension services, training of trainers, farmer to farmer learning, environmental education campaigns and promotion of public awareness. Design and establishment of knowledge management and information systems.
Sustainable livelihoods
- Community development: Livelihood analysis (village profiles and household surveys), linking social justice, economic viability and environmental compatibility, diversification of income opportunities (community forestry, improved agriculture, range land and agro-forestry systems, processing and marketing of agricultural products, wood and non timber forest products, certification, eco-tourism, etc.), formation of community based organizations / user groups / associations related to natural resource management, (re)negotiation of involved stakeholders’ roles, rights and revenues.
- Project finance: Small grant schemes, micro credits, local development funds, revolving funds, diversification of funds, public private partnership (PPP) measures.
- Infrastructure development: Improvement of infrastructure (e.g. tourism infrastructure, road access, energy supply, waste management, sewage treatment), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), compensation of land- / resource use restrictions.