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Budget Justification
FY 2001
>> Return to Home Page >> Central Programs >> Global Programs >> Environment
CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENT
Protecting the Environment (G/ENV)
Global environmental challenges -- climate change, the loss of biodiversity, explosive growth in the world's urban centers and environmental mismanagement -- are fundamental constraints to sustainable development, and pose real threats to U.S. economic and political interests. To combat these threats, USAID central programs focus on four objectives that contribute to managing the environment for long-term sustainability. Through Global's Center for Environment objectives, central programs support the environmental objectives of field missions and other parts of USAID and provide interagency and international technical leadership.
934-001. Improved protection and sustainable use of natural resources, principally forests, biodiversity, coastal and freshwater ecosystems, and agricultural lands.
934-001 IR 1.1 Effective Biodiversity Conservation and Management
U.S. Financing Table for 934-001 IR 1.1 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)934-001 IR 1.2 Improved Management of Natural Forest and Tree System
U.S. Financing Table for 934-001 IR 1.2 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)934-001 IR 1.3 Environmental education and communication strategies, methods, and tools systematically applied in USAID-assisted countries
U.S. Financing Table for 934-001 IR 1.3 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)934-001 IR 1.4 Increased Conservation and Sustainable Use of Coastal and Freshwater Resources
U.S. Financing Table for 934-001 IR 1.4 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)The natural resources upon which people depend for sustainable development are being degraded, depleted and inefficiently used in many parts of the developing world. Deforestation, water scarcity and poor water quality, loss of genetic resources and the deterioration of coastal and aquatic ecosystems cause severe environmental, economic and social problems. Sound management of natural resources provides the foundation for improving the livelihood of local communities, which enables sustainable development. USAID supports one of the most comprehensive natural resource conservation and management programs of any bilateral donor. Making important contributions to safeguarding biological diversity and maintaining environmental health, USAID supports conservation of biologically important areas, sustainable forest management technologies, integrated water and coastal resources management, and environmental education and awareness.
In the biodiversity program, increased emphasis will be placed on large-scale conservation efforts. Landscape or ecoregion-based approaches are increasingly recognized as the most effective strategy for countering threats to the world's biological wealth. USAID's approach to biodiversity is, therefore, aimed at safeguarding the larger landscape, which includes human settlements as well as important parks and refuges.
The centrally-led forestry team will continue to build on USAID successes in tropical forestry, incorporating lessons learned, with an increased emphasis on key priority ecoregions, forest trade liberalization, sustainable forest management and community forestry activities. Complementing this, USAID's central programs will house the newly created Secretariat for the President's Board of the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative/Tropical Forest Conservation Act.
The water program promotes integrated water resource management by implementing innovative projects, leading international discussions, and coordinating policies among donors and lenders. Efforts are expected to improve national policies and central programs are substantially involved in international efforts to prevent conflict by facilitating trans-boundary water management.
The environmental education and communication program assists policy makers, educators, journalists, and community members in their efforts to foster sustainable behaviors in the consumption and management of natural resources.
The cumulative area of biologically important habitat under improved management reached 14,206,041 hectares (35,088,921 acres) under central program activities in FY 1998. This number is expected to increase significantly, based on preliminary data for FY 1999.
The cumulative area of biologically important habitat under effective management reached 1,148,263 hectares (2,836,209 acres) in FY 1998. Under this higher standard, environmental degradation has been significantly slowed or reversed and local organizations have demonstrated the ability to identify threats and opportunities, and adapt their site management accordingly. This number is expected to hold steady or increase, based on preliminary reports from partners.
In FY 1998, a total of 34 agencies, NGOs, and institutions in six countries were reported to have tested and utilized strategies, methods and tools for environmental education and communication.
Over the next two years central program activities are expected to yield the following results: a cumulative area of 140,848,507 hectares (347,894,560 acres) of biologically important habitat will be under improved management; a cumulative area of 7,558,843 hectares (18,670,342 acres) of biologically important habitat will be under effective management; and a total of 42 agencies, institutions, and NGOs in seven countries will have tested and utilized strategies, methods, and tools for environmental education and communication.
934-002. Improved management of urbanization in targeted areas.
934-002 IR 2.1 Expanded and equitable delivery of urban environmental services and shelter
U.S. Financing Table for 934-002 IR 2.1 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)934-002 IR 2.2 More effective local governments
U.S. Financing Table for 934-002 IR 2.2 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)934-002 IR 2.3 Reduced Urban Pollution
U.S. Financing Table for 934-002 IR 2.3 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)While cities in developing countries present opportunities for economic and social growth, they also pose enormous threats to the environment, including dangerous levels of pollution and insufficient access to clean water, clean air and sanitation, particularly for the urban poor. Given the increasing rates of urbanization experienced worldwide, the need for USAID to respond to the challenges faced by local governments to provide services such as water, shelter, transportation and a viable local economy to citizens in an equitable and efficient manner is perhaps greater than ever. USAID helps countries develop policies, strengthen institutions (both public and private) and identify cost-effective measures for addressing these problems. Successful management of urban environmental issues at the local level also verifies the utility of a process that devolves authority from central governments, and strengthens the fledgling democratization process ongoing in many countries.
In FY 1998, 506,085 households benefited from improved urban environmental infrastructure and shelter solutions through the Urban and Environmental (UE) Credit Program. Despite a significant decrease in funding, it is estimated that 273,905 below-median income households benefited through the UE credit program in FY 1999.
The International Resource Cities Program managed by central programs promoted more effective local governments by supporting the initiation of five new partnerships in FY 1998 between cities in the United States (including Austin, Texas, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, Savannah, Georgia, and Saginaw, Michigan) with those in developing and transitional countries. These partnerships provide overseas local government officials with technical advice and opportunities to collaborate with U.S. city managers on issues such as urban service delivery, solid waste collection and environmental management. Six new partnerships were initiated in FY 1999.
In FY 1998, the final year of the central Environmental Pollution Prevention Program, USAID reduced urban pollution in eight countries by promoting the adoption of 141 cleaner production policies and manufacturing processes, relying heavily on best practices and technology from the U.S. Through the new Cities for Climate Protection program, USAID reduced urban pollution by assisting 10 pilot cities in FY 1999. Assistance included conducting emissions inventories, establishing targets, and developing projects for implementation.
Over the next two years, central program activities are expected to yield the following results: USAID will provide approximately 200,000 households with improved urban environmental infrastructure and shelter solutions through technical assistance and loan funding. The Resource Cities Program will facilitate an additional 14 partnerships between the United States and host country cities to enhance more effective local governments; and USAID will expand the use of the environmental management systems approach as a tool for reducing urban pollution into two new countries. Finally, eight additional new pilot cities will conduct emissions inventories and establish targets.
934-003. Increased, environmentally sustainable energy production and use.
934-003 IR 3.1 Increased Energy Efficiency
U.S. Financing Table for 934-003 IR 3.1 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)934-003 IR 3.2 Increased use of renewable energy resources
U.S. Financing Table for 934-003 IR 3.2 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)934-003 IR 3.3 Reduced Urban Pollution
U.S. Financing Table for 934-003 IR 3.3 (Microsoft Excel Document - 17 kb)Energy brings countless benefits to human life. Energy facilitates heating and cooling, lighting, communications, health, food, education, industrial production and transportation. Unfortunately, these benefits have yet to reach more than two billion people around the world. To achieve and maintain social and economic progress, developing countries and economies in transition need to expand their energy supply without destroying their environments. Equitable, sustainable development depends on widespread access to appropriate energy services. According to current estimates, a yearly investment of more than $100 billion will be required over the next decade for new or rehabilitated electricity generation capacity in developing countries.
USAID spearheads the U.S. Government's efforts to help developing countries and economies in transition design effective new strategies in order to tap private capital and talent, thereby meeting growing energy demand. USAID promotes free market policies and more efficient power production, energy conservation, and private sector participation in the energy sector. Working with other donors and the private sector, USAID leverages additional public and private investments to finance environmentally sustainable energy production and use. Increased private sector participation in the power sector of developing countries opens a multi-billion dollar industry to U.S. companies while providing needed investment in energy infrastructure.
In addition to its current programs, a new USAID special initiative, the Sustainable Energy for the 21st Century Program, has been developed. The new activity grew out of the clean energy technology development and export initiative based on a recently published report by the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). This program is intended to assist countries to promote sector reform, establish free market policies, institute energy standards, and strengthen energy and environmental institutions that enable energy sector development and private sector participation in the sector. The program will provide training and technical assistance for legal and regulatory reform and institutional development, and enable private investment in the energy sector. A key element will be improving the livability of cities, where the bulk of the earth's population will reside in the 21st century. As a result of USAID's Energy Partnership Program, the Karnataka Electricity Board (KEB), a state run distribution utility serving 45 million customers in southeastern India, signed a contract with Energy Line, a U.S.-based energy service company specializing in automated distribution controls (ADC), to develop a pilot ADC project.
Central program activities leveraged more than $484 million in public and private investment in environmentally sustainable energy production, and efforts to implement sustainable energy technologies, practices and policies resulted in the reduction of more than 634,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Technical assistance activities fostered the adoption of 14 public policies throughout 24 assisted countries to promote environmentally sound energy production and use; in FY 1999 it is expected that 16 policies will be adopted.
Over the next two years, central program activities are expected to yield the following results: the number of newly installed renewable energy systems is expected to increase from 1,295 -- enhancing energy service to over 500,000 people -- in FY 1998, to over 4,000 systems in FY 2001. In addition, the number of partnerships between U.S. and host country businesses in cleaner energy technologies is expected to increase from six in FY 1999 to 12 in FY 2001, thereby significantly enhancing sustainable energy technology transfer between U.S. utilities and regulatory agencies and their developing country counterparts.
934-004. Reduced threat to sustainable development from global climate change.
Climate change poses profound global economic, environmental and social challenges. As the events of recent years indicate, response to increased net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and occurrences of severe weather and natural disasters have cost governments and the private sector billions of dollars through increased health costs, lost revenues from natural resource and energy production and increased insurance costs. Developing and transition countries have little inherent flexibility in economic, environmental and social systems, and require assistance to respond to the threats posed by climate change.
In FY 1998, USAID launched its five-year, $1 billion Climate Change Initiative in fulfillment of a presidential commitment to reduce the threats posed by climate change in developing and transition countries. Through programs implemented by a total of 44 missions, offices and regional programs, USAID has helped developing nations: participate more effectively in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); decrease net GHG emissions through energy, industrial, urban, forestry, agriculture and biodiversity sector activities; and address and adapt to climate vulnerability. In addition, USAID has provided technical assistance and leadership for U.S. Government interagency climate change activities, such as the U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation and the U.S. Country Studies Program.
USAID supports climate change activities in 12 target priority countries and regions: Brazil, Central Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon), Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), India, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine.
FY 1999 was the first year of funding for this objective. Building from baseline data collected in FY 1998, central programs played a significant leadership role in achieving climate results. Central programs collected performance data from 44 countries, reporting climate-related results achieved through activities supporting developing country participation in the UNFCCC, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in energy, industrial, urban, forestry, agriculture and biodiversity sectors. In India, for example, USAID helped the National Thermal Power Corporation reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 1.1million tons from coal-fired power plants. Efforts to protect and conserve forest lands in Indonesia containing important carbon stocks, involved outreach and training that engaged over 50 communities in forest mapping, and improved their understanding of conservation practices and of legal protections for forests. Performance data details policy advances and training and technical assistance promoting more effective developing country participation in the UNFCCC; greenhouse gases avoided through energy, industrial, and urban activities; metric tons of carbon stored through forest management and preservation activities; dollars leveraged through climate-related work with host country partners and other donors and lenders; and sectoral policy advances that reduce GHG emissions. Furthermore, USAID central programs provided substantial financial and technical support to the U.S. Country Studies and U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation (USIJI) interagency programs. In FY 1998, USAID reviewed eight proposed USIJI projects, approving four energy, forestry and urban projects in Mexico, Guatemala and South Africa. In addition, central programs supported a Country Studies Program workshop in Central America in April 1998, as well as four other training events.
Over the next two years, central program activities accoiated with the Climate Change Initiative are expected to: (1) assist in reducing the threat of climate change to developing and transition countries; (2) promote increased mission participation and incorporate consideration of climate change more broadly in sectoral decisions; and (3) sponsor at least three training workshops to educate host country personnel to conduct greenhouse gas emissions inventories and mitigation analysis. Some activities may be covered under Section 568(a) of the Foreign Operations Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act of FY 2000.
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Last Updated on: September 18, 2000 |
