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The environment sector works to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of refugee and IDP camps, from the earliest stages of response. They also oversee environmental management and rehabilitation projects such as forest conservation, tree planting and the establishment of green belts and woodlots in areas surrounding camps. Environmental degradation is exacerbated in humanitarian settings for a variety of reasons. Sudden, large concentrations of people living in the crowded camps that emerge during conflict or after natural disasters can rapidly deplete the land’s carrying capacity. Further, the reconstruction that is often necessary after war and natural disasters necessitates that thousands or even millions of trees be felled for building material. Lastly, as cooking fuel is almost never provided in humanitarian settings, women and children are forced to forage on their own, which further depletes the area’s natural resources.
Environment Resources
Climate Change E-Learning Tool
Tools/Manuals/Handbooks
Author: Mercy Corps
Date: July 2010
Synopsis: This course provides a basic
introduction to Climate Change and its effects. It was originally intended for
Mercy Corps staff worldwide to help them understand why Climate Change is
important to their work, how it affects their programs, and the actions Mercy
Corps is taking to reduce our impact.
Dealing with energy needs in humanitarian crisis response
operations: A Quick Scan of policies and best practices of humanitarian aid
organizations and potential alternative energy sources and technologies.
Reports
Author: Institute of Environmental
Security (IES) & IUCN-Netherlands Committee (IUCN-NL)
Date: September 2009
Synopsis: This
report, published as part of the ‘FUEL-project’ to promote the integration of
sustainable fuel provision in humanitarian response, shows how relief
organizations are handling fuel needs in disaster response operations, focusing
on IDP/refugee camps in Darfur, Ethiopia, DR Congo and Nepal. High demand for
firewood and charcoal has led to large-scale deforestation, with huge impacts
on future livelihoods of the affected people. In addition, fuel scarcity can
lead to the regeneration of violent conflicts. The study also explored various
alternative energy sources and technologies that can be used in crisis response
situations.
Faire face aux besoins
énergétiques dans les opérations de réponse aux crises humanitaires : Evaluation brève
des politiques et des bonnes pratiques des organisations d’aide humanitaire et
des sources et technologies d'énergie alternative
Reports
Author : Institute for Environmental
Security (IES) & le Comité Néerlandais de l'UICN (UICN-NL)
Date : Septembre 2009
Synopsis : Ce note de synthèse montre
comment les organisations humanitaire répondent aux besoins de combustible dans
les opérations de réponse aux crises au Darfour, en Éthiopie, en RDC et au
Népal. Le document intégral (en anglais) est aussi disponible sur cette page
ci-dessus.
Renewable Energy for Africa
Reports
Author: Institute for Environmental
Security
Date: May 2009
Synopsis: This publication gives an
overview of nine potential sources of renewable energy for Africa, including
costs, benefits and challenges, examples of pilot projects, and which countries
or regions in Africa would be most suitable for implementation.
Sustaining Natural Resources and Environmental Integrity
During Response to Crisis and Conflict
Reports
Author: Woodrow Wilson International
Center for Scholars: Environmental Change and Security Program
Date: November 2008
Synopsis: This document summarizes the
key issues discussed at a meeting sponsored by the Wilson Center’s
Environmental Change and Security Program. Participants Charles Kelly,
affiliate, Benfield Hazard Research Centre at University College London and Anita Van Breda, Director,
Humanitarian Partnerships, World Wildlife Fund, discuss the importance of
including environmental management in disaster relief and the obstacles to
integrating environmental issues into post-disaster assistance. This page
includes a link to a video of the event.
Destitution, distortion and deforestation: the impact of
conflict on the timber and woodfuel trade in Darfur
Reports
Author: United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
Date: November 2008
Synopsis: This is the first study by
the UNEP-supported Environmental Technology Task Force (ENTEC) in Darfur,
created to inform humanitarian programming and preparation for future
post-conflict recovery efforts regarding the use and promotion of alternative
energy and construction technologies. This report details the impact of the
conflict on timber/woodfuel and livelihoods, domestic energy needs and the
current policy context, as well as recommendations for the future.
WFP and the Environment: Issues and Priorities
Reports
Author: World Food Programme (WFP)
Date: September 2008
Synopsis: Natural and human-induced
environmental degradation undermines the economic and productive bases of
communities, causing food insecurity, malnutrition, displacement, loss of
sustainable livelihoods, and exacerbating a vicious cycle of poverty. This
document summarizes the policy and operational issues faced by WFP when
integrating environmental concerns into policies and operations.
Sudan Post-Conflict Environmental
Assessment Population Displacement and the Environment Chapter 5: Population
displacement and the environment
Reports
Author:
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Date: 2007
Synopsis:
This chapter presents an overview of displacement-related environmental issues
in Sudan, and the ways in which they have affected the cooking fuel needs,
livelihoods, protection, and overall well-being of Sudanese refugees. The
chapter further explores the impact of Sudan’s environmental degradation on
neighboring countries. Recommendations include: conducting an environmental
impact assessment, implementing an environmental and technical assistance
project for Darfur, and investing in alternative options to resolve the
fuelwood energy crisis.
Darfur: Relief in a vulnerable environment
Reports
Author: Tearfund
Date: 2007
Synopsis: This report provides a
rationale for the importance of addressing environmental issues in the Darfur
relief context and describes sustainable resource management (SRM) as an
appropriate framework for environmental mitigation in relief contexts. Further,
the report makes recommendations in the context of SRM for the areas of
forestry, water security and integrating environmental protection into relief
operations.
Mainstreaming the Environment into Humanitarian Response: An
Exploration of Opportunities and Issues
Reports
Author: Environmental Resources
Management (ERM)
Date: November 2007
Synopsis: This research report explores
the issues and opportunities associated with mainstreaming the environment into
humanitarian response activities. Feedback and good practice examples on
environmental policies, tools, standards, guidelines and procedures used by
humanitarian agencies were gleaned from interviews with NGOs, Donors, UN
Agencies, the IFRC and experts. Recommendations and next steps are provided.
FRAME Toolkit (Framework for Assessing, Monitoring and
Evaluating the Environment in Refugee-related Operations)
Tools/Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) & CARE International
Date: 2005
Synopsis: This toolkit offers a series
of analytical, planning and management tools to help users monitor, evaluate
and assess the environmental impacts (including health, social and economic) of
projects and programs in refugee-related operations worldwide.
Refugee Operations and Environmental Management: Selected
Lessons Learned
Reports
Author: United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: 2005
Synopsis: This sourcebook is an output
of TSEMPRAA (Towards Sustainable
Environmental Management Practices in Refugee Affected Areas), which reviewed
environmental programs and activities in refugee camps between 1997-1998. This
sourcebook is based on a series of case studies from 10 different countries in
Africa and South Asia, and is meant to serve as a reference of lessons learned
for managers and field personnel.
UNHCR Environmental Guidelines
Guidelines/Standards
Author: United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: August 2005
Synopsis: The main objectives of these
guidelines are to describe the basis for incorporating environmental factors
into UNHCR guidelines and programs, provide detailed information and the
rationale behind the UNHCR Executive Committee (EXCOM 1995) policy statement,
and raise awareness for UNHCR and other agencies involved with
refugees/returnees. Food and domestic energy issues are discussed in section 6
of the guidelines.
Forest Management in Refugee and Returnee Situations: A
Handbook of Sound Practices
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR)
Date: August 2005
Synopsis: This handbook offers
practical guidelines on forest management in refugee/returnee situations that
are in line with the overarching need to protect broad forest ecosystems.
Background information on forests and ecosystem management is provided, as well
as concerns related to forest management during refugee and returnee
situations, and practical actions to consider when responding to needs.
Finally, there is a step-by-step guide on drawing up a local forest management
plan.
Guidelines
for Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment in Disasters (REA)
Guidelines/Standards
Author: Benfield Hazard Research Centre, University College London
& CARE International
Date: April 2005
Synopsis: These guidelines provide a means for defining and prioritizing
potential environmental impacts in disaster situations. The document is
comprised of an introduction to REA, four modules and ten supplementary
annexes. The modules include Organization, Community Level Assessments,
Consolidation and Analysis (of assessment results), and Green Review of Relief
Procurement, among others.
Livelihood Options in Refugee Situations: A Handbook for
Promoting Sound Agricultural Practices
Tools/Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: December 2002
Synopsis: This handbook presents
options and approaches for crop production, with a focus on securing the
nutrition and livelihoods of refugee/returnee populations, while minimizing the
environmental degradation that often accompanies agricultural activities in
refugee-related settings.
Refugee Operations and
Environmental Management: Key Principles for Decision-making
Guidelines/Standards
Author:
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: August
1998
Synopsis:
This guide is meant to make raise awareness amongst decision-makers in refugee
operations about the link between the environment and human well-being, and to
strengthen their ability to make appropriate decisions that are in the
interests of refugees and the local environment alike.
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