Launch of the scoping review on Environmental Footprint of humanitarian assistance for DG ECHO

16/10/2019

The increasing severity of environmental and climatic challenges, combined with the fact that certain populations are directly dependant on natural resources, means that humanitarian actors have a ‘collective responsibility’ to reduce the ecological footprint of their programmes. Donors have an essential role to play in this regard to ensure that change happens. DG ECHO is aware of this responsibility and has therefore launched a detailed analysis of its practices to identify what it can do to support its partners more in this collective effort.

All humanitarian donors, including DG ECHO, are in a position to encourage the organisations that they fund to take environmental considerations into account both in terms of programme design and aid delivery. To do so is coherent with the principles of Do No Harm and of accountability towards people affected by crisis, two principles that are central to the work of humanitarians.

The objective of this study is to take stock of DG ECHO’s positioning and practices in this area in order to identify areas where progress is needed and is possible. The aim will be to review existing initiatives to integrate environmental issues in the humanitarian sector (DG ECHO and other donors) as well as practical tools. This will help DG ECHO to establish where it stands on these issues and how it can help its partners in the complex matter of reducing their environmental footprint.

This study is being carried out in connection with the INSPIRE Consortium, which aims to support the development and implementation of the European Commission’s humanitarian policies. It is supervised by Groupe URD.

INSPIRE consortium

Policy development for European Union’s humanitarian aid department (DG ECHO)

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