Project Focus Area – Environment

With 2.5 billion people living on less than $2 a day and with more than two billion people being added to the global population by 2050, it is clear that we must continue to develop and grow our economies…But this development cannot come at the expense of the very life support systems on land, in the oceans or in our atmosphere that sustain our economies, and thus, the lives of each and everyone of us.
-Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director

Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals is to ensure environmental sustainability. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), while most nations are committed to the principles of sustainable development, the progress required to reverse the loss of the world’s environmental resources has not been made. Environmental sustainability includes using natural resources wisely, educating communities, and protecting the intricate ecosystems upon which we depend. Particular consideration needs to be paid to the poor populations, whose daily subsistence and livelihoods depend on the natural resources around them.

If we continue on our path of high consumption and degradation, environmental protection and sustainability will not be realized. Plant and animal species are dwindling at an unprecedented rate. Global warming portends rising sea levels with increased droughts and floods. Fisheries and other marine resources are being overexploited. While population migration from rural to urban areas has reduced the burden on pastoral lands, it has increased the number of people living in overcrowded urban slums where millions of people lack safe drinking water and basic sanitation (Global Monitoring Report 2010).

FCDE believes that environmental development is fundamental to achieving overall sustainable development. Effectively responding to the issues associated with climate change requires joint efforts between countries and communities. We aim to build the capacity of local partners to provide the necessary information to communities so that they can make responsible environmental decisions. FCDE will utilize integrated and systemic approaches to support local organizations and communities to effectively and soundly manage energy, agriculture, sanitation, forestry, water, and urban planning. By facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology and encouraging new working partnerships, we hope to reverse the downward trajectory and help to protect our most valuable resource.