Environments and Livelihoods: Strategies for Sustainability

THIS BOOK IS based on the experience of a range of national and international NGOs in exploring the interdependency between poverty and environmental change. It aims to enhance the learning of development professionals in the field of environment and development, with a focus on sustainable livelihoods.

The first section of the book reviews theoretical perspectives on environment and development and, specifically, on sustainable development. It also examines issues of sustainability in contexts where vulnerability is of central importance as a result of wars and various environmental hazards. This is followed by examples of participation in development processes, and the resulting effects on livelihoods and environments in the city of Recife in Brazil and in two remote rural communities in Mozambique and Vietnam. The concept of sustainable livelihoods is described in detail, with its implications as an analytical tool for project assessment and policy formulation. A number of ways to involve social actors in various activities, from project planning to project evaluation to strategic planning and campaigning, are also discussed.

The next section addresses project management and the integration of questions of environmental sustainability in the project cycle. Lessons from the use of environmental impact assessment in large public and private projects, and from the use of participatory rural appraisal in small-scale community development projects, are compared and discussed. Finally, national and international environmental policies and strategies of governments and development agencies are discussed, especially with regard to how the needs and priorities of people can and should be integrated in policy processes. The book covers a large number of topics, from climate change and biodiversity to industrialization and globalization. Throughout the text, practical suggestions are provided, and the book ends with a list of bibliographical resources and details of relevant websites.