Objectives

The over-arching objective of the Environment and Natural Resources Management Program is to develop capacity among individuals and institutions that influence environmental and natural resources management. The program helps to improve understanding of the linkages among the economy, natural resources, ecosystem services and institutions, and how societies function. It also fosters the acquisition of skills that are necessary to address sustainability, equity, and vulnerability issues in environmental public goods related to the following challenges:

• Conserving Biodiversity and Natural Resources
• Promoting Clean Air
• Improving the Urban Environment
• Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change

To address these challenges, skills are enhanced through the following themes:

• Transforming institutions for environmental governance
  Well-functioning institutions are central to the development process. But the institutions needed to manage and protect environmental and social assets are not emerging rapidly enough, and existing ones need to be strengthened, and in some cases transformed, so that they can implement policies that take into account the interactions between economic, social, and environmental problems. More narrowly focusing on environmental policies, good governance, compliance, and enforcement are needed to bolster institutional capacity; these require performance and compliance indicators to measure and demonstrate the results of government activities to decision makers and the public.
  
• Environmental economics for development
  The rigorous application of economic principles to understand the environmental linkages to growth and development and to influence the design of relevant public policy is fundamental to strengthening institutional capacity to manage sustainable environmental resources. Capacity building events help develop skills to sharpen analysis of policy and market failures that result in poor management and subsequently identify how markets can be harnessed to support conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
  
• Forging partnerships that sustain the commons
  Sustained collaboration among various stakeholders is important to build and a critical mass of institutions and individuals collectively influencing the management of the commons. Partnerships are implemented at various levels for improving air quality, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and conserving biodiversity.