Sida's Green Toolbox
Sida’s Green Toolbox provides guidance on Sida’s requirements for environmental integration, dialogue support, and a number of sector and policy specific tools. The Helpdesk has supported the development of several of the available guides and tools, which can help you assess and integrate the environment and climate change perspective in Sida's operations.
Environmental integration that goes beyond "do no harm"
Environmental integration requires Sida and partners to adopt the mind-set that sustainable development cannot be met without adhering to the planetary boundaries. The Green Toolbox provides tools and guidance to support the assessment and integration of environmental issues, including climate change, biodiversity and pollution, in Sida's operations.
Guides for staff and partners on environmental integration
The Helpdesk recommends all Sida staff to use the Step-by-step guide for environmental integration into Sida's operations. The step-by-step guidance serves as a practical tool to assist Sida staff in the assessment and integration of environment into all Sida’s contributions.
For partners, the Helpdesk recommends the Guide to partners: How to conduct an environmental assessment. The Guide to partners provides a tool for how to assess opportunities, possible negative impact and risks, and environmental vulnerabilities for the sustainability of development results.
An environmental assessment is mandatory for all contributions
The environmental assessment consists of three pillars: opportunities for a positive environmental impact, possible negative impacts and risks, and risks from environmental degradation. The assessment also needs to analyse the internal capacity of the partner organisation to manage identified opportunities and risks. It should be conducted during the initial phase of a project. It is the partner's responsibility to conduct the assessment, but Sida and the Helpdesk can support the process.
What is environmental integration?
Environmental integration (or environmental mainstreaming) refers to the systematic integration of environment into all domains. It is understood as a “strategy to make environment an integral dimension of the organisation’s design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development policies and programmes”.
Sida’s requirements on environmental integration is further detailed in Sida’s Green Toolbox.
