Country Environmental Profile
The Programming phase is crucial for environment and climate change integration because key decisions concerning the overall co-operation process that are made at this stage can be more difficult to adjust in later phases.
The main environmental integration tool during the Programming phase is the Country Environmental Profile (CEP).
Key Points
What is the CEP?
A report that includes the analysis of the country's environmental and climate change situation, current environment and climate change policies and strategies, institutional capacities and environmental/climate change co-operation experience with clear recommendations for future EU cooperation, policy dialogue and for the integration of the environment and climate change in the Multiannual Indicative Programme and its implementation.
The assessment process should include engagement with key stakeholders involved with environment and climate change.
Where possible, the CEP should be undertaken as a joint exercise with national and other development partners in line with the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action.
DG DEVCO has formulated an indicative ‘Terms of Reference for a Country Environmental Profile’ to guide staff in developing, revising or updating CEPs.
What needs to be done by EC staff?
EU delegations and external relations’ staff have three possible approaches:
- In case no CEP or equivalent recent analyses are available, or when sources of information are not reliable, it is recommended to prepare a complete CEP based on DEVCO’s Terms of Reference (ToR);
- Whenever there is a CEP, or equivalent recent analyses available, with information useful to inform the integration of environment and climate change in programming, the analysis can focus on completing any missing relevant information required under DEVCO’s ToR;
- If a joint country environmental and climate change analysis, CEP (or equivalent document) is prepared together with other donors, staff should asses if the document covers all key aspects required by DEVCO’s ToR, including the analysis and recommendations for the better integration of environment and climate change in programming.
Under what conditions?
A CEP is required for all beneficiary countries.
When is it needed?
Ideally before the end of the preparation of a MIP.
How long does it take?
The duration and cost of preparing a CEP varies considerably as a function of the data availability, the size of the country and the complexity of the environmental issues. Using consultants from inception to final report takes typically +/- 4 months.
Where is it used?
The CEP is used in the preparation of the MIP, for policy dialogue and reference. A summary of the CEP must be annexed to the MIP.
The main contents of a CEP are outlined below:
Background
Brief overview of the country, its current socio-political situation, EU cooperation experience on the major environmental concerns and responses by the government and/or other donors, the objectives and rationale for integrating the environment and climate change in the EU country analysis and programming documents and the current timetable with respect to the multi-annual programming process.
State of the environment/climate change, trends and pressures
An assessment of the state and trends of the environment in relation to development, including an identification of the main environmental problems to resolve or avoid. This section addresses the relationship between the environment and the social and economic situation, and more particularly between poverty, climate change and environment.
Environmental and climate change policies and institutions
A presentation of the main features of the institutional, policy and regulatory framework leading to the identification of weaknesses and constraints on the capacity to address main environmental/climate change concerns, including a review of the legislation and procedures regarding Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA).
A review of the international obligations undertaken by the country in the areas of environmental protection and climate change.
Integration of environment and climate change concerns in main policies and sectors
An identification of links between the main government policies and strategies (overall development policy, sector policies and strategies) and environmental sustainability issues, providing indications on the extent of existing environmental mainstreaming and SEA, with a special attention paid to the “focal sectors” of the European Union’s intervention.
Analysis of aid
A description of past and ongoing aid from the EU and other donors in the field of the environment and climate change, incorporating lessons learnt from major evaluations. Assessment of opportunities to collaborate with other donors in pursuing common goals and seeking complementarities.
Conclusions and recommendations
Recommendations on how environmental/climate change issues can be most effectively addressed by EU co-operation, their relative priority and the implementation challenges. These must particularly address environmental and climate change aspects to take into account under potential focal sectors, including additional studies (such as SEA), capacity building/institutional strengthening, and potential indicators to be used in the MIP.
List of environmental profiles per partner country: