EU Development Policy
Environment and poverty reduction
Freshwater, soil fertility, clean air, fisheries and forests provide the very basics of human well-being. 70% of the world’s poor live in rural areas where their daily livelihoods hugely depend on natural resources, which is why a healthy environment is critical to achieve long-term poverty reduction.
By maintaining ecosystem services and providing new livelihood opportunities, conservation activities can help contribute towards poverty reduction and sustainable development. However, policy makers often fail to consider the value of natural habitats and ecosystem services – which can lead to unanticipated social and environmental costs resulting from seemingly sensible economic and development policies.
Europe, as the largest provider of aid in the world, has a particular responsibility, and a legal obligation, to promote environmental integration across its global activities. The future of Europe is linked to the rest of the world, both in terms of dependence upon global natural resources and the impacts of own actions on the sustainable development of other countries.
Europe, as the largest provider of aid in the world, has a particular responsibility, and a legal obligation, to promote environmental integration across its global activities. The future of Europe is linked to the rest of the world, both in terms of dependence upon global natural resources and the impacts of own actions on the sustainable development of other countries.
Sumatra, Indonesia. Talang Mamak people. Their trading way of life is threatened by forest clearance.