USAID Sector Environmental Guidelines

SECTOR ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES & RESOURCES

Purpose. The Sector Environmental Guidelines present information on common USAID development actions regarding:

• the typical, potential adverse impacts of activities in these sectors; 
• how to prevent or otherwise mitigate these impacts, both in the form of general activity design guidance and specific design, construction and operating measures;
• how to minimize vulnerability of activities to climate change; and
• more detailed resources for further exploration of these issues.

Environmental Compliance Applications. 

The Sector Environmental Guidelines series directly support environmental compliance by providing: information essential to assessing the potential impacts of activities, and to the identification and detailed design of appropriate mitigation and monitoring measures.

However, the Sector Environmental Guidelines are not specific to USAID’s environmental procedures. They are generally written and are intended to support the general environmentally and socially sustainable approaches to common sectors, regardless of the specific environmental requirements, regulations, or processes that apply, if any.  Site specific context must be considered when using these guidelines and additional or modified impacts and mitigation measures may be required.

Sector Environmental Guidelines

• CBNRM
• Construction
• Crop Production
• Dryland Agriculture
• Ecotourism
• Energy

• Forestry
• Healthcare Facilities
• Healthcare Waste Management
• Housing
• Humanitarian Response and Natural Disasters

• Integrated Pest Management
• Livestock
• Micro and Small Enterprises
• Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
• Rural Roads

• Safer Use Pesticides
• Primary and Secondary Day Schools
• Solid Waste
• Water Supply and Sanitation
• Wild Caught Fisheries and Aquaculture