About the EfD initiative
The Environment for Development initiative is a capacity building program in environmental economics focusing on research, policy advice, and teaching in China, Central America, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Information leaflet on the EfD initiative (pdf)
There are six EfD centers hosted by universities or academic institutions in each respective country/region.
The EfD is initiated and managed by the Environmental Economics Unit, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Financial support is provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and builds on Sida´s Environmental Economics Capacity Building Program.
RFF, Resources for the Future in Washington DC, is an important partner of the EfD initiative. RFF´s research fellows work closely with their counterparts and RFF`s communications staff helps to disseminate the new centers' research products.
The overall objective of the EfD initiative is to support poverty alleviation and sustainable development by building environmental economics capacity in policy making processes.
Research
The main activity of the EfD initiative is international research collaboration on poverty-environment issues. Environmental economists identify underlying problems, value the environmental impact and propose efficient solutions. We use policy instrument analysis, non-market valuation, and behavioral and experimental economics as tools for research on management of natural resources, climate change, and environmental policy.
Policy advice
EfD researchers focus on issues that are of real concern for policy making bodies. We strive to integrate the environment into strategic policy processes and to meet the demands of domestic institutions as well as international organizations. The EfD centers offer workshops, seminars, training of civil servants, and publication of policy briefs and research reports.
Teaching
Academic training is fundamental for domestic capacity building in environmental economics. The EfD initiative supports national graduate programs in environmental economics at all EfD centers. With funds from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), PhD candidates from developing countries are also trained in environmental economics at the Environmental Economics Unit, University of Gothenburg.
