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The Environment for Development Initiative: lessons learned in research, academic capacity building and policy intervention to manage resources for sustainable growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2014

Thomas Sterner ,
Yonas Alem ,
Francisco Alpízar ,
Cyndi Spindell Berck ,
Carlos Alberto Chavez Rebolledo ,
Johane Dikgang ,
Stephen Kirama ,
Gunnar Köhlin ,
Jane Mariara-Kabubo  and
Alemu Mekonnen
...Show all authors
Thomas Sterner
Affiliation:
Economics Department, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 640, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; and Environment for Development (EfD). Tel: 46 (0)31 786 1377. E-mail: thomas.sterner@economics.gu.se
Yonas Alem
Affiliation:
Economics Department, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; and Environment for Development (EfD). E-mail: yonas.alem@economics.gu.se
Francisco Alpízar
Affiliation:
Environment for Development (EfD) Research Programme – CATIE; and Latin American and Caribbean Environmental Economics Programme. E-mail: falpizar@catie.ac.cr
Cyndi Spindell Berck
Affiliation:
International Academic and Policy Editorial Services; and Environment for Development (EfD). E-mail: cyndi.berck@gmail.com
Carlos Alberto Chavez Rebolledo
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Universidad de Concepción, Chile; and Environment for Development (EfD) – Chile. E-mail: cchavez@udec.cl
Johane Dikgang
Affiliation:
Department of Economics and Econometrics, University of Johannesburg, South Africa; and Environment for Development (EfD) – South Africa. E-mail: DKGJOH001@myuct.ac.za
Stephen Kirama
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Environment for Development (EfD) – Tanzania. E-mail: ngareni3@udsm.ac.tz
Gunnar Köhlin
Affiliation:
Economics Department, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; and Environment for Development (EfD). E-mail: Gunnar.Kohlin@economics.gu.se
Jane Mariara-Kabubo
Affiliation:
School of Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya; and Environment for Development (EfD) – Kenya. E-mail: jmariara@uonbi.ac.ke
Alemu Mekonnen
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; and Environment for Development (EfD) – Ethiopia and Environmental Economics Policy Forum for Ethiopia. E-mail: alemu_m2004@yahoo.com
Jintao Xu
Affiliation:
National School of Development, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China; and Environment for Development (EfD) – China, Environmental Economic Programme in China. E-mail: xujt@pku.edu.cn
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Abstract

This article reviews the history of the Environment for Development (EfD) initiative, its activities in capacity building and policy-oriented research, and case studies at its centres in Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. EfD promotes research-based policies to manage natural resources as engines of development. Since 1991, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has provided funding for students from developing countries to earn a PhD at the Environmental Economics Unit (EEU) of the University of Gothenburg. Returning home, these economists face institutional and academic gaps that limit the adoption of research-based policies. In response, the first EfD centre was founded in 2004, and six more followed. Research focuses on agriculture, climate, fisheries, parks, wildlife, forestry, energy and policy design. This has yielded 200 peer-reviewed articles. Successful policy outcomes depend on relationships with policy makers, community involvement in livelihood strategies, strengthened institutional support, interdisciplinary approaches, and dissemination of research results.

Type
Research Article
Information
Environment and Development Economics , Volume 19 , Issue 3: Special Issue of Environment and Development Economics: Looking Back and Moving Forward , June 2014 , pp. 367 - 391
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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