Climate & environment - Enabel - Belgian Agency for Development Cooperation

Faced with the climate emergency and the interdependence of global challenges, Enabel is working for sustainable and resilient development. By combining the protection of ecosystems, the promotion of the green economy and support for sustainable food systems, Enabel aims to strengthen the resilience of local communities and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Thematic expertise

Enabel supports sustainable food systems through agroecology, inclusive value chains, and the support to producers, communities, and local policies.

Food systems

Enabel supports biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and sustainable natural resource management to build resilience, green jobs and inclusive growth.

Natural resources management and biodiversity

Our approach

Preserve and sustainably manage natural resources and ecosystems

Enabel supports the development of efficient production systems that use fewer raw materials, reduce the impact of human activities on the environment and ecosystems, and stimulate the local economy.

Enabel implements an integrated approach that touches on a number of different sectors: the protection of forest ecosystems, particularly in the Congo Basin ; the restoration of 10,000 hectares of arable land in the Sahel region ; setting up solid waste collection and management systems to improve public health and reduce environmental pollution; promoting Integrated Water Resources Management to guarantee sustainable access to water for all.

These actions are part of a global approach aimed at strengthening the resilience of local communities, stimulating the green economy and helping to adapt to climate change.

Promoting low-carbon and resilient societies

Enabel is promoting the emergence of resilient and sustainable cities and regions in the face of climate disruption by working towards a low-carbon and circular economy. The systematic promotion of eco-construction and climate-resilient infrastructure and public spaces is central to the implementation of our projects.

This support includes building the capacity of local and national players, both public and private, and introducing institutional reforms that encourage the adoption of a global vision that takes account of interactions with other goals such as environmental protection, economic development and social justice.

The energy transition emerges as central in the fight against climate change. Enabel facilitates a fair energy transition in various parts of the economy: promotion of renewable energies (including biomass), energy efficiency measures, development of green hydrogen, desalination using renewable energies.

Supporting the development of sustainable food systems

Enabel uses the agro-ecological transition and agro-forestry to promote production systems that have a smaller environmental footprint, while optimizing interactions between humans and the environment. In order to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting products and to increase the incomes of small-scale producers, we are promoting regional approaches that make it easier to sell products on local and regional markets.

We reinforce the use of agro-ecological practices and the construction of sustainable food systems among farmers and fishermen through training and the promotion of fish farming.

Our actions also support entrepreneurs and MSMEs in the green and circular economy through incubation and training schemes, as well as access to financial services (credit, savings, insurance) to reduce the risks associated with agriculture and promote sustainable food systems that are resilient to climate shocks.

More on climate change

The world is facing huge challenges in realising the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Enabel wants to contribute with its experience and expertise in five specific domains: Peace and Security, Climate Change and the Environment, Social and Economic Inequality, Urbanisation, and Human Mobility. In our search for adapted solutions we take into account the inevitable ongoing population explosion and we strongly believe in empowering women and youths.

This brochure describes how we address climate issues in our projects.

Download the brochure