Mainstreaming equity considerations into environmental policymaking

This report details the methodology and results of mainstreaming gender equality, social equity, and poverty (GESEP) into the Environmental Strategy and Action Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH ESAP 2030+). The project utilized a multi-level approach involving the project team, activities, and outputs, resulting in a strategy that includes GESEP-relevant measures such as just transition plans for coal regions. While the project increased awareness among stakeholders and contributed to new national legal requirements for gender equality in development planning, it faced challenges including data gaps and pandemic-related participation limits. The authors recommend allocating dedicated financial resources (approximately 5.5% of the budget in this case) and anticipating stakeholder resistance when implementing similar equity-focused environmental policies.

• The project implemented a GESEP mainstreaming approach across three levels: the project team (inclusive dynamics and capacity building), project activities (diverse participation and institutional involvement), and project outputs (creating a socially aware or redistributive strategy).
• The resulting BiH ESAP 2030+ incorporates GESEP considerations in its priorities, measures, and indicators, though the authors note these are more 'gender responsive' than 'redistributive'. Examples of measures include just transition plans for coal regions and the inclusion of informal waste collectors in waste management.
• The project invested approximately SEK 2.3 million (roughly USD 220,000), which represented about 5.5% of the overall project budget, to implement the GESEP approach.
• The project reported success in increasing awareness among participants; 76% of the project implementation team indicated they gained a better understanding of the links between GESEP and the environment, and 80% intended to use this knowledge in future work.
• The project contributed to a broader shift in Bosnia and Herzegovina's legal framework for development planning, which now mandates gender equality as a core principle and requires the evaluation of strategic plans' impacts on men, women, and vulnerable groups.
• The authors identify several challenges in mainstreaming GESEP, including the COVID-19 pandemic limiting the participation of disadvantaged groups, a lack of available disaggregated data, and potential stakeholder resistance to the relevance of GESEP in environmental policy.

APA

Strambo, C., & Solujić, S. (2023). Mainstreaming equity considerations into environmental policymaking. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/environmental-equity-bosnia-herzegovina-sei2023.037.pdf

Chicago

Strambo, Claudia, and Saša Solujić. Mainstreaming equity considerations into environmental policymaking. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/environmental-equity-bosnia-herzegovina-sei2023.037.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Strambo |first1=Claudia |last2=Solujić |first2=Saša |title=Mainstreaming equity considerations into environmental policymaking |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/environmental-equity-bosnia-herzegovina-sei2023.037.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{strambo2023mainstreaming, author = {Strambo, Claudia and Solujić, Saša}, title = {{Mainstreaming equity considerations into environmental policymaking}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/environmental-equity-bosnia-herzegovina-sei2023.037.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }