Ecosystems, Climate Change and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

This working paper, produced by the World Resources Institute and the United Nations Development Programme, proposes a framework to scale up local ecosystem-based initiatives to combat poverty, ecosystem decline, and climate change in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

• The success and sustainability of environment and development initiatives depend on action at the local level, with local organizations serving as key actors. Poverty reduction and climate change interventions require rooting in the perspectives, capabilities, and actions of these local organizations.
• There is a direct link between ecosystem health and the ability of the poor to achieve the MDGs by building assets, increasing food security, improving health, and reducing risks. However, ecosystem decline and climate change threaten the household economies of the rural poor, as ecosystem services often make up a substantial part of their income.
• To achieve sufficient impact, local ecosystem-based initiatives must be scaled up through a combination of local resource channeling and capacity development, supported by institutional and policy reforms at higher levels.
• The proposed action framework for scaling up local ecosystem-based initiatives consists of five elements: creating an enabling policy environment (including secure resource rights and market access), building local capacity and support services, ensuring equitable access to finance, facilitating knowledge sharing, and adopting a programmatic approach to scaling that involves coordinated efforts between governments, NGOs, international agencies, and the private sector.

APA

World Resources Institute (2010). Ecosystems, Climate Change and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). https://www.wri.org/research/ecosystems-climate-change-and-millennium-development-goals-mdgs

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Ecosystems, Climate Change and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 2010. https://www.wri.org/research/ecosystems-climate-change-and-millennium-development-goals-mdgs.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Ecosystems, Climate Change and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) |date=September 2010 |url=https://www.wri.org/research/ecosystems-climate-change-and-millennium-development-goals-mdgs |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2010ecosystems, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Ecosystems, Climate Change and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2010}, month = sep, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/ecosystems-climate-change-and-millennium-development-goals-mdgs}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }