Conclusion
135. DFID is regarded as a world leader and innovator
in many areas. It now has a firm focus on poverty reduction,
no longer ties aid and has abandoned economic conditionality;
all of which we very much welcome. It has also produced extensive
and very valuable research in many areas, including the environment.
What we would like to see in the future is DFID taking the
lead internationally, as it has with conditionality, on integrating
the environment into development. Many of the instruments
DFID needs for achieving this are already in place. All that is
required is for these to be deployed more effectively. There is
a better understanding, in some parts of the department at least,
of what the priorities are; there is existing international dialogue
through the Poverty and Environment Partnership; the Department
already has the internal structures and procedures that—if
functioning properly and appropriately staffed—could
make DFID's impact on the ground both significant and consistent.
What is needed more than anything is the urgent recognition
throughout the Department that the environment is vital to sustainable
development and the will at senior level to ensure this is now
translated into working practice.
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