Environment

USAID interventions in Environmental Resource Management focus on achieving its strategic objective of: “Economic Freedom: Open, Diversified, Expanding Economies.” The program emphasizes sustainable use of land and water, conservation of biodiversity, and reduced vulnerability to extreme natural events like hurricanes and landslides. 

Honduras’s natural resource base is fragile and under increasing human and natural pressures that threaten to undermine the economy and adversely impact the livelihoods of thousands of families.  In addition, Honduras’s economic growth substantially depends on compliance with the provisions of CAFTA’s Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA). USAID works in environment resource management to help the Honduran government comply with this agreement by increasing the regional and national capacity to enforce environmental laws and regulations, as well as increasing the use of clean production technologies. For more information on this program, click here: Regulation Compliance.

USAID’s Environmental Resource Management program works under the premise that conservation of the natural resource is only sustainable when the market economy recognizes the benefits of conservation. For example, conservation becomes sustainable when income generation farms, forests, fisheries, ecotourism and other enterprises have effective incentives to conserve resources. USAID works in programs that increase the value of natural resources in economic production.  In protected areas where resource management and protection are well developed and sustainable, USAID provides technical assistance that promotes ecotourism to increase incomes in protected areas. For more information on this program, click here: Biodiversity.

USAID activities recognize Honduras's continuing vulnerability to natural disasters, especially hurricanes. To help Honduras overcome this problem USAID is working in disaster mitigation through community-based interventions that emphasize environmental awareness in all levels of society.  USAID provides training and technical assistance to COPECO (Honduran Emergency Preparation Commission) for communication systems, evacuation plans, and disaster preparedness.  In case of an emergency, USAID works with other USG entities to help in search and rescue operations and to provide emergency supplies.  For more information on this program, click here: Disaster Assistance.