Sustainable Development Solutions: Structure and Scope
Sustainable Development Solutions is designed to grow in an incremental manner by starting small and gradually growing the list of promoted and supported approaches to Haiti's most pressing challenges. Benefits afforded to partner projects included in SDS will operate likewise, starting immediately and increasing in scale over time as SDS grows in size and impact. The SDS program has six main elements and associated activities that comprise its approach to development in Haiti:open all sections
Project Review
There are anticipated to be well over 100 potential sustainable development solutions in already place or potentially applicable to Haiti. The SDS team will search for, identify and independently review many potential solutions but only progress a subset of these. This decision will be taken by both UNEP and the solution host organization(s) dependent upon the results of the independent review, working relations and the potential benefits of listing. Final review reports will be public and uploaded onto the Solutions section of the SDS website. This review process may take up to half a year, dependent upon the amount of pre-identified strategies; current projects under review can be found under the Project Review tab.
Feasibility Assessments
Many of the potential high-value imported strategies also have high degrees of uncertainty and risks. In these cases, further investment in evaluation is needed. SDS will finance and support technically detailed feasibility studies where the potential benefits are significant. Final reports of feasibility studies will be uploaded to the Solutions section of the SDS website, under Feasibility Assessments.
Field trials
Highly innovative or risky solutions that appear feasible on paper may warrant pilot trials to determine feasibility in practice and prepare for larger scale application. SDS will finance and technically support such trials where the potential benefits are significant. Final progress reports will be available in the Solutions section of the SDS website, under the Field Trial tab.
Promotion of Proven Solutions
There are already many proven and sustainable solutions to development challenges. Many of these also have an established track record in Haiti, supported in many cases by small but cost-efficient organizations. The added value of SDS in these cases will be in the wider promotion of these solutions to attract funding, encourage geographic expansion, and help ensure that the lessons learned are widely disseminated. The SDS team will promote selected proven solutions via the HRI Web site, with a full list in the Solutions section of the SDS website. If appropriate, the HRI will include them in the scope of collective fundraising.
Support to Proven Solutions
A small number of solutions will receive direct technical and financial support for up to 5 years. Multiple small-scale sources and injections of financing will be required to maintain continuity and progress over such extended periods. Building local capacity and financial independence will be core objectives to help ensure sustainability once the support provided by SDS is withdrawn. Many of the supported solutions will include development activities in the South Department as part of the Côte Sud Initiative, however support can be provided anywhere in Haiti, dependent upon available funding.
Impact Evaluation
The impact of the promoted and supported solutions will be periodically evaluated by the SDS team. These assessments will aim to quantify and subsequently communicate the impact of the solutions to the populations they aim to serve in a transparent and responsible way. The cost-effectiveness of the solutions will be also estimated.
Notes on private sector participation and transparency
An analysis of the benefit of a non-profit or cooperative versus a standard free enterprise approach will be part of the initial review process. As a general policy, UNEP will favour the private sector providers over the non-profit sector unless the review process indicates the latter as a more suitable vehicle for the specific solution. In order to avoid market distortion and unfair favouritism, the SDS team will not be providing endorsements of specific products or services from a single manufacturer or service provider, but can promote such types of products and services as part of a wider strategy. This constraint does not apply to the state or non-profit entities.
The SDS team favors transparency in all decisions made through projects’ assessments. Final reports and supporting documentation for proposals that did not meet the criteria for selection will be posted on the Web site. Potential reasons for failure can include technical feasibility, unsuitability for the Haitian context, and negative direct and indirect social and environmental impacts and risks.
