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Environment and Climate Change

MEDA takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the complex environmental issues our programming encounters. We incorporate a range of environmental assessments that ensures our work provides ecologically sustainable approaches to poverty alleviation. Across our programming, environmental experts assist both MEDA staff and clients to realize a more equitable and sustainable approach, one that ensures their work is ecologically sound.

MEDA believes that the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation can empower business people of all income levels to act as leaders of environmentally-responsible growth. We work with businesses and entrepreneurs, and local partners to promote the business case for good environmental management and addressing climate change. Our Environmental Management System (EMS) includes screening and assessment tools designed to mitigate environmental and climate change risks associated with our work, while supporting entrepreneurs in climate change adaptation and improving local environment conditions. MEDA also reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship by promoting sustainable waste and energy-use practices within our offices globally.

Approaches and Models

MEDA’s Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience framework adheres to two core pillars and six points of action. Each of the points of action have accompanying tools, training and additional resources to support project staff in the field. A visual representation of the framework, at a high-level.

Green Growth

Health & Environment

We recognize the relationships between communities and their environment and how environmental issues affect human health. We support environmentally friendly practices that promote proper use of natural resources, agricultural inputs and safe use of equipment and tools.

Climate Change Mitigation

We strive to reduce GHG emissions and use natural resources in more efficient ways within projects and support our partners to do the same.

Green Finance

We work with financial service providers and their clients to develop green business models and create financial products that promote environmentally sustainable business practices.

Climate Action

Gender & Climate Action

We acknowledge the gendered impacts of climate change and support women and other more marginalized clients to adapt through targeted strategies and activities, while leveraging their specialized knowledge and leadership to respond to climate-related risks.

Climate Change Adaptation

We support clients and partners, of all types and sizes, to adapt to a changing climate by building more resilient business models and value chains.

Climate Collaboration

We bring like-minded stakeholders together and promote public discussion on shared activities to foster local ownership of climate resilience and environmental sustainability.

Our core function

Information Dissemination & Training

MEDA ensures environment and climate action is championed in its projects. MEDA also disseminates information on climate action, technology development and stakeholder engagement within the organization broadly, fostering a sense of awareness and commitment to integrating a climate-focus into all our work. The ECC team also provides environmental sustainability and climate change training to all project staff and partners, including annual refresher training.

Building Tools & Resources

Our Environmental Management System (EMS) includes screening and assessment tools designed to mitigate environmental and climate change risks associated with our work, while supporting entrepreneurs in climate change adaptation and improving local environment conditions. In addition, the EMS guides field offices in adhering to their own national environmental regulations as well as donor standards relating to environment and climate change.

What We Do

Examples of MEDA's Work

NIGERIA

UKRAINE

TANZANIA

JORDAN

MEDA – Mennonite Economic Development Associates – is an international economic development organization that creates business solutions to poverty.

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Mennonite Economic Development Associates is a 501(c)(3) status non-profit organization in the United States: EIN 23-7398678.

Mennonite Economic Development Associates of Canada is a registered charity in Canada: No. 107 691 057 RR0001.