174 
section 1019(b), plans for achieving the goal and objec-
tives of section 1502. 
(c) GUIDELINES.—The Global Conservation Strategy 
should— 
(1) establish priority countries, regions or nat-
ural ecosystems for reducing environmental degrada-
tion; 
(2) identify the economic, health, and conflict- 
prevention benefits to be achieved through imple-
mentation of the strategy; 
(3) establish policy guidance to link investments 
in specific conservation programs to the broader 
goals of reducing poverty and alleviating human suf-
fering, and to integrate environmental goals into 
country-based and sector-based strategies; 
(4) identify and improve United States policies 
that affect the conservation of critical natural re-
sources and biodiversity abroad; 
(5) seek to encourage and leverage participation 
from the private sector, other donor governments, 
governments of developing countries, international 
financial institutions, and other international organi-
zations to implement the strategy; 
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(6) address the anticipated effects of climate 
change on highly vulnerable communities and popu-
lations and on the achievement of key objectives; and 
(7) include a review of all executive orders and 
regulations that may have an impact on the strat-
egy. 
SEC. 1504. ASSISTANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAIN-
ABILITY. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Administrator is author-
ized to use funds made available under section 1015 to 
further the goal and objectives of this chapter in partner 
countries. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—Assistance provided under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) PROTECTING
AND
RESTORING
NATURAL 
ECOSYSTEMS.— 
(A) Conserving, sustainably managing, and 
restoring natural ecosystems. 
(B) Establishing, restoring, protecting, and 
maintaining protected areas, parks and re-
serves. 
(C) Developing and improving governance 
structures, resource rights and responsibilities, 
and land use planning to reduce degradation, 
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destruction, and illegal use of natural eco-
systems. 
(D) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions 
from land use and land-use change, the destruc-
tion of wetlands and peatlands and forestry, in-
cluding deforestation and forest degradation 
and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. 
(E) Studying and assessing the economic 
value of natural ecosystems and their contribu-
tions to addressing poverty-related issues. 
(F) Developing alternatives and disincen-
tives to destructive farming, fishing, and for-
estry practices. 
(2) CONSERVING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY.— 
(A) Protecting and maintaining wildlife 
and plant habitats, both land and sea. 
(B) Developing sound wildlife management 
and plant conservation policies and programs at 
the local, national, and international levels. 
(C) Identifying, studying, and cataloging 
animal and plant species. 
(D) Establishing effective policies and reg-
ulations to reduce loss of biological diversity. 
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(E) Enacting and enforcing anti-poaching 
measures, including through alternative liveli-
hood opportunities. 
(F) Educating local communities, including 
civil society organizations, governments and in-
termediate representative institutions, about the 
importance and benefits of conserving biological 
diversity. 
(3) MITIGATING
AND
ADAPTING
TO
CLIMATE 
CHANGE.— 
(A) Researching and assessing climato-
logical and socioeconomic factors to identify and 
prioritize vulnerable populations and natural 
ecosystems and likely impacts. 
(B) Developing national and regional cli-
mate change adaptation and mitigation plans. 
(C) Planning, financing and implementing 
adaptation programs and activities. 
(D) Increasing resilience to and prepared-
ness for climate change and its impacts among 
highly vulnerable communities and populations, 
including through capacity building. 
(E) Supporting the identification and 
adoption of appropriate renewable and efficient 
energy technologies. 
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(4) REDUCING POLLUTION OF AIR, LAND AND 
WATER.— 
(A) Monitoring, regulating, and mitigating 
pollutants to air, land and water. 
(B) Designing, promoting and utilizing 
clean technologies and practices. 
(C) Increasing the quality, quantity, and 
transparency of data regarding the monitoring, 
regulation and mitigation of pollutants. 
(D) Developing public awareness cam-
paigns and promoting civic participation in en-
vironmental stewardship. 
SEC. 1505. ASSISTANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND 
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Access to energy is essential for economic 
growth, public health, clean water, sanitation, trans-
portation, communication, agricultural activities, and 
the overall progress of developing countries. 
(2) Many developing countries lack access to 
the financial resources and technology necessary to 
locate, explore, and develop indigenous natural re-
sources. 
(3) Black carbon contributes to pollution, 
health concerns, and significantly warms the Earth’s 
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climate system by absorbing radiation, converting it 
into heat, and releasing heat energy into the atmos-
phere. 
(4) Clean, efficient and renewable energy 
sources are vital to sustain economic growth and 
protect human health. 
(5) Energy must be accessible to the poor in 
order to ensure that basic human needs are met. 
(6) Title V of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation 
Act of 1978 (22 U.S.C. 3261 et seq.) requires the 
United States to work with developing countries in 
assessing and finding ways to meet their energy 
needs through alternatives to nuclear energy that 
are consistent with economic factors, material re-
sources, and environmental protection. 
(7) Proper management of natural resources 
can provide the basis for sustainable development 
while the mismanagement and unregulated exploi-
tation of natural resources has fueled conflict and 
corruption in many countries around the world. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION.—The Administrator is author-
ized to use funds made available under this chapter for 
programs to promote clean energy technologies, respon-
sible stewardship of natural resources, and reliable access 
by the poor to energy. 
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(F) Building local capacity to operate, 
maintain and improve clean energy tech-
nologies. 
(G) Mitigating the impacts of energy alter-
natives on natural resources and natural eco-
systems 
(3) BUILDING CAPACITY FOR SOUND NATURAL 
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.— 
(A) Enhancing the transparency of reve-
nues generated from natural resource extrac-
tion. 
(B) Improving the security of land tenure 
and property rights, especially for marginalized 
groups. 
(C) Building local capacity to assess, mon-
itor, and regulate access to natural resources 
and to evaluate the social and environmental ef-
fects of extraction. 
(D) Improving local capacity to assess the 
value of environmental services. 
SEC. 1506. ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS. 
(a) RESTRICTION.—Assistance authorized under this 
subtitle shall not be provided for programs, projects, and 
activities that— 
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(1) introduce invasive and nonnative plant spe-
cies; 
(2) cause the destruction or degradation of ex-
isting natural ecosystems, natural parks, or similar 
protected areas; 
(3) result in or cause a loss of biological diver-
sity or adversely impact rare, threatened, or endan-
gered plant and animal species; 
(4) involve destructive farming, fishing, and for-
est harvesting practices such as slash and burn agri-
culture; or 
(5) provide for the construction of dams or 
other water control structures that flood natural eco-
systems. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Administrator may waive the re-
strictions contained in subsection (a) if the Administrator 
determines and reports to the appropriate congressional 
committees that— 
(1) the proposed program, project, or activity is 
vital to improving the livelihoods of the rural poor; 
(2) the proposed program will be conducted in 
an environmentally sound manner that supports sus-
tainable development; and 
(3) appropriate mitigation activities will be un-
dertaken. 
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SEC. 1507. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS AND AS-
SESSMENTS. 
(a) IN
GENERAL.—In implementing programs, 
projects, and activities under this subtitle, the Adminis-
trator shall take fully into account the impact of such pro-
grams and projects upon the environment and natural re-
sources of developing countries. 
(b) REQUIRED STATEMENTS AND ASSESSMENTS.— 
Subject to such procedures as the Administrator considers 
appropriate, the Administrator shall require that all agen-
cies and officials responsible for programs, projects, and 
activities under this subtitle prepare and take fully into 
account— 
(1) an environmental impact statement for any 
proposed program, project, or activity significantly 
affecting the environment of the global commons 
outside the jurisdiction of any country, the environ-
ment of the United States, or other aspects of the 
environment which the Administrator may specify; 
and 
(2) an environmental assessment of any pro-
posed program, project, or activity significantly af-
fecting the environment of any foreign country. 
(c) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—Environmental 
impact statements and environmental assessments under-
taken pursuant to subsection (b) shall include— 
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(1) recommendations for possible alternatives 
and mitigation measures; 
(2) an estimate of greenhouse gas emissions at-
tributable to the program, project, or activity; and 
(3) a special review of any project that will emit 
more than 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide. 
(d) LOCAL TECHNICAL RESOURCES.—Environmental 
impact statements and environmental assessments under-
taken pursuant to paragraph (b) should, to the maximum 
extent feasible, use local technical resources. 
(e) EXCEPTIONS.—The Administrator may establish 
exceptions from the requirements of this section for emer-
gency conditions and for cases in which the Administrator 
determines that compliance with those requirements would 
be seriously detrimental to the foreign policy interests of 
the United States. 
(f) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.— 
(1) IN
THE
UNITED
STATES.—All environ-
mental impact statements and environmental assess-
ments shall be published on the Internet website of 
the Agency not later than 30 days following their 
completion, and may be accompanied by the Agen-
cy’s response to the findings therein. 
(2) IN AFFECTED COUNTRIES.—To the extent 
feasible, all environmental assessments shall be 
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translated into the local language(s) of the affected 
communities and made available to the partner gov-
ernment, local and international nongovernmental 
organizations, and affected communities. 
SEC. 1508. DEFINITIONS. 
In this chapter: 
(1) NATURAL ECOSYSTEM.—The term ‘‘natural 
ecosystem’’ means a dynamic set of living organisms, 
including plants, animals, and microorganisms inter-
acting among themselves and with the environment 
in which they live, and includes tropical forests, 
freshwater, coastal, estuarian and fisheries habitats, 
coral reefs, natural grasslands, and mangrove for-
ests. 
(2) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 
gas’’ means carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, 
sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons emitted from 
a chemical manufacturing process at an industrial 
stationary source, any perfluorocarbon, nitrogen 
trifluoride, any other anthropogenic gas designated 
as a greenhouse gas by the Administrator for pur-
poses of this chapter. 
(3) HIGHLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND 
POPULATIONS.—The term ‘‘highly vulnerable com-
munities and populations’’ means communities and 
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populations that are at risk of substantial adverse 
impacts of climate change and have limited capacity 
to respond to such impacts, including impoverished 
communities, children, women, and indigenous peo-
ples. 
(4) MOST
VULNERABLE
DEVELOPING
COUN-
TRIES.—The term ‘‘most vulnerable developing 
countries’’ means, as determined by the Adminis-
trator, developing countries that are at risk of sub-
stantial adverse impacts of climate change and have 
limited capacity to respond to such impacts, consid-
ering the approaches included in any international 
treaties and agreements. 
CHAPTER 6—IMPROVING ACCESS TO SAFE 
WATER, SANITATION, AND HOUSING 
SEC. 1601. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Clean water and sanitation are among the 
most powerful drivers for human development. They 
extend opportunity, enhance dignity, and help create 
a virtuous cycle of improving health and rising 
wealth. 
(2) Unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanita-
tion, and unsuitable and unhygienic living conditions 
exact an enormous toll on human health in devel-
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oping countries, particularly for infants and chil-
dren. 
(3) Diseases linked to unsafe water and poor 
sanitation, as well as the time and energy women 
often devote to collecting water, significantly reduce 
economic productivity in less developed countries 
and promote lifecycles of disadvantage. 
(4) Water scarcity has negative consequences 
for agricultural productivity and food security, and 
seriously threatens international ability to increase 
food production at the rate required to meet the 
needs of the world’s growing population. 
(5) The underlying cause of water scarcity in 
the large majority of cases is institutional and polit-
ical, and requires sustainable and effective water re-
source management. 
(6) Demand for water resources has contributed 
to armed conflict in many parts of the world, while 
conflict and civil strife often reduce access to clean 
water and sanitation for displaced persons and other 
innocent victims. 
(7) The continued degradation of watersheds 
threatens the benefits that healthy natural systems 
provide, and on which people rely. 
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(8) The effects of climate change are expected 
to produce severe consequences for water availability 
and resource management in many developing coun-
tries, which could result in severe and chronic water 
shortages. 
(9) Unsuitable and unhygienic living conditions 
can exact a heavy toll on human health and produc-
tivity. Adequate housing is often a precondition for 
the enjoyment of various civic and human rights, in-
cluding the rights to work, vote, obtain education, 
receive health care, and access other social services. 
(10) Rapid urbanization and future population 
growth are expected to exacerbate already limited 
access to water, as well as to adequate housing. 
(11) Approximately half the world’s population 
lives in cities, often in slums characterized by unsafe 
water, poor sanitation, lack of basic services, over-
crowding, inferior construction and insecure tenure. 
Because slum populations are growing rapidly, they 
require increased attention and better integrated 
programming. 
(12) Inadequate laws, policies and enforcement 
mechanisms to protect real property use, lease, and 
ownership rights often subject slum dwellers to arbi-
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trary, often supra-market rents, forced evictions, 
threats, and harassment. 
(13) Insecurity of tenure severely inhibits eco-
nomic development by undermining investment in-
centives and constraining the growth of credit mar-
kets, imperils the ability of families to achieve sus-
tainable livelihoods and assured access to housing, 
and often contributes to conflict over property 
rights. 
(14) Women are affected disproportionately by 
forced evictions and insecure tenure as a result of 
gender discrimination, often including gender-biased 
laws that define women as legal minors or otherwise 
prevent them from owning or leasing land, property, 
and housing, making them more vulnerable to pov-
erty, violence, and sexual abuse. 
(15) Expanding access to clean water, sanita-
tion, and housing is essential for reducing the global 
burden of disease, advancing economic and social de-
velopment, protecting basic human rights, and miti-
gating sources of conflict. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States to recognize the human right to water and 
adequate housing, and to work in cooperation with the 
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international community to ensure access to safe water, 
sanitation and adequate housing for all people. 
SEC. 1602. GOAL AND OBJECTIVES. 
(a) GOAL.—The goal of assistance under this chapter 
is to improve living conditions and basic human dignity 
for the world’s poorest people. 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—In furtherance of the goal of sub-
section (a), assistance under this chapter shall be designed 
to help partner countries achieve the following objectives: 
(1) Expanding access to sufficient, safe, and af-
fordable water for personal and domestic use. 
(2) Upgrading and expanding basic sanitation. 
(3) Increasing access to adequate housing. 
(4) Improving the management of water and re-
lated resources for greater sustainability. 
(5) Enhancing planning for sustainable urban 
development. 
SEC. 1603. GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR WATER, SANITATION 
AND HOUSING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The strategy required under sec-
tion 1019 with respect to improving access to safe water, 
sanitation, and housing shall be known as the ‘‘Global 
Water, Sanitation and Housing Strategy’’. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The Global Water, Sanitation and 
Housing Strategy shall include, in addition to the elements 
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required under section 1019(b), plans for achieving the 
goal and objectives of section 1602. 
(c) GUIDELINES.—The Global Water, Sanitation and 
Housing Strategy should— 
(1) include targets for providing, on a sustain-
able basis, first-time access to safe water, basic sani-
tation, and adequate housing; 
(2) prioritize improvements for the poorest peo-
ple living under the most inadequate conditions; 
(3) explain how policies and programs relating 
to water, sanitation and housing will be integrated 
with other policies and programs under this title; 
(4) explain how programs and policies under 
the strategy will contribute to meeting internation-
ally agreed targets relating to access to safe drink-
ing water and basic sanitation and improving the 
lives of slum dwellers; 
(5) maximize efficiency in water use and sus-
tainability of water supplies; 
(6) identify and promote best practices for mo-
bilizing and leveraging public-private partnerships; 
(7) address the effects of climate change on 
achieving the goal of this chapter; 
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