Environment for Development

What Environment for Development does

Environment for Development (EfD) is a non-profit global research network established in 2007 and hosted at the School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg in Sweden. The network addresses environmental and development economics challenges through applied research, capacity building, and policy engagement, operating 12+ regional research centers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including India, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Chile, and Central America/Mexico. Its outputs include peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, workshops, webinars, and the annual EfD meeting, organized around seven thematic programs: Blue Resources for Development (BlueRforD), Climate Policies for Development (CPfD), Inclusive Green Economy in Practice, Natural Capital Collaborative (NatCap), Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative (SETI), Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCOPE), and Women in Environmental Economics for Development (WinEED).

The core product is the EfD Network itself, functioning as a coordinated platform that connects researchers, policymakers, and donor institutions across developing countries. Key institutional anchors include the Indian Statistical Institute in Delhi (hosting CECFEE, joined 2017), Duke University (faculty co-directorship of SETI), and Sweden's University of Gothenburg (Global Hub). The network reaches its audience through a monthly newsletter, multi-platform social media, webinar series, annual meeting, and direct policy engagement. No commercial software, apps, or APIs are offered; technology assets are limited to the website and standard content distribution channels.

EfD operates as an academic research initiative rather than a commercial entity. Funding flows from international development donors, primarily the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), alongside additional academic and institutional partnerships. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Beneficiary segments include government policymakers and regulatory bodies in developing countries, the academic research community, and international development organizations who receive research outputs at no cost. Governance is exercised through a Coordination Committee and Collaborative Programs Committee spanning the network's regional centers.

Name

Environment for Development

Legal name

Environment for Development (EfD)

Website

https://efdinitiative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Environment for Development is a non-profit global research network, hosted at the University of Gothenburg, that conducts environmental and development economics research through 12+ regional centers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America to inform policy in developing countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental and Development Economics Research

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Environmental Policy, Planning & Regulation (BPAIAMAA), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE)

Keywords

• Environmental economics research
• Development policy research
• Climate economics research
• Sustainability research programs
• Policy engagement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gothenburg

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Environment for Development operates a global network of research centers that conduct rigorous economic research on environmental and development challenges in developing countries. The network delivers peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, and capacity-building programs, while engaging directly with government policymakers and development organizations. Core thematic programs span marine resources, climate policy, green economy, natural capital, sustainable energy transitions, sustainable consumption and production, and women in environmental economics.

Product overview

Environment for Development (EfD) is a global network of research centers focused on solving environmental and development challenges through rigorous economic research and policy engagement. The network operates as a coordinated platform comprising multiple thematic programs and regional centers across developing countries. The core offering is the EfD Network itself, which connects research centers in countries including India, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Chile, Tanzania, Vietnam, and others. The network is structured around seven thematic programs: Blue Resources for Development (BlueRforD), Climate Policies for Development (CPfD), Inclusive Green Economy in Practice, Natural Capital Collaborative (NatCap), Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative (SETI), Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCOPE), and Women in Environmental Economics for Development (WinEED). Each program conducts specialized research while sharing a common framework of data access, policy engagement, and capacity building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Resources for Development (BlueRforD): Program focused on marine and coastal resources for sustainable development
• Climate Policies for Development (CPfD)
• Inclusive Green Economy in Practice
• Natural Capital Collaborative (NatCap)
• Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative (SETI)
• Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCOPE)
• Women in Environmental Economics for Development (WinEED)

Products and services

• Environment for Development (EfD) Network

Quantifiable outcome

• CECFEE joined EfD network in 2017

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017CECFEE is located within the Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi, which has the top-ranked research department of economics in India. The partnership provides access to outstanding Master's and PhD programs and research infrastructure.
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) - IndiaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEfD India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency to collaborate on energy efficiency research and policy in India.
• Duke UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke University faculty serve as co-directors of EfD programs (SETI) and collaborators on energy access research. Professor Marc Jeuland serves as Co-Director of the Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative (SETI) and Faculty Director of the Energy Access Project at Duke University.
• University of GothenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Environment for Development Global Hub is hosted at the School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stockholm Environment Institute: SEI is a Sweden-based independent research organization working on environment and development policy. Highly comparable to EfD in geographic focus, mission (environmental policy research for sustainable development), and donor base. SEI is a more engineering/applied-modelling peer, while EfD is more economics-focused.
• Resources for the Future: RFF is a US-based independent research institution focused on environmental, energy, and natural resource economics. Directly comparable in research methodology (environmental economics) and policy engagement focus, though focused on US rather than developing countries. Closest methodological peer to EfD.
• Global Development Network: GDN is a public international organization supporting research capacity in developing countries. Directly comparable mission of building research capacity in the Global South, with similar funding model (bilateral donors, foundations). Smaller and more focused on individual researchers than EfD's institutional model.
• International Growth Centre: IGC is a UK-based research centre providing evidence for inclusive growth in developing countries. Closely comparable network model with country teams in Africa and South Asia, funded by FCDO. Similar mission, donor base, and embedded research structure, though focused on growth more broadly than environment.
• International Institute for Environment and Development: IIED is a London-based policy research organization focused on sustainable development and natural resource management in developing countries. Compares directly with EfD on developing-country focus, policy engagement, and environmental economics research. Both are funded by bilateral donors and foundations.
• Partnership for Economic Policy: PEP is a non-profit organization that supports developing-country researchers to conduct policy-relevant economic research. Direct peer in supporting local researchers, capacity building, and policy engagement in low- and middle-income countries, with similar network model.

Emerging players

• Earth Innovation Institute: Earth Innovation Institute works on sustainable development, forest protection, and low-emission rural development in tropical countries. Comparable in environmental and development research with developing-country focus, but smaller and more focused on tropical forestry and land use than EfD's economics-driven approach.

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute: WRI is a major global research organization producing environmental and development research at much larger scale. Comparable in mission (environmental policy research) but operates as a broader incumbent with much larger staff and funding; EfD is more economically specialized and developing-country-embedded.
• J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): J-PAL is a global research center focused on reducing poverty through rigorous randomized evaluations. Comparable in academic rigor, developing-country research network, and donor-funded model. Stronger on randomized impact evaluation methodology; EfD is more economics-policy focused.
• International Food Policy Research Institute: IFPRI is a CGIAR research center providing research-based policy solutions for sustainably reducing poverty and ending hunger. Comparable in developing-country focus, policy engagement, and donor funding model. A larger incumbent with broader agricultural scope, but overlapping on environmental economics for development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EfD_initiative
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAutwATnn4yy_hZQwmTg
• Facebookfacebook.com/EfDinitiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/environment-for-development
• Instagraminstagram.com/efdinitiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Environment for Development