Key indicators (to be read in conjunction with the guidance notes)

1. Sustainability and the management of environmental resources: in environments where the natural resources to sustain a substantial increase in human habitation are limited, efforts should be made to contain non-sustainable demand on the environment. Sustainable external supplies of fuel and managed options for livestock grazing, agricultural production and natural resource-dependent livelihood support activities should be provided. In environments with extensive natural resources that could sustain a substantial increase in human habitation, the affected population should be dispersed, if necessary, into a number of small settlements, since these are less likely to cause environmental damage than large settlements. Access rights to existing natural resources, such as fuel, water, timber for construction, stone and sand, etc., and the typical use and maintenance of existing land and wooded areas should be identified.

2. Mitigating long-term environmental impact: where the need to provide shelter for affected populations has a significant adverse impact on the environment, e.g. through the depletion of local natural resources, efforts should be made to minimise the long-term effects through complementary environmental management and rehabilitation activities.

3. Sourcing of construction materials: the environmental impact of pre-disaster sourcing practices and large-scale post-disaster demands on natural resources, such as water, construction timber, sand, soil and grasses, as well as fuel for the firing of bricks and roof tiles, should be assessed. Customary users, extraction and regeneration rates and the ownership or control of these resources should be identified. Alternative or complementary sources of supply may support the local economy and reduce any long-term adverse impact on the local environment. Multiple sources and the re-use of salvaged materials, alternative materials and production processes (such as the use of stabilised earth blocks) should be specified, together with the adoption of sustainable practices such as complementary replanting or regeneration programmes.

4. Erosion: an assessment of typical land usage, the distribution of existing vegetation and surface water drainage patterns should be undertaken to assess the impact of any ground clearance that may be required. The use of agricultural or grazing land should be planned to minimise any adverse impact on the local natural habitat. Shelter solutions should be planned to retain existing trees and other vegetation to maintain the soil stabilisation such growth provides and to maximise the opportunities for shade and protection from the climate. Roads, pathways and drainage networks should be planned to make use of natural contours in order to minimise erosion and flooding. Where this cannot be achieved, satisfactory measures to contain any likely erosion should be provided, such as the provision of excavated drainage culverts, piped drainage runs under roadways, or planted earth banks to minimise water run-off (see Drainage standard 1).

5. Handover: the natural regeneration of the environment in and around mass shelters and temporary planned or self-settled camps should be enhanced through appropriate environmental rehabilitation measures during the life of the temporary settlement. The eventual discontinuation of any such temporary settlements should be managed to ensure the satisfactory removal of all material or waste that cannot be re-used or that could have an adverse effect on the environment.