Shelter - NFI SPHERE - OCHANet

Minimum Standards in Shelter, Settlement and Non-Food Items
Shelter and settlement standard 6:
environmental impact
The adverse impact on the environment is minimised by the settling of
the disaster-affected households, the material sourcing and
construction techniques used.
Key indicators (to be read in conjunction with the guidance notes)
● The temporary or permanent settling of the affected population
considers the extent of the natural resources available (see guidance
notes 1-2).
● Natural resources are managed to meet the ongoing needs of the
displaced and host populations (see guidance notes 1-2).
● The production and supply of construction material and the building
process minimises the long-term depletion of natural resources (see
guidance notes 2-3).
● Trees and other vegetation are retained where possible to increase
water retention, minimise soil erosion and to provide shade (see
guidance note 4).
● The locations of mass shelters or temporary planned camps are
returned to their original condition, unless agreed otherwise, once they
are no longer needed for emergency shelter use (see guidance note 5).
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 nonsustainable
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
Shelter
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