The UNDP-UNEP Poverty - Environment Initiative (PEI) is a joint programme to provide financial and technical support to countries to build capacity for mainstreaming poverty -environment linkages into national development planning processes, such as PRSP’s and MDG Achievement Strategies. Based upon experience over the past few years in assisting nine countries in Africa and Asia to launch sustainable programmes to mainstream poverty-environment in to national development plans, budget processes and sector implementation programmes, UNDP and UNEP have launched an effort to scale-up the PEI significantly and to work closely with key donors and other partners to expand the effort to other countries and regions. An increased number of country programmes will be supported by joint UNDP-UNEP regional teams and by the headquarters of the two organizations.