During the first phase of implementation of a PEI programme, PEI works with countries to translate the policies in which environment has been mainstreamed into interventions and programmes. 

In practice, PEI helps developing implementation strategies and designing and budgeting for national, sector and local interventions, identifying the implementation measures of greatest value to the process. It supports the development of policy reforms and measures designed to create incentives for achieving improved poverty-environment outcomes including legislation, fiscal measures and other market-based instruments aimed at encouraging improved environmental management. 

A number of reviews, methodologies, tools and examples from countries can be used as reference.

Reviews and introductory documents

• Handbook of National Accounting, Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting 2003, by United Nations, European Commission, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Bank;
• Making the Law Work for Everyone, Volume I, Report of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor and United Nations Development Programme, 2008
• Environmental Fiscal Reform: What should be done and how to achieve it?, World Bank, DFID, DGIS, GTZ, IMF, OECD, PEP, May 2005
• Environmental Fiscal Reform for Poverty Reduction, DAC Guidelines and Reference Series, PEP, 2006 [English], [Français ]
• Linking Poverty Reduction and Water Management, PEP, 2006
• Sustainable Trade and Poverty Reduction: New approaches to integrated policy making at the national level, UNEP, 2003
• Agricultural Subsidies, Poverty, and the Environment: Supporting a Domestic Reform Agenda in Developing Countries, WRI, 2007
• The Use of Economic Instruments in Environmental Policy, UNEP, 2004

Methodologies and tools

• Training Resource Manual on the Use of Economic Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resource Management, UNEP – DEPI, ETB and DTIE, First Edition 2009
• Sector Programmes – Guidelines for the Dialogue on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), SIDA, May 2002
• Instruments for Environmental Policy, SIDA, February 2003
• Handbook on Integrated Assessment of Trade-related Measures: The Agriculture Sector, UNEP, 2005
• Judicial Handbook on Environmental Law, UNEP, 2005
• Making Tourism More Sustainable: A Guide for Policy Makers, UNEP, 2005 [English: part 1, part 2], [Français] [Español]
• Guidelines for Integrating Sustainability Considerations in Sectoral Policies Using the Integrated Assessment and Planning Model, CK Amooti, Uganda IAP project, 2006

Examples from countries

• Mainstreaming Environment in Energy Strategies to Address Poverty in Rwanda, PEI Rwanda, Sustainable Energy Africa, 2006
• Mainstreaming Environment and Natural Resource Issues in Selected Government Sectors: Status, Considerations and Recommendations, ACODE, 2006
• Poverty and Environment Mapping – Poverty- Environment Indicators and Policy Options for Possible Intervention under the PRSP, Republic of Rwanda, UNDP, 2005
• Kenya: Integrated Assessment of the Energy Policy: With Focus on the Transport and Household Energy Sectors, UNEP, 2003
• Uganda: Guidelines for Mainstreaming Environment and Natural Resources Issues in Other Sector Plans and Programmes, Ministry of Lands, Water and Environment, 2003