During the past decade, soaring population and rapid progress in economic and social development led to detrimental impacts on the global environment. The world has experienced much environmental destruction, climate change, as well as loss in biodiversity. Environmental issues have significant impact especially on developing countries since a majority of the population depend largely on natural resources. As has been witnessed in recent natural catastrophes caused by climate change, people in less developed countries are often hit harder than those in wealthier nations. Such facts has promoted understanding on the relationship between development and environment among stakeholders in international development. More people are concentrating on the intimate link between sustainable development and the environment.
The importance of the environment in development was first brought to attention at the UN Conference on Human Environment in 1972. Since then, the focus of discussions has been on sustainable development which continued throughout the 1980s and the 1990s. In recent decades, people have come to realize that human development is unattainable without direct intervention on environmental issues, namely global climate change. At the Rio Summit on June 2012, countries around the world have reaffirmed that sustainable development is a common goal for all of humanity. Thus, policy trends such as environmental “mainstreaming” and “integrating the environment and development” are being highlighted. Such transition in development and environmental issues suggest that environmental considerations must be included in setting the policy and making decisions regarding development. It also seeks to promote resource efficiency, avoid environmental destruction, and protect impoverished populations against negative environmental impacts caused by development. It emphasizes a close correlation between all regimes regarding development and environment.
While environmental ODA is one of its core international development topics, the approach taken by Korea in its ODA policy tends to focus on quantitative increases. It is a matter of fact that there is room to improve  in terms of environmental mainstreaming or integration of environment and development. In other words, policy improvement is necessary for the comprehensive pursuit of environmental issues in development programs. This study first examines previous discussions on development and the environment, then reviews the efforts made by aid organizations making efforts to incorporate environmental considerations into development work, and finally, the study suggests areas for policy improvement.
Chapter 2 begins by reviewing past discussions on development and environment at the international level. The chapter also outlines efforts made by OECD DAC in order to support sustainable development in developing countries. By utilizing the DAC policy marker system, we look at the progress and characteristics of “environmental aid” - ODA projects with environmental considerations - promoted by DAC members in chapter 3. In chapter 4, the study observes the cases of Australia, Canada, the World Bank and UNDP. Australia and Canada were chosen as examples, as they are non-EU members similar in the amount of environment-related assistance compared to Korea. Chapter 4 also provides case studies of the World Bank, known for its environmental strategies and safeguard system, and UNDP which emphasizes environmental capacity building for the recipient country. Finally in chapter 5, the study reviews environmental considerations in Korea's ODA policy. Based on the findings, the study draws practical policy improvement suggestions which correspond with  international trend and standards. For instance, while individual agencies in development implementation promote integrating issues in environment and development through guidelines, safeguard systems and so on; even a holistic consideration of the environment and development is indeed insufficient at the general ODA policy-making level. Consequently, the study suggests a revised role of the Green ODA Committee, so that it could serve as the core environmental consideration in all development assistance programs. Also, it proposes establishing an integrated system for development and environment, approach methods specified by stage, improved cooperation between the central bureau and the department of environment, and increased support for recipient countries' capacity building.