ALIGN - About the Project
About the Project
The Asia’s Linear Infrastructure safeGuarding Nature (ALIGN) Project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and aims to expand the adoption and implementation of high-quality safeguards to protect biodiversity and livelihoods. The project was created in response to Asia’s rapid expansion of linear infrastructure—especially roads, railways, and power lines. Specifically, the ALIGN Project’s goal is to enhance the development and implementation of effective linear infrastructure safeguards that protect people and nature from harm. The project will focus on three objectives:
Policies and Practices
Support key stakeholders to develop, adopt, and strengthen policies and practices in natural resource safeguards for linear infrastructure aligned with international norms and standards—including governments, the private and financial sectors, nongovernmental and Indigenous peoples’ organizations, and local communities.
Partnership and Engagement
Generate and strengthen partnerships to promote planning, development, and investment in linear infrastructure that incorporates natural resource safeguards and thereby improves ecosystem health, productivity, and resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Capacity Development
Increase stakeholder capacity to manage natural resources and deliver sustainable infrastructure services by creating and sharing knowledge, information, and training materials on the effective incorporation of natural resource safeguards into linear infrastructure development.
The project will be implemented throughout Asia with a particular emphasis on three focal countries: India, Mongolia, and Nepal. The ALIGN Project is implemented by WWF in partnership with the Center for Large Landscape Conservation. Project management is based in the WWF-Nepal office and focal country activities are managed by WWF-India, WWF-Mongolia, and WWF-Nepal.
Join the Linear Infrastructure Practitioners in Asia (LIPA) Network’s listserv to discuss and learn more about linear infrastructure safeguards.