Long-standing practices and routine systems – that are familiar and a well-entrenched component of policy and decision-making systems – can continue to have an influential role in environmental mainstream. For example:

“The roots of environmental mainstreaming in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe can be found in the 1970s mainly in the field of land-use or spatial planning. This long tradition maintains its influence and land-use/spatial planning is often perceived as the most important planning tool, capable of serving all purposes including environmental integration”

(Integra, 2008)

Consultancy companies, expert institutions and freelance specialists/experts are normally motivated by the requirements and needs of their clients, but, of course, may well be influenced by their personal values.

The development of revised school curricula presents an opportunity to seed ideas of environmental integration at any early stage in the education process. In Jamaica, for example, “environmental issues have been incorporated throughout the curriculum for Grades 1-9” (CANARI, 2008)

Meetings of regional forums that focus on sustainable development issues provide a platform for mainstreaming environment issues, e.g. the Forum of Environmental Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean which is held every two years (and declares itself to be a “platform for analysis and discussion and an effective mechanism for promoting regional cooperation on matters of environmental safeguarding and sustainable development”).

In some circumstances, local governments are motivated to address environmental issues by budget incentives. In Uganda, for instance, they can obtain a 20% budget increase if they are assessed to have satisfied environmental requirements. But the reverse is also the case - local governments failing to meet them are given a 20% budget penalty (Birungi, 2008).