Transcript Coordinating communities of practises towards SD REC’s

Coordinating communities of
practises towards SD
REC’s experience
Kenty Richardson
Director for International Relations & Strategic Development
Incheon SDTF, 11 April 2014
Regional Environmental Center (REC)
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An international organisation with a mission to assist
different interest groups in addressing
environmental issues and promote sustainable
development in CEE and beyond
Legally based on a charter signed by 31 countries
and the European Commission
Offices in 17 countries, approx. 160 staff members
100% project-financed organisation
• over 200 running projects
• annual turnover 10-12 MEUR
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Operations in:
• EU Member States in CEE
• EU enlargement countries, candidate and potential
candidate countries
• Eastern Partnership Countries
• EU27
• beyond the REC Country Office network
www.rec.org
Potential REC services – REC
competencies
• Coordination and management of
complex environmental related
projects (including international
secretariats)
• Neutral platform
• Mission driven approach
• Transparent, flexible
implementation
• Specific support in the drafting of
national strategies and
programmes for the implementation
of the Europe 2020 Strategy
• Research
• National and regional
coordination
• Civil society support
• grants
• capacity building
• Policy briefs; good practices;
integrated policy guideline
documents
• Stakeholder involvement
• cross-sectoral governmental
bodies and agencies,
• e.g. ministries like
environment, energy,
housing, transport,
agriculture, health, water,
climate change, forestry
innovation & employment
• the business sector, the finance
community
• civil society
• academia
• media
• Capacity building
• organisation of complex and
comprehensive seminars and
workshops at the national and
regional level
www.rec.org
Key Examples: Themis Network
against environmental crime
• Cooperation initiative for managing natural
resources and combating environmental
crime, such as illegal logging, in South
Eastern Europe
• environmental law enforcement units of
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*,
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Montenegro and Serbia
• increasing administrative capacities to tackle
environmental crime and enhance regional
cooperation in the context of approximation to
EU environmental legislation
• funded by the government of Finland and the
Austrian Development Cooperation
• REC serves as the Secretariat of the Network
www.rec.org
Key example: Sustainable Development
Academy
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A comprehensive (~ 1 month!) educational programme about the
“three pillars” of sustainable development initiated by the Italian
Government
Target groups
• Key senior government officials
• Media
• Business associations
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Members of various ministries, agencies and the business examine
the major approaches to sustainable development
In four regions:
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SEE
CEE
Black Sea Region
EECCA (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia,
Ukraine)
www.rec.org
Key examples from ENI South countries
and MENA region
Green Growth business platform
The CEO Platform for Green Growth in MENA aims to leverage the experience and
network of successful activities with the business sector. The CEO Platform will
actively initiate long‐term policy discussion with the regional and national policy
makers generating a more reliable business environment and encourage sustainable
investment conditions in the MENA region.
Working areas:
• Green Finance
• Innovation and Technology Transfer
• Climate Resilience
• Green Goods and Services
The activities of the CEO Platform will also transfer successful REC programs to the
MENA region like the SDA or the cooperation with the Corporate Leaders Group on
Climate Change.
www.rec.org
Final thoughts
• Many more cross-cutting policies than before
• Combine top down and bottom up and learn and connect
with grassroots living labs experiences including a
clearing house of lessons learned
• Step by step approach to move fast on low hanging fruits
and upscale them
• SD public policies should integrate all available tools from
legislation, budget, spatial planning and public awareness
raising
• SD transition should mainly focus “on connecting people”
using the famous ad of this Finnish company and include
much more new information technologies and more social
media
www.rec.org
Thank you for your attention &
Welcome to the REC!
www.rec.org
www.rec.org