“FUTURE – Developing green-driven society and sustainable environmental CSOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is a four-year project implemented by the Resource Environmental Center (REC) and financially supported by Sweden.
Overall Objective of the project is to strengthen environmental governance by building the capacity and empowerment of environmental civil society organizations (ECSOs) and networks to effectively participate in the national and regional agenda for environment as change agents in advocating and influencing environmental policy development and implementation for better natural resource management and environmental protection.
Specific objectives:
- To strengthen organizational capacities of environmental CSOs to become valued partners and transformative/change agents in environmental governance able to effectively advocate and contribute to policy-development for main environmental challenges from local to national levels as well as to contribute to EU integration and negotiations processes in BIH.
- To enhance organizational capacities of ECSOs by providing a platform for improvement of government accountability, environmental transparency and environmental governance.
- Provide financial support to environmental CSOs in the form of grants for organizational development, local initiatives and networking.
- To improve management and effectiveness of the existing protected areas through strengthening cooperation and dialogue with ECSOs and thus create preconditions for expansion of protected areas network and establishment of new protected areas.
- To strengthen professional capacities of judiciary and law enforcement officials for processing the most complex environmental cases and implementation of EU Environmental crimes legislation, as one of the basic preconditions on the path towards European integration.
- To improve multi-agency networking established within the NEST project through experience and best practices exchange with other organizations and networks (INTERPOL, IMPEL, EUFJE and ENPE) in order to support BiH for ensuring effective transposition, harmonization, implementation and enforcement of EU environmental laws.
Project activities:
The activities are divided into five components and include:
- COMPONENT 1 – PROMOTION AND OUTREACH
- COMPONENT 2 – SUPPORT TO ENVIRONMENATL CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
- COMPONENT 3 – SUPPORT TO STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS
- COMPONENT 4 – JUDICIARY
- COMPONENT 5 – NETWORKING
Project results:
- ECSOs participating in the program has become a critical stakeholder and a valued partner in environmental decision-making processes in implementing and monitoring environmental policies at the local, national and global level and have increased capacities to contribute EU integration and negotiations processes in BIH.
- ECSOs participating in program enhanced organizational capacities and are able to identify and address new trends, challenges and lessons learned in advancing national institutions for better dialog with CSOs to strengthen accountability, environmental transparency and governance.
- At least 4 existing protected areas improved management and effectiveness through development of protected areas management plans and strengthening cooperation with ECSOs.
- Preconditions for proclamation of at least 2 new protected areas are created in order to expand PA Network and increase percentage of protected territory in BiH.
- Judges and prosecutors and law enforcement officials participating in the program have increased their capacities on EU environmental legislation and combating environmental crimes.
- Extended multi-agency networking established within the NEST project with other organizations and networks (INTERPOL, IMPEL, EUFJE and ENPE) through experience and best practices exchange.
Project duration: 48 months (October 2024 – October 2028)
Overall project value: 3.800.000 KM
Coordinator: REC- Resource Environmental Center
Source of funding / Donor: Government of Sweden