NGO's ROLE

1
NGO's ROLE IN AWARENESS BUILDING
Ljiljana Prebanda United Nations Environment
Programme Mediterranean Action Plan Priority
Actions Programme Regional Activity Centre
(PAP/RAC)
2

• The end of 20th century recognised a great number
  of problems threatening the sustainability of the
  life on the Earth.
• Too fast industrialisation was not followed with
  the appropriate education.
• Small groups of enthusiasts all over the world
  started directing attention of the public towards
  the problems appearing from a too fast
  development.

3

• 1992 RIO and Agenda 21 the role of public in
  environmental protection and achieving
  sustainable development has been recognised.
• The recognition of and the responsibility for the
  environment has been gradually developing all
  over the world.

4

• That resulted with
• Need for environmental information.
• Need for arising of environmental education.

5

• The state of environment has become the matter of
  interest of
• 1. Professionals scientists
• 2. Politicians
• 3. Public in general
• Public
• 1. Passive
• 2. Active individuals, NGOs

6
The role of NGOs 1. Rising public
awareness 2. Mobilisation of the wide public
(campaigns) 3. Education 4. Communication
7

• Rising public awareness
• by recognising the problems locally and
  globally
• making public aware that the environmental
  protection is an immediate and urgent
  problem
• each individual has the role in the protection
  of the environment
• lobbing with authorities on all levels - from
  local to governmental

8

• Mobilisation of the wide public (campaigns)
• information campaigns
• involving the stakeholders and civil society
  in solving the problems on the local and
  regional level
• combating the ignorance and indifference of
  administration and authorities

9

• Education
• education on all environmental issues (water,
  air pollution, soil, solid and liquid waste,
  tourism, management of the coastal areas, climate
  change, etc.)
• education at all levels - school age to wider
  public
• education in environmental matters for all
  employed in the municipalities, and other local
  institutions dealing with the environment

10

• Communication
• creating the dialogue between national and
  various local authorities and the NGOs
• putting the problems to public hearing
• setting up the good communication with media