UNEP Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch - Civil Society Accreditation
Accredited NGOs in West Asia
UNEP is expecting more than 200 participants from 69 countries at the 7th GCSF held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 5-6 February 2005 in conjunction with the 9th Special Session of the Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF). More than 30 civil society organizations from the West Asian region have registered to participate in the Global Civil Society Forum, six of them are accredited to UNEP Governing Council. As such they were entitled to participate as well to the process leading to the Governing Council, by commenting on the various background papers discussed by the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments . The accredited international non governmental organizations of West Asia are:
Nature-Iraq Nature-Iraq builds civil society networks to protect the environment of Iraq and develops capacity, both in private and publicly-owned industries, to help clean and protect the environment. One of their projects, carried out closely with the Center for Restoration of the Iraqi Marshlands, international donors and conservation groups aims at achieving a sustainable restoration that respects the ecology and culture of the area while improving the lives of its current inhabitants. Read More on Eden Again and Iraq Foundation.
The Emirates Diving Association (EDA) – United Arab Emirates EDA believes that divers can be extremely useful in conserving the marine environment through observing, reporting and preventing environmental abuse. Among others, EDA is active in legislating diving activities in the UAE, ensuring environmentally respectful diving practices, promoting and preserving historical aspects of diving within the gulf region and enhancing environmental education to diving and non-diving communities through EDA activities.
The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) – United Arab Emirates EEG is a voluntary NGO devoted to protecting the environment through the means of education, action programs and community involvement. EEG's goals include encouraging the public to accept that each individual has a responsibility to help preserve the environment, propagating community waste reduction and recycling and compiling a database on various environmental issues, as well as foster exchange of information, experience and practices.
The Gulf Research Center (GRC) – United Arab Emirates GRC is an independent research institute aimed at pursuing politically neutral and academically sound research about the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and disseminating the knowledge obtained as widely as possible. In cooperation with New Delhi-based “The Energy and Resources Institute” (TERI), GRC has launched the “Green Gulf” Project, suggesting, among others, solutions in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development.
The Kuwait Environment Protection Society (KEPS) KEPS' objectives include protecting natural resources and the environment, preventing and controlling sources of pollution, and coordinating the efforts of persons active in environmental matters. The society works for example to establish the necessary remedial legislation against pollution. KPS also seeks to achieve awareness-raising, knowledge-sharing and active participation of citizens, as well as to take into account relevant social and cultural aspects.
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) SPNL seeks to accomplish a sustainable balance between biodiversity resource conservation and socio-economic benefit sharing. In addition, SPNL is committed towards contributing to bring on adjustments to national policies and plans to achieve sustainable development. One of the successful means to attain this goal has been to reinforce partnerships with regional and international organisations to fulfill national obligations towards international agreements.
