Established in 1990, the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) is an independent international organisation that provides assistance to countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The REC is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit organisation, based in Hungary with offices in 17 States. [There are also sister institutions — other RECs — in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.]
The REC provides assistance in solving the region’s environmental problems. It does this by promoting cooperation (among NGOs, private institutions, Governments, businesses, and other environmental stakeholders) and by promoting the free exchange of information and public participation. The REC works in various fields of sustainable development, including environmental law and policy, biodiversity, climate change, renewable energy, environmental information, public participation, and waste management.
Through different activities, such as capacity-building and training programmes, pilot projects, environmental assessments, educational packages, and grants, the REC supports CEE States in various political and economic situations. The Center also disseminates the regional experience to other States around the whole world.
Among its numerous activities, the REC has participated in the development of MEAs (such as the Aarhus Convention, PRTR Protocol, Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, Carpathians Convention, International Framework Agreement on the Sava River Basin, and Civil Liability Protocol under the UNECE Watercourses and The
Accidents Conventions), provided assistance in ratifying and acceding to MEAs, and facilitated the implementation of MEAs. Three examples include the AIMs Project (for implementing MEAs) in South Eastern Europe [see case study following Guideline 49(a)
], developing the Implementation Guide to the Aarhus Convention [see case study following Guideline 34(e)], and assisting States to develop strategies implementing the Aarhus Convention [see case study following Guideline 21]. In addition, the REC has provided support to four States in implementing the Sava River Basin Agreement (mentioned above).
Another example is a project to assist States in Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia (EECCA) in implement the Aarhus Convention at the national and local levels. The REC and Royal Haskoning implemented this project in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. In cooperation with the Ministries of Environment, environmental NGOs, and other stakeholders, the project built capacity of a broad range of stakeholders to implement the Convention. Among other activities, the project developed and published User Guides for Officials and for Civil Society in English and in local languages, training materials, and training courses on the requirements of Aarhus Convention. This capacity building was supplemented by pilot projects to support the practical implementation of the Convention at national and local levels.
For more information, see http://www.rec.org/