Topic: sri lanka

PRESS RELEASE: New Paper Lays Out Smart Policies for Renewable Energy Growth

Lauren Zelin — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:15:18 -0400

Offers six principles of smart energy policy for developing countries

A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said that 77 percent of the world’s energy could come from renewable sources by 2050, as long as governments adopt the right policies. A new working paper, Grounding Green Power, outlines the key components of smart renewable energy policy in developing countries, focusing on the electrical power sector. The paper, from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, suggests priorities for international donors looking to make the most efficient investments in clean energy.

“Helping to build a wind farm is a good thing, but when donors support policies that bring down the cost of renewables, they lay the groundwork for many more wind farms and exponentially more renewable energy projects,” said Lutz Weischer, lead author of the paper and Research Analyst at WRI. “Smart renewable energy policies can drive private investment and create the right environment necessary for long-term growth.”

Grounding Green Power identifies the key components of smart energy policies and draws conclusions from on-the-ground experiences in 12 developing countries. The recommendations were based on a workshop with representatives from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Tanzania and Thailand.

Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, GMF Senior Director for Policy Programs said, “No two countries are the same, but by convening actors from so many developing countries we have been able to discern best practices that apply across countries. This paper should help the international community as it seeks simultaneously to achieve the goals of development cooperation and reduce the risk of climate change.”

The working paper outlines six principles of smart renewable energy policy that are necessary to achieve transformative deployment at scale, based on the 12 international case studies. According to the authors, a smart renewable energy policy should be:

Comprehensive – strives to create an enabling environment including power sector regulations, investment and financing conditions, suitable electric grid infrastructure, and technical capacity.
Based on clearly defined objectives – includes technology deployment, energy access and economic development goals, in addition to added power generation.
Welcoming to private investment – leverages private investment by promoting attractive and predictable market conditions.
Cost-effective – calls for careful policy decisions that avoid over subsidization of renewables, while removing incentives for fossil fuels.
Supportive of innovation – improves performance, reliability, safety and cost of renewable technologies, to take innovation beyond the lab.
Transparent, accountable and participatory – takes into account the principles of good electricity sector governance, including transparency, accountability, and stakeholder participation.

The paper is intended for audiences including bilateral and multilateral development agencies (the World Bank, bilateral financial institutions, and export-credit agencies); existing multilateral climate funds (Global Environmental Facility and Clean Technology Fund); as well as the new Green Climate Fund; and other international organizations like the International Renewable Energy Agency.

The full working paper is available here.

“Grounding Green Power; Bottom-up perspectives on smart renewable energy policy” was co-authored by Lutz Weischer, Davida Wood, Athena Ballesteros, Xing Fu-Bertaux, of the World Resources Institute and published by the German Marshall Fund of the United States in cooperation with the Heinrich Boell Foundation and WRI.

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The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. (www.wri.org)

The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a non-partisan American public policy and grantmaking institution dedicated to promoting better understanding and cooperation between North America and Europe on transatlantic and global issues. GMF does this by supporting individuals and institutions working in the transatlantic sphere, by convening leaders and members of the policy and business communities, by contributing research and analysis on transatlantic topics, and by providing exchange opportunities to foster renewed commitment to the transatlantic relationship. In addition, GMF supports a number of initiatives to strengthen democracies. Founded in 1972 through a gift from Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance, GMF maintains a strong presence on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to its headquarters in Washington, DC, GMF has six offices in Europe: Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Belgrade, Ankara, and Bucharest. GMF also has smaller representations in Bratislava, Turin, and Stockholm. (www.gmfus.org/)

The Heinrich Böll Foundation is affiliated with the German Green Party. As part of the Green political movement it has developed worldwide as a response to the traditional politics of socialism, liberalism, and conservatism. The main tenets are ecology and sustainability, democracy and human rights, self-determination and justice. HBF places particular emphasis on gender democracy, meaning social emancipation and equal rights for women and men. As a green think tank and an international policy network, the Heinrich Böll Foundation is active in ecology, democracy and human rights worldwide with 30 offices across the globe. (www.boell.de/service/home.html)

Grounding Green Power: Bottom-Up Perspectives on Smart Renewable Energy Policy in Developing Countries

Maggie Barron — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:51:13 -0400

Watch the summary interview with Lead Author Lutz Weischer

This paper was published by the German Marshall Fund of the United States in cooperation with the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the World Resources Institute.

Developing Countries in the Renewable Energy Transformation

In order to meet the intensifying climate challenge, the global energy system must undergo a fundamental transformation, with a rapid increase of renewable energy worldwide. Developing countries are at the forefront of this challenge, since they are expected to add around 80 percent of all new electric generation capacity worldwide in the next two decades.

The deployment of energy from renewable sources is accelerating in developing countries, and already accounts for a higher percentage of electricity generation than in the developed world. In 2008, non-OECD nations generated 21 percent of their electricity from renewable sources including large-scale hydroelectric power (compared with 17 percent in OECD countries), according to International Energy Agency (IEA) statistics. However, this figure must more than double by 2035, to 46 percent, in order to meet the IEA’s “450 scenario,” which outlines a climate friendly pathway for meeting global energy demands.

Transforming the energy system on this scale will require significantly increased support from developed countries, channeled through both bilateral assistance and multilateral institutions, as well as philanthropic initiatives. Our conclusions, derived from a series of case studies and a comprehensive review of existing literature, suggest that donors should deploy financial support more effectively by moving beyond a project-by-project approach to one that creates the right environment for investments in scaled-up, nationwide deployment.

This working paper seeks to assist in this process, by identifying key components of smart renewable energy policy in developing countries, focusing on the power sector. It also provides recommendations for maximizing the effectiveness of international support for deployment of renewable energies, drawn from these on-the-ground experiences in developing countries.

About this Working Paper

Chapter 1 introduces the approach and methodology taken in this paper and describes the key concepts we address. The second chapter discusses what developing countries are already doing to deploy renewable energy sources, and how they can be supported in scaling up such efforts. It also introduces a set of principles of smart renewable energy policy to propel such a transformation, developed by the World Resources Institute. These are based on insights drawn from case studies of existing renewable energy policies in 12 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America as well as from existing literature.

The following five chapters each examine one key element of smart renewable energy policy, discuss lessons learned, and identify needs for international support. These cover planning and strategy (Chapter 3), well-designed generation-based incentives (Chapter 4), an enabling policy and regulatory framework (Chapter 5), attractive financing conditions (Chapter 6), and the necessary technical environment (Chapter 7). Our findings and recommendations are summarized in Chapter 8.

Principles of Smart Renewable Energy Policy

We define smart renewable energy policy as the set of rules, regulations, and government actions that lead to an increased share of renewables in total electricity consumption in line with a country’s development objectives. Smart renewable energy policy encourages private investment, achieves its objectives in a cost-effective way, promotes continuous innovation, and is designed through transparent, accountable, and participatory processes.

Presentation

Download Slides (PDF, 839 Kb)

Reefs at Risk in the Indian Ocean

Maggie Barron — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:19:57 -0500

More than 65 percent of coral reefs in the Indian Ocean region are at risk from local threats (i.e., coastal development, overfishing/destructive fishing, marine-based pollution, and/or watershed-based pollution), with one-third rated at high or very high risk. Closer examination reveals a sharp focus of threatened areas along continental shores where more than 90 percent of reefs are threatened.

Download hi-res version (JPEG, 2147 x 1715 px, 839 Kb)
View global map of threats to coral reefs

A Seat at the Table: Including the Poor in Decisions for Development and Environment

Maggie Barron — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:59:37 -0400

For more information, and to watch a webcast of the launch of “A Seat at the Table,” visit the Access Initiative website.

En Español

Executive Summary

Decisions that have significant environmental and social consequences are often made without the involvement of those whose interests are directly at stake. For poor people whose lives and livelihoods often depend on natural resources, and who are therefore most vulnerable to environmental risks, the consequences of exclusion can be especially severe. Weak access to decision-making may expose poor communities to high levels of pollution, remove them from productive land, and deprive them of the everyday benefits provided by natural resources.

The three pillars of sound decision-making for the environment that are key to responding to the challenge of providing “access” are: access to information, public participation, and access to justice. Many countries, regardless of their level of economic development, have promoted these pillars as policy aspirations or as enforceable legal rights. Yet even where progress has been significant, more work remains if such laws are to be implemented in a way that is meaningful to all citizens, especially the poor.

To better understand the obstacles to access facing the poor, and the efforts by governments to reach this population, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and its civil society organization (CSO) partners in The Access Initiative (TAI) closely examined access rights and practices in four countries—Cameroon, Paraguay, Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

The case studies highlighted in this report cover a range of environmental concerns including water quality, land use, data availability, and the use or absence of environmental impact assessments (EIAs). The findings and literature review show that the poor in these countries face a daunting array of barriers to access, including low literacy, high costs (including the costs of corruption), exposure to risk from participation, and lack of documentation of legal identity or rights to a resource that is necessary to influence decisions. Additionally, cultural norms that limit who may speak in public disproportionately exclude the poor.

The case studies also provide examples where civil society organizations, community groups, and - most importantly - governments have taken steps to overcome these barriers. Based on the findings and literature review, we have identified six poverty-related barriers to access to decision-making and proposed eight categories of policy responses to overcome these barriers. Importantly, a general lack of access to information for all citizens had a commensurately larger impact on access to information for the poor.

En Español

Las decisiones que tienen consecuencias medioambientales y sociales significativas suelen ser tomadas sin la participación de aquellas personas cuyos intereses están directamente en juego. Para las comunidades vulnerables cuyas vidas y medios de subsistencia suelen depender de recursos naturales, y quienes, por lo tanto, están más expuestas a los riesgos medioambientales, las consecuencias de la exclusión pueden ser particularmente severas. Un acceso precario a la toma de decisiones puede exponer a las comunidades vulnerables a altos niveles de contaminación, apartarlos de tierras productivas, y privarlos de los beneficios cotidianos que los recursos naturales les proveen.

Los tres pilares de la toma de decisiones sobre el medioambiente que resultan claves para responder adecuadamente al desafío de dar “acceso” son: el acceso a la información, la participación pública, y el acceso a la justicia. Muchos países, independientemente de su nivel de desarrollo económico, han promovido estos pilares como objetivos de sus políticas públicas o como derechos legales vinculantes. Sin embargo, aun ahí donde el progreso ha sido significativo, hay mucho por hacer si se desea que las leyes que norman los derechos de acceso sean implementadas de una manera que resulte significativa para toda la ciudadanía, y especialmente para los grupos vulnerables.

Para aportar a una mejor comprensión de los obstáculos al acceso que afectan a las comunidades vulnerables, y de los esfuerzos que los gobiernos pueden hacer por alcanzar a esa población, el Instituto de Recursos Mundiales y sus socios de la organización de la sociedad civil La Iniciativa de Acceso examinaron detenidamente los derechos y prácticas de acceso en cuatro países—Camerún, Paraguay, Filipinas y Sri Lanka.

Los estudios de caso destacados en este informe cubren una variedad de asuntos medioambientales incluyendo la calidad del agua, el uso de la tierra, la disponibilidad de datos, y el uso o ausencia de Evaluaciones de Impacto Ambiental (EIA). Los hallazgos de la investigación y la bibliografía revisada muestran que en estos países los grupos vulnerables enfrentan un abanico enorme de barreras para ejercer sus derechos de acceso, incluyendo el bajo alfabetismo,
los altos costos (incluidos los costos de la corrupción), la exposición a los riesgos de la participación, y la falta de documentos de identidad o del derecho a algún recurso necesario para participar o influir en la toma de decisiones. Adicionalmente, las normas culturales que definen quiénes pueden hablar en público excluyen a los grupos vulnerables desproporcionalmente.

Los casos de estudio también proveen ejemplos en los que organizaciones de la sociedad civil, grupos comunitarios, y –más importante– algunos gobiernos han dado pasos para superar o eliminar estas barreras. En base a los hallazgos y la revisión bibliográfica, hemos encontrado seis barreras al acceso a la toma de decisiones que se relacionan con la pobreza y propuesto ocho categorías de medidas de política pública (policy responses) que sirven para superarlas (ver Tabla 1). Es importante señalar que la falta generalizada de acceso a la información por parte de la ciudadanía tiene un impacto apreciablemente más alto en la falta de acceso a la información por parte de los grupos vulnerables.

The Access Initiative: a Network in Action

Monika Kerdeman — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:07:44 -0400

Here is a quick summary of recent progress by Access Initiative partners working to strengthen civil society, increase participation, and improve environmental policy choices.

Over the past 10 years Access Initiative (TAI) partners from 50 different countries have played important roles in strengthening civil society and government capacity in order to build the foundations needed to move access rights forward. 2009 is proving to be no different. Partners from around the world are helping to open up the decision-making the processes for environmental issues, by widening the range of voices heard and improving the quality of policy choices available.

In the past year and a half, TAI partners have taken part in activities to reform transparency laws, train government officers to involve people in development planning, help build awareness among judges and media about the public’s ability to influence decisions that affect the environment. This work has lead to changes at the national and regional levels.

Some specific changes resulting from the work of TAI partners include:

Access to participation in decision-making enhances the ability of a government to be responsive to public concern and demands, to build consensus, and to improve acceptance of and compliance with environmental decisions.

Access to justice allows people to hold government agencies, companies and individuals accountable.

Meaningful participation requires access to information that forms the basis for decisions, the opportunity to voice opinions and the ability to influence choice among possible outcomes.

Voice and Choice: Opening the Door To Environmental Democracy

Indonesia enacted a new Freedom of Information Act, with the help from our TAI Indonesia partners.
The new constitution in Thailand ensures that the public has the right to receive information and participate in the decisions concerning new development projects that affect the environment.
The TAI network has expanded its work in Argentina, Benin, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, India, Republic of Macedonia and Zambia by undertaking regional or national assessments of environmental laws in regards to access to information, access to justice, public participation and capacity building.
TAI had its second annual Global Gathering of partners, hosted by our Irish partners at the Sligo Institute of Technology.
In Cameroon, TAI partner Foundation for Environment and Development (FEDEV) litigated and won, as the main plaintiff, three high court cases. The implications of these cases have significant impacts on fundamental human rights, access to environmental justice and law enforcement in Cameroon allowing the public to sue to protect human life and environment.
In Bolivia, partners helped advance access right (access to information, public participation access to justice and capacity building) to shape constitutional reform. The new Bolivian Constitution was approved by a referendum this year and now includes access to information, participation and tribunal for environmental issues, as well as other environmental provisions.
Ireland established the Fifth Pillar of Social Partnership, the Environmental Pillar. This ensures Environmental NGOs are treated as equal partners with the Trade Unions, Employers, Farmers and the (wider) Community and Voluntary Pillars in researching, developing and monitoring the implementation of national policies on all aspects of society. As a consequence of the new status, NGO’s now have the right to regular constructive contact with all government departments at the highest level; seats on the National Economic and Social Council; and established our right to nominate people to seats on the advisory bodies at all levels of governance, local, regional and national.
TAI Sri Lanka partner Public Interest Law Foundation has been working with Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development to draft ministerial guidelines on information disclosure in the urban sector, as part of the recommendations from the TAI national assessment.

Here is a quick summary of the work already underway in 2009 for 22 TAI partner countries, as part of the work funded by the World Bank, Development Governance Grant:

Argentina: Center For Human Rights And Environment (CEDHA)

The Center for Human Rights and Environment is prioritizing reforms by conducting Argentina’s first national TAI assessment.

Bangladesh: Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA)

The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association is managing a regional exchange program for community leaders intended to develop a network of forest dwellers in South Asia and advance their capacity towards participatory governance. This includes a regional training workshop on access issues relating to the forest.

Benin: Eco-Ecolo

Eco Ecolo is prioritizing reforms by conducting Benin’s first national TAI assessment.

Bolivia: PRODENA - Bolivian Wildlife Society

PRODENA is developing the main indicators for the National System of Environmental Information (NSEI) recommended by the TAI assessment and advocating for its implementation. PRODENA is also advising the government environmental authority on how to organize the NSEI.

Cameroon: Bioresources Development And Conservation Programme (BPDC)

The Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme is working to create a task force to supervise public participation in the development of access and benefit sharing (ABS) policies. BPDC is also integrating civil society recommendations into a draft of the ABS policy framework.

Cameroon: Foundation For Environment And Development (FEDEV)

The Foundation for Environment and Development is organizing and conducting workshops to train judges, magistrates, and lawyers on environmental law and access rights.

Chile: Participa

Participa is developing indicators to evaluate regional advocacy success. Participa is also prioritizing reforms by conducting Chile’s second national TAI assessment.

China (Guizhou): Center For Moutainous Resource Conservation And Development Study (CMCRDS)

The Center for Mountainous Resource Conservation and Development Study is prioritizing reforms by conducting the first regional Guizhou TAI assessment.

China (Yunnan): Centre For Montain Ecosytstem Studies (ICRAF-China)

TAI Yunnan partners are translating TAI indicator toolkit and concepts into Mandarin and conducting workshops to train Guizhou TAI coalition. TAI Yunnan is also advocating for public access to environmental information on water quality and pollution.

Ecuador: Coalicion Acesso And Centro Ecuatoriano De Derecho Ambiental (CEDA)

TAI Ecuador partners Coalicion Acesso and CEDA are conducting dialogues with government, civil society and the public to gather input on environmental concerns and access rights that can be used to draft a national strategy proposal for access to environmental information.

Gabon: Croissance Saine Environnement (CSE)

Croissance Saine Environnement is prioritizing reforms by leading Gabon’s first national TAI assessment.

India: Environics Trust

Environics Trust is prioritizing reforms by conducting India’s first national TAI assessment.

Macedonia: Florozon – Association For Protection Of Natural Environment And Sustainable Economic Development

TAI partner Florozon is organizing and conducting training workshops with government officials and civil society members as recommended by the 2008 TAI national assessment to increase attentiveness to access rights. Florozon is also launching a large media campaign to increase public awareness and demand for access rights.

Malawi: Centre For Environmental Policy And Advocacy (CEPA)

The Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy is working to strengthen and implement proposed environmental and access bills that would provide improvements in access rights. CEPA is also publicizing proposed legislation and holding workshops to advance public participation and capacity building.

Nepal: Pro Public

Pro Public is advocating for the inclusion of access rights and good environmental governance in the proposed Constitution of Nepal through capacity building measures including the training of the writers of the constitution, government officials, civil society members, and the public.

Paraguay: Instituto De Derecho Y Economia Ambiental (IDEA)

The Environmental Law and Economics Institute is working to revise access to information legislation and will present a final draft to government officials, civil society members, and the public through a series of workshops intended to integrate their comments on the legislation before formally submitting them to Congress.

Peru: Sociedad Peruana De Derecho Ambiental (SPDA)

The Peruvian Society for Environmental Law is working with Latin American partners to organize a regional meeting and conduct workshops intended to compile a set of practical advocacy tools, strengthen advocacy capacity, and train civil society members on access issues.

Philippines: Ateneo School Of Government

TAI member ATENEO is developing a single-volume reference ‘bench book’ intended to provide judges on the recently established environmental courts with complete answers to frequently raised questions. ATENEO is also advocating for the passage of the freedom of information bill via media briefings, videos, workshops, and a website.

Sri Lanka: Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF)

Lawyers from the Public Interest Law Foundation are working closely with government officials to draft and implement guidelines for information disclosure PILF is also conducting training workshops on the new guidelines for relevant officials.

Thailand: Thailand Environment Institute (TEI)

The Thailand Environment Institute is advocating for the amendment and implementation of Thailand’s Official Information Act of 1997 through a multi-stakeholder dialogue that will publish recommendations.

Turkey: Environmental Management And Law Association (EMLA)

The Environmental Management and Law Association is determining the capacities and receptiveness for a TAI assessment in Turkey. EMLA is conducting a workshop on TAI methodology for interested parties.

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA)

Lawyers from Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association are working closely with the Ministry of Environment to develop and implement guidelines for how information is released to the public.

What Does Environmental Democracy Look Like?

Monika Kerdeman — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:45:44 -0400

Environmental democracy is about government being transparent, accountable, and involving people in decisions that affect their environment. 20 countries in The Access Initiative (TAI) network are expanding their work to promote environmental democracy. Here is a summary of what’s ahead in 2008 and beyond.<!–break–>

Local TAI partners work with their governments to reform transparency laws and train government officers to involve people in development planning. They also build the awareness among judges and in the media about the public’s ability to influence decisions that affect the environment. TAI Partners are already having crucial impacts in key countries:

In Chile, the National Commission of the Environment committed to creating a participatory process in the design of the country’s first Toxic Release Inventory. TAI partner groups helped influence the design of the system to guarantee full citizen participation.
In Uganda, the TAI coalition used the findings of a TAI assessment to convince representatives to draft a Freedom of Information Act establishing citizens’ right to government information.
TAI Ecuador partner ECOLEX and the Ministry of Environment drafted a regulation requiring public consultation in the process of decision-making on environmental matters. The president approved the regulation in October 2006.
In Indonesia, TAI assessments identified the need for and recommended the basic requirements of a Freedom of Information Act. TAI partners worfked with the Government and other civil society groups to draft such an act which was adopted in 2008.
In Mexico, a TAI assessment revealed gaps in public access to information. Together they published a series of citizen action guides which led to a measurable increase in the number of citizens requesting information and more efficient delivery of information on the part of the government.

Here is a quick summary of the work that is already underway—or planned for 2008—in Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Hungary, Latvia, Nepal, India, Macedonia, Malawi, Mexico, Paraguay, The Philippines, Tanzania, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and Zambia.

BANGLADESH: BANGLADESH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
Prioritize reforms by conducting national TAI assessment.
More about BELA

BOLIVIA: PRODENA, BOLIVIAN WILDLIFE SOCIETY
Advocacy activities that engage public officials and parliament representatives to include access rights in the environmental and natural resource legislation.
More about PRODENA

CHILE: CORPORACIÓN PARTICIPA
This organization will work with local CSOs to analyze access rights and public participation mechanisms in current Chilean environmental legislation and develop proposals to strengthen the legal norms that impact local poor communities. In addition, they will evaluate tools available in the System of Evaluation of Environmental Impacts in Chile (SEIA) with a special focus on the impact on local poor communities.
More about Participa

CAMEROON: BIORESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMME AND FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
Training and assistance to TAI DRC teams for a national TAI assessment. Raise awareness on access to participation; develop information materials on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legal process; initiate teams to work with government officials on EIAs; develop a simplified version of EIA guidelines. Create a link between government and local communities to enable communities to benefit though poverty alleviation strategies. Conduct TAI pilot poverty assessment.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: CONSEIL POUR LA DEFENSE ENVIRONNEMENTALE PAR LA LEGALITE ET LA TRACABILITE (CODELT)
Prioritize reforms by conducting national TAI assessment.

ECUADOR: COALICIÓN ACCESO
Investigate 30 petitions for access to information; file and follow-up on 6 litigation cases where access to information has been denied. Conduct 3 training workshops for 30 public officials and 20 NGO leaders on implementing Ecuador’s Transparency and Access to Information Law.
More about Coalicion Acceso

ECUADOR: ECOLEX
Work with government officials to implement regulations related to civil participation in environmental management and build capacities for the social controllership in environmental issues through training.
More about Ecolex

HUNGARY: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND LAW ASSOCIATION
Training and assistance to TAI-Macedonia team for national TAI assessment. Provide assistance to TAI-Ukraine to implement activities in the Ukraine.
More about EMLA

INDIA: ENVIRONICS TRUST
Prioritize reforms by conducting regional TAI assessment.
More about Environics

LATVIA: REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER – LATVIA
Conduct access to justice seminar for 35 judges who will be trained on practical implementation of access to justice principles in Latvian law and how it relates to obligations under the Aarhus Convention.
More about REC - Latvia

MACEDONIA: FLOROZON-ASSOCIATION FOR PROTECTION OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Prioritize reforms by conducting national TAI assessment.

MALAWI: CENTRE FOR POLICY AND ADVOCACY
Activities aimed to use the media as a tool to reach out to new stakeholders. CEPA will also develop a series of training workshops that will include government officials and civil society members to raise the profile of—and generate public demand for—access in Malawi.
More about CEPA

MEXICO: CENTRO MEXICANO DE DERECHO AMBIENTAL
On behalf of The Access Initiative-Mexico. Training and assistance to TAI-Panama*. Work with members of the Government to implement recommendations from two TAI state assessments. Develop and begin to implement an Action Plan for the Federal District in Mexico. Translation of Code Green program into indigenous languages.
More about CEMDA

NEPAL: PRO PUBLIC
Prioritize reforms by conducting national TAI assessment.
More about Pro Public.

PARAGUAY: INSTITUTO DE DERECHO Y ECONOMÍA AMBIENTAL
Conduct TAI pilot poverty assessment.
More about IDEA

THE PHILIPPINES: ATENEO DE MANILA
Conduct TAI pilot poverty assessment.
More about Ateneo

SRI LANKA: PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FOUNDATION
Establish agenda for joint activities with government through PP10 commitments. Draft recommendations to National Environmental Act to include access to information and access to public participation. Conduct TAI pilot poverty assessment.
More about PILF

TANZANIA: TANZANIA LAWYERS ENVIRONMENT ACTION TEAM (TANZANIA) Implementation of TAI report recommendations including conducing community training on access rights; establishing a media campaign on access rights.
More about LEAT

THAILAND: THAILAND ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE
Conduct regional workshop that will include training on poverty guidelines. Produce 2000 copies of the Asia regional report. Investigate options for developing a rapid assessment toolkit that could be used by local communities, with a focus on the poor and/or disadvantaged groups, to address access issues at the local level.
More about TEI

UKRAINE: ECOPRAVO
Form a national coalition of CSOs and other stakeholders active in environmental rights and access issues and develop a national advocacy strategy for decision makers. Present international complaint mechanisms to Ukraine government officials and establish a program to monitor the implementation of joint activities stemming from the national TAI report.
More about EcoPravo

ZAMBIA: INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST (HURID)
Prioritize reforms by conducting national TAI assessment.

Support

This expansion of TAI is made possible through a generous grant from the Development Grants Facility of the World Bank.

Brief History of TAI

Since TAI began in 1999, more than 150 civil society organizations around the world have become TAI Partners. Assessments and advocacy have engaged governments in 45 countries to improve access to information, public participation and access to justice in decisions affecting the environment.

TAI bases its advocacy on original and independent research at the national level using an internationally recognized assessment tool.

TAI Partners use national assessments to examine the ability of the public to access information about government decisions, participate in those decisions, and seek justice when their rights are violated.

TAI Partners use assessment results to raise public awareness, set priorities for improvements in policy and practice, and work with governments to create change.