Environment

OVERVIEW

The Regional Environment Centre (REC) is an international organisation that assists with global environmental and sustainable living initiatives and solutions. It has gained experience by implementing more than 4,000 projects (valued at 138 million Euros) in areas such as environmental policy, climate change, energy security, renewable energy, energy efficiency, environmental investments, law compliance and enforcement, sustainable consumption, and production.

The lecture outlined key REC projects to demonstrate the role and impact of environmental co-operation. These included:

- The Regional Environmental Reconstruction Programme for South Eastern Europe, which helps ensure that environmental protection is a top priority during physical and economic reconstruction in a region that has faced political and economic instability in the past.

- Regional activities under the umbrella of education for sustainable development, which target the young generation as well as senior officials and experts of the governmental and business sectors, thus ensuring future stability.

- Efforts to mobilise local communities.

The lecture also introduced strategic tools and initiatives that have been effective in fostering the transition to a stable and sustainable carbon-free society, both on a local and a regional level.

THE ISSUES

The lecture tackled issues such as the relationship between environmental cooperation, and good governance and stability; as well as outlining possible areas of joint cooperation between the Regional Environment Centre and its Asian partners.

SPEAKER

Ms. Marta Szigeti Bonifert, Executive Director, Regional Environment Centre, Hungary.

ASEF's contribution is with the financial support of the European Commission.