The REC is 25 years old and going strong. As the organisation defines its role for the coming years it can look back on a quarter of a century of landmark achievements and valuable contributions to local initiatives and global solutions. The story so far is illustrated in the following pages… An unfolding story

Celebrating the REC’s first quarter of a centuryRESULTS EMPOWERMENT CHANGE

25years.rec.org

25 years

The REC is 25 years old and going strong. As the organisation defines its role for the coming years it can look back on a quarter of a century of landmark achievements and valuable contributions to local initiatives and global solutions. The story so far is illustrated in the following pages…

25 years

1989

1990

President George BushIn July, U.S. President George Bushproposes establishing the REC at the then Karl Marx Universityof Economics in Budapest

1991

First Steps...• Idea of an electronic network

of NGOs is conceived

•Environmental Legislative Task Force is launched

• The REC’s beneficiary areaexpands to the Baltics and Balkans

•The REC’s grants programmehelps countries deal with legacy of environmental neglect

1993

Long-Term Partnerships•Young environmentalists

from five countries in CEEparticipate in the first session of the JuniorFellowship Programme

•The Japan Special Fund isestablished as a flexiblemechanism and needs-drivenprocess, mobilising close toEUR 6 million

1995

Growing Initiatives•At the Third Ministerial

Conference “Environment for Europe”, the REC is asked to act as secretariat for four initiatives in CEE

•The REC’s Business InformationService is launched

1998

Aarhus Ministerial Conference•Drafted with input from

the REC, the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation inDecision-Making and Access to Justice in EnvironmentalMatters is adopted in Aarhus, Denmark

•First ministerial mandate for the REC (EAP Task Force,CEE sub-programme)

2001

Networks and Negotiations•The REC supports

NGO campaign to saveendangered species

•The REC launches BalkanEnvironmental RegulatoryCompliance and EnforcementNetwork (BERCEN)

•REC experts help negotiate the Protocol on StrategicEnvironmental Assessment

• The Italian Trust Fund isestablished as a contributionof the Italian Ministry for theEnvironment, Land and Sea

2003

Achievements and ContributionsAt the Fifth MinisterialConference “Environment forEurope”, the REC’s work isacknowledged and theorganisation is encouraged to continue contributing tomulti-stakeholder cooperation

2005

15th AnniversaryAccording to the signatories to the REC Charter the recentenlargement of the EuropeanUnion presents majoropportunities for the REC to further contribute tosustainable development

2007

Working across Sectors•The REC authors official and

background documents for theSixth Ministerial Conference“Environment for Europe”

•The REC becomes activelyengaged in the CIVITASInitiative for cleaner and bettertransport in cities supported by the European Commission

•80 experts from 15 countriesattend a REC-organised session on sustainability at the World Science Forum

2009

REC TrainingCo-author of the 1972 work Limits to Growth, Dennis Meadows, holds a workshop for REC staff

2011

Health and EnvironmentThe REC leads complex researchproject Schools Indoor Pollutionand Health: ObservatoryNetwork in Europe (SINPHONIE)in 25 countries, with fundingfrom the European Commission

2013

Budapest Water SummitThe REC-organised studentforum, financed by SumitomoChemical Ltd., Japan, drafts recommendations for delegates at the summit

2015

EC2 E-learningThe Europe-China Clean EnergyCentre runs its fourth course

Signing of the REC Charter•The charter establishing

the REC is signed on June 20 by representatives of thegovernments of Hungary and the U.S. and the European Commission

•Later the same day, the Netherlands becomes the first signatory

1992

Latest NewsThe REC’s quarterly newsletterprovides reliable regionalenvironmental information, first as The Bulletin, then from2004 as Green Horizon, and from2009 as Green Horizon Online, a move made in order to takeadvantage of the environmentalbenefits of electronic publishing

1994

Spreading the Message•Senior Fellowship Programme

is launched

•CEE Environmental ActionProgramme is translated into 13 languages anddisseminated by the REC

•More than USD 0.5 million areawarded for 488 local grants in 10 countries

•The REC emerges as aninfluential publisher of surveys,manuals and directories

1996

New Head OfficeThanks to the contribution of the Hungarian Government,the REC moves to new premisesin Szentendre

2000

REReP Assists SEEEnvironmental programmeworth EUR 60 million begins

2002

Resources ManagementOn the occasion of the World Summit on SustainableDevelopment, the REC devotesresources to assisting in drafting new legislation and promoting institutionalreform in the region

2004

REC Turkey OpeningThe REC’s office in Turkey opens in April

2006

Mobilising Capacities•Supporting Environmental Civil

Society Organisations in South Eastern Europe (SECTOR) islaunched with Swedish funding

• 62 NGOs are funded by the Danube Regional Project to help reduce pollution

•USD 1.8 million buildscapacities of authorities andNGOs for implementation ofthe Water Framework Directive

•Environmental Complianceand Enforcement Network forAccession, the successor toBERCEN, is established

•The REC joins the Environmentand Security Initiative (ENVSEC)

2008

Aiming for Zero EmissionsThe REC Conference Center is capable of operating with a long-term zero energy balancefollowing retrofitting financed by Italy, as well as Iceland,Liechtenstein and Norwaythrough the European EconomicArea Financial Mechanism

2010

20th AnniversaryMinisterial Declaration highlyappreciates the REC’sdevelopment and sets futurefocus on promoting governancefor sustainability and facilitatingtransition to a green economy

2012

The REC at Rio+20REC executive director makes astatement at the plenary session

2014

Education for Sustainable DevelopmentGreen Pack is selected as one of 25 good practices in the field of ESD at theUNESCO World Conference on ESD held in Nagoya, Japan

Green PackThe REC’s multimediaeducational kit is launched

Course for SustainabilityWith the support of Italy, the REC establishes a programmeto build the capacities of key leaders and to forgepartnerships with academia

Royal VisitHRH the Prince of Wales visitsthe REC’s head office on theorganisation’s 20th anniversary

10th AnniversaryMinisterial consultation marksthe REC’s first 10 years

STREAM LaunchedThe framework programmeStrengthening LocalEnvironmental Planning andEnvironmental Civil Society in Belarus and Moldova issupported by the Government of Sweden with EUR 5 million

Moving into MENAThe REC transfers lessons learnedto the Middle East and North Africathrough Swedish-fundedframework programme SustainableUse of Transboundary WaterResources and Water SecurityManagement (WATER SUM) worth EUR 5.9 million

Ukraine LEAPsU.S. Department of Statepartners with the REC to developlocal environmental and energyaction plans in selected cities

Lending SupportThe REC manages CEE & Turkeybranch of The Climate RealityProject’s Road to Paris campaign

Austria Funds Themis 2Network for Managing NaturalResources and CombatingEnvironmental Crime continues

Laszlo Solyom President of Hungary (2005–2010)My immediate association of ideas withthe REC is “independence”. An institutionthat does not depend on domesticpolitics — which is, at best, indifferent to environmental issues — the RECestablishes its own ends and has the means to implement them, and in a wider geographical context.

Bob Herbst REC Board Member, U.S. (1998–2005)The success of the REC is due to itscoordination of citizen involvement withenvironmental issues; the opportunities itprovides for environmental professionals;its coordination of countries inaddressing issues; and the mechanism it offers to address environmentalproblems that cross borders and areregional or global in nature... The fact that so many governmentagencies, foundations and corporationshave funded the REC over the yearsillustrates the high respect for its work.

Dennis Meadows Author and scientistThe unique location, membership andpersonnel of the REC qualify it to makemany contributions. Of its avowedmissions I would concentrate on capacitybuilding, giving basic skills to people and strengthening environmentalorganisations… the REC does enormousgood by strengthening capacity within its affiliated nations, so they will be ablebetter to deal with their own urgentenvironmental issues as they emerge.

H.E. Maria Assunta Accili Italian Ambassador to HungaryThe REC has worked satisfactorily with public and private stakeholders to broaden the understanding of the environmental challenge and to encourage positive action throughdialogue, education and research.Green economy is the answer to the wellbeing and to the prosperity of humankind. The REC hasconsistently contributed todisseminating this message, and Italycommends its role in advancingcooperation among governments,NGOs and international bodies.

Goran Svilanovic Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation CouncilI see the REC as a regional leader inbringing SEE countries closer in order to address common challenges: improved environmental governance;combating climate change; the effectivemanagement of shared natural resourcessuch as international rivers and lakes;promoting the food-water-energy nexus;enhancing forestation; increasing thevolume of irrigated arable land; removingroadblocks for the enhanced participationof the private sector in financing waterand other infrastructure projects;enhancing competitiveness; issues relatedto the energy and transport sectors ...

H.E. Junichi KosugeJapanese Ambassador to HungaryJapan, a country in Asia, has been ableto undertake projects effectively andefficiently in the CEE region because the REC facilitates a constructiverelationship with us… Such success islargely due to the REC, which maintainsa human and organisational networkdeeply rooted in the CEE region. The REC has compiled highly qualifiedability for effective implementation of projects in the past 25 years.

The REC is 25 years old and going strong. As the organisation defines its role for the coming years it can look back on a quarter of a century of landmark achievements and valuable contributions to local initiatives and global solutions. The story so far is illustrated in the following pages… An unfolding story

Celebrating the REC’s first quarter of a centuryRESULTS EMPOWERMENT CHANGE

25years.rec.org

25 years