MIO-ECSDE is a partner in the project proposal “BlueGreen Med-CS” which is in the process of securing the funds to be launched. It was labeled by the Union for the Mediterranean in 2014. Through a capacity building programme and a small grants scheme, the project will enable NGOs to acquire skills in various areas of sustainable development. Throughout the process, the relevant public authorities will be constantly informed of and involved in the activities organised in order to strengthen the dialogue between CSOs and national authorities. It will eventually be implemented in Albania, Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.

The overall goal of the project is to strengthen existing, and promote new, cooperation and financial opportunities among Euro-Mediterranean Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) dedicated to water and environment, thereby maximising their contribution to sustainable development in the region.

In particular, the project aims to:

  • Reinforce the participation and cooperation of southern CSOs in various areas including wetlands, integrated water resources management, environmental education and awareness as well as marine litter, through an integrated and interactive capacity building programme that brings together technical and organisational expertise and tools.
  • Strengthen existing dialogue between civil society, public authorities and other relevant stakeholders through concrete actions and innovative participation mechanisms.

Built on a regional perspective and multistakeholder approach, the BLUEGREEN MED-CS will strengthen the capacity of selected CSOs in five Mediterranean countries with the aim to turn them into knowledgeable and credible interlocutors when it comes to water and environment policies. Over the three years of duration, mechanisms for their effective participation will be identified, and promoted, in close collaboration with the national authorities. The selected CSOs will benefit from capacity building activities (e.g. on-job trainings, face-to-face trainings, regional study visits) tailored according to their capacity. The project will distinguish between CSOs which already have a solid organizational structure but lacking specific technical capacity, and those that need to strengthen their managerial and organizational capacity before getting engaged into more complex technical issues. A small grants scheme will be linked to the capacity building work package so that the acquired capacities will allow the best implementation of the grant on relevant conservation and sustainable development issues; this is a crucial tool since, based on the longstanding experience of the project promoters, the limited field experience is the main weakness of most Mediterranean CSOs.

This UfM project builds and further enhances on-going regional projects in the field of learning-by-doing capacity building activities.

The key partners of the project are:

  • IME: Mediterranean Water Institute (http://www.ime-eau.org)
  • IUCN-Med: Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (https://www.iucn.org/about/union/secretariat/offices/iucnmed/iucnmed_about/)
  • MIO-ECSDE: Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (www.mio-ecsde.org)
  • RAED: Arab Network for Environment and Development (http://www.raednetwork.org/)
  • WWF MedPO: WWF Mediterranean Programme Office (http://mediterranean.panda.org/)

The project partners have a strong and inter-complementary set of skills and experience which are key for the success of the project:

  • Solid partnerships and on-going projects in the target countries relevant to achieve the project’s objectives;
  • Long-standing experience in building the capacity of Mediterranean CSOs and in working with public administrations and other stakeholders at local/national/regional level;
  • Proven technical capacity in a wide range of water and environment issues;
  • Wide experience in working in complex, multi-country projects.

Title: BLUEGREEN MED-CS | NETWORKING CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION THROUGH ENVIRONMENT AND WATER ISSUES

Funding sources: Under exploration. The key project partners are contributing €571,180 (20% of the overall budget)

Project Duration: 2015–2018 (36 months)

Project budget: € 2.855.900

  • Level of completion 10% 10%
For more info: Anastasia Roniotes, MIO-ECSDE Head Officer, roniotes(at)mio-ecsde.org
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