www.rec.org @RECstream

Accelerating sustainable solutions in Central and Eastern Europe

The REC is an innovative, friendly and professional group of peoplewho are aiming for some really great goals agreed in the work plans.Not only dreaming about them, but implementing them.

Jaakko Henttonen, Chair of the REC Board of Directors, 2009 to 2012

CONTACTSBusiness Development Unit ■ bdu@rec.org | Office of the Chief of Staff ■ ocs@rec.org

Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)Ady Endre ut 9–11 ■ 2000 Szentendre ■ Hungary ■ Tel: +36 26 504 000

about the REC

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The Regional Environmental Center was established in 1990 by theUnited States of America, the Commission of the EuropeanCommunities and the Government of Hungary as co-founders, toassist the transition process in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) andto contribute to environmental democracy building and cooperativeproblem solving within the environmental sector.

The REC is an international organisation and its legalstatus is based on a charter with 32 signatories todate, and on the International Agreement thatentered into force in 2012. Originally set up throughpolitical will as a foundation and mandated as agrant-giving, mission-driven organisation, the REC hasevolved since its foundation into a fully project basedorganisation. The REC’s projects focus on helpingcommunities to strengthen environmentalgovernance, shift to a low-carbon economy, buildresilience to climate change, manage naturalresources, and develop capacities for futureenvironmental stewardship.

As an independent, non-partisan, non-advocacy andnon-profit international organisation, the REC has become a modelfor open, transparent, efficient and accountable internationalcooperation in Europe and beyond. With over 25 years of dedicatedservice in supporting the region’s transition to democracy andsustainability, the REC is a flexible mechanism for cooperation inCentral and Eastern Europe and beyond, delivering results through its office and expert network. Its head office is located in Hungary.

“The REC will continue to maintain its mission and focus, supporting itsbeneficiaries and responding to stakeholders’ needs in a spirit ofinnovation, strengthening solutions in the context of EU NeighbourhoodPolicy and EU Enlargement countries, and responding to the challengesarising from the implementation of these frameworks.”

Mihail Dimovski, Executive Director of the REC

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our approach

The REC actively participates in key global, regional and localprocesses and contributes to environmental and sustainabilitysolutions, transferring transitional knowledge and experience tocountries and regions. It has an impressive record in capacity buildingand policy dialogue with environmental stakeholders, developing andpromoting tools and good practices for sustainable development andfor public/stakeholder involvement, implementing ministerialmandates and contributing to international processes. Through itsprojects and programmes, the REC provides good-quality data fordecision makers, disseminates information, builds the capacities ofnational and sub-national stakeholders, and facilitates active publicparticipation in policy making.

The REC promotes and facilitates the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, supporting democratic,inclusive and sustainable societies and regional cooperation. TheREC’s mission, mandates and strategies position the organisation as a neutral platform and catalyst for accelerating sustainablesolutions in partnership with governments and non-governmentalstakeholders. The REC has a strong regional presence, and the abilityto work in local languages and contexts, as well as establishednetworks of high-level officials and experts.

The REC continuously endeavours to create strategic partnershipswith international organisations, institutions and bodies, in order tobest match the available expertise to environmental problems andneeds in an internationally coordinated manner.

Recent donors are the European Commission, the EuropeanEconomic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism (Norway, IcelandLiechtenstein), the United Nations, the governments of Albania,

A constant of the REC’s existence and itsdefining trait over its 25-year history isthe capacity to use experiences andstrengths and turn them into innovativeand far-reaching processes. Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional CooperationCouncil

Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland,Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway,Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdomand the United States, as well as other international organisations,banks and businesses.

MISSION STATEMENTOur mission is to contribute to transparency, sustainability andEuropean integration, implementing projects that build resilience toclimate change, promote clean energy solutions, champion sustainablemobility and strengthen environmental governance in Central andEastern Europe and beyond. We fulfil our mission by promotingcooperation among governments, non-governmental organisations,businesses and other stakeholders, and by supporting the free exchangeof information and public participation.

our presence

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Head office: Hungary

REC offices: Albania | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Kosovo* | Montenegro |Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | Poland | Serbia | Turkey

Projects/office opening: Algeria | Armenia | Austria | Azerbaijan| Belarus |Belgium | Bulgaria | China | Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark |Egypt | Estonia | Finland | France | Georgia | Germany | Greece | Ireland | Italy | Japan | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Kyrgyzstan | Latvia | Lebanon | Lithuania |Luxembourg | Malta | Moldova | Morocco | Netherlands | Portugal | Romania |Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Tajikistan | Tunisia | Turkmenistan |Ukraine | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom | Uzbekistan

The REC’s regional presence is an asset for the successful implementation of itsmission-driven work. With its headquarters in Hungary, the REC’s network of officesextends throughout Central and Eastern Europe, including South Eastern Europeand Turkey. Since 1990, the REC has implemented over 2,000 donor-funded projectswith a total budget of over EUR 200 million. Our projects focus on environmentalgovernance, low-carbon economy, resilience to climate change, natural resourcesmanagement and environmental stewardship.

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Swed

en

Italy

Neth

erlan

ds

Japan USA

Norw

ay

Hung

ary

Finlan

d

Austr

ia

Switz

erlan

d

5

28

18

14 13 13

108 8 7

5

Contributions from top 10 donors 1990–2016 (EUR 124+ million, out of total contributions of EUR 220+ million)

We offer a flexible mechanism for cooperation, delivering resultsthrough our office network andregional presence.

SwedenItalyNetherlandsJapanUSANorwayHungaryFinlandAustriaSwitzerland

23%

15%

11%11%

10%

8%

6%

6%

6%4%

Share of contributions from the top 10 donors, 1990–2016

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinionon the Kosovo declaration of independence.

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our areas of expertise

The REC supports the implementation of the UnitedNations Framework Convention on Climate Change andthe Paris Agreement. It contributes to regional, nationaland sub-national efforts to develop and implementlow-emission development strategies and to buildresilience to climate change.

The REC contributes to the 2013 UNESCO Global ActionPlan on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) andthe UNECE Strategy on ESD, and facilitates the achievementof the UN SDGs. At the World Conference on ESD in 2014,the Green Pack educational toolkit was selected as one of25 best ESD practices globally.

In connection with the World Health Organization’sEuropean Environment and Health Process, the RECsupports the EU Environment and Health Action Plan,the Declaration of the Fourth Ministerial Conference onEnvironment and Health and the Children’sEnvironment and Health Action Plan for Europe.

The REC provides expertise and technical assistance forthe development, implementation and enforcement ofenvironmental legislation at national, European andinternational levels. We support the development of localenvironmental policies using participatory planning, thusensuring the accountability of local governments.

To help tackle the negative environmental impacts ofnatural resource use, the REC supports the developmentof national resource efficiency strategies, focusing on thesourcing of raw materials, substitution, secondary rawmaterials, waste as a resource, land and soil use efficiency,water as a resource, and the secondary use of biomass.

The REC facilitates the transition towards a greeneconomy through a focus on smart cities and mobility,delivering high-quality information services and products.The REC’s experience also encompasses freight and greenlogistics, with specific attention to the realm of intelligenttrans-European transport networks.

The REC focuses on all aspects of water resourcesmanagement by providing capacity-building initiatives,neutral platforms for transboundary cooperation, andconcrete technical services towards the achievement ofSDG 6. Activities are implemented in the context of theintegrated water resources management approach.

Our project teams work in specialised areas of expertise, which exploit the fullpotential of the REC office network.

Since its foundation, the REC has had a mandate to assistin the development of a strong and sustainableenvironmental civil society. In fulfilling this mandate, the REC strives to strengthen the role of civil societyorganisations (CSOs) and improve their knowledge, skills,capacities, infrastructure and viability.

Civil Society Empowerment and Stakeholder

Engagement

Climate Change and Clean Energy Solutions

Education for Sustainable Development

Environment and Health

Environmental Law, Policyand Instruments

Natural Resources

Smart Cities and Sustainable Mobility

Water ResourcesManagement

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our achievements towards 2030

The REC has made a vital contribution to the development of civil society in Central andEastern Europe, to EU enlargement, and to the transition towards sustainabledevelopment in the region. The organisation has gained a reputation for accountability,independence, innovation, efficiency and effectiveness in facilitating responses toenvironmental challenges in Europe and beyond.

The REC has realised the hopes and aspirations of its founders andbenefactors who are justly proud of its achievements...William K. Reilly, Sixth Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

A major challenge is the implementation of the SDGs. The REC will havea major role to play in their successful regional implementation. Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission

Our projects, programmes and products cover the full spectrum of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On the 25th anniversary of theorganisation in 2015, the signatories to the REC Charter explicitly expressedtheir wish and support for the REC to devote its work and efforts to theimplementation of the SDGs in the region and beyond.

5 millionstudents

Outdoor environmen at School

Indoor Air in School

The Air Packprovides resourc

es for

children aged between e

about indoor air quality i

on indoor and outdoor s

and on perceptions of c

The REC has strengthened morethan 1,000 civil society organisa-tions through capacity-building activities and around 5,800 grants.

20 countries

The REC has reached over 5 million students in more than 20 countries witheducational tools for sustainable development.

4.8 millionpeople

90municipalities

The REC has implemented local environmental action plans reaching 4.8 million people in 90 municipalities.

1,000civil societyorganisations

5,800grants

www.rec.org @RECstream

The REC is an innovative, friendly and professional group of peoplewho are aiming for some really great goals agreed in the work plans.Not only dreaming about them, but implementing them.

Jaakko Henttonen, Chair of the REC Board of Directors, 2009 to 2012

CONTACTSBusiness Development Unit ■ bdu@rec.org | Office of the Chief of Staff ■ ocs@rec.org

Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)Ady Endre ut 9–11 ■ 2000 Szentendre ■ Hungary ■ Tel: +36 26 504 000