Crowd For Justice - Supporting Green Advocacy
Summary
Crowd For Justice - Supporting Green Advocacy in Lebanon
HELP US TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT OUR GREEN LANDS
WHY ARE WE TAKING ACTION? AND WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
When faced with crises, developing countries often de-prioritize environmental issues and green solutions to issues in favour of providing lifesaving aid, recovery from shocks and improving the resilience of the local population. In Lebanon specifically, the long-lived crises since 1970 have taken their toll on the environment and on the ability of the locals to protect their culture and their natural environment. Hence, Lebanon’s multi-faceted and protracted crises present at this critical period a unique opportunity to demonstrate that solutions to societal, political, economic problems must be initiated with environmentally sound practices.
With the deterioration of public services, and the absence of response mechanisms to address environmental issues, GreenAd has set up a response system that addresses issues at local, regional and national levels of governance in Lebanon.
WHO WE ARE
The Green Advocate (GreenAd) Unit for Lebanon is a grassroot initiative bringing together activists, local non-profits and private firms to present solutions addressing environmental problems nationally, which are scalable and tailored to the complex operating environment in Lebanon.
HOW IT WORKS
GreenAd relies on the calls put forth by active residents to act in response to rising issues with no clear solution, such as forest fires, illegal deforestation, water contamination and more. This grassroot initiative will pick up on claims made by the local community and respond to the most urgent needs of the local community and affected ecosystem. The second layer of the initiatives takes issues forth to include local advocacy, reporting claims to concerned ministries and working with local governments on mitigation plan. The third layer includes the revision, editing, amendment and suggestion of related laws to offer long-term protection and change. Once the process is completed successful and failing cases will be shared with the public at large to raise social and political advocacy.
STAKEHOLDERS OF THE PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND CIVIC (PPC) COOPERATION
Socio-Economic Institute for Development (SEID)
SEID is a Lebanese NGO operating since 2017, with a mission to provide residents with a better quality of life. This is achieved through sustainable socio-economic development projects that focus on empowering individuals and groups. To achieve sustainable socio-economic change and empower local communities to overcome the barriers posed by the overlapping crises in Lebanon, SEID employs a three-pronged approach, leading to empathetic, tailored and vocal solutions. SEID’s grassroot operation includes outreach for research studies, identifying and fundraising to meet the needs of local communities, and leveraging private sector expertise for the improvement of public service provision.
SEID works with renowned law firms, legal researchers, environmental academics and activists, and leverage its widespread outreach network for this initiative.
WE HAVE TAKEN ACTION - JOIN US!
To cover the cost to take it through to permission, we will need to raise $30,000 with a stretch target of $35,000 to fund the systematization of the alert raising and response process.
We have been funding the initial legal and campaign costs through donations from concerned individuals, whilst the team and ecology experts have given their time, expertise, and dedication for free.
We believe we are not alone, and that you will help support this truly worthy cause, and that when we are successful the legal decision will help set a precedent that will support other struggling campaigns to protect nature from inappropriate development. This can then be used by other groups to establish good environmental practice in the planning process.
We have come so far and strongly believe we have a high chance of success, and we feel we have a responsibility to the many people affected, who care deeply about this proposed tragedy for nature, locally across Lebanon at a time when climate crisis reminds us that we all live in one shared home and every green space matters.
WHAT THE FUND WILL BE USED FOR
To replicate responses to environmental issues, utilizing the unique collaboration between grassroot activists, private and public sectors allow for a holistic response to environmental issues, to:
• Take direct action to meet arising needs at short and medium turns, through grassroot organizations designing and implementing empathetic, innovative, and vocal interventions responding to environmental claims;
• Produce legislative suggestions to put in place long-term solutions and accountability practices, and do the necessary legal research to assure direct action is legally covered and compliant with local and international laws; and
• Engage with the public and media in response to needs and environmental crises, clear bottlenecks at local and national levels to assure sound implementation of direct actions and advocate for passing of law proposals at parliament.
LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER!
Please give generously, every donation helps - join us in standing up for nature, for Lebanon and future generations to come.
THANK YOU!
