Asia Pacific Newsletter to be launched by the Centre for Environment Education

About CEE

Centre for Environment Education (CEE), India, was established in August 1984 as a Centre of Excellence supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, and affiliated to the Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD). The Centre inherits a rich multi-disciplinary resource base and the varied experience of NFD, its parent organization, which has been promoting educational efforts since 1966 in the areas of science, nature study, health, development and environment. CEE, a national institution with its headquarters in Ahmedabad, has a mandate to promote environmental awareness nationwide.

With over 36 offices across the country and three international offices, CEE has been moving towards influencing policy change at different levels of the government vis-à-vis issues like sustainable development and environmental education. This concept has crystallized into a landmark Environment & Development (E&D) book series covering a whole range of contemporary issues under the environment and development domain. The spin-off of the E&D series has been the monthly newsletter brought out by CEE-Media for Sustainable Development (MSD) since 1996 and which served as a news feeder service for various dailies in the country. With its considerable regional presence and its experience in publishing and newsletter service, CEE would like to reach out to a wider audience outside India incorporating the news, views and opinions of the Asia-Pacific region.

Objectives of the Asia Pacific Newsletter

With the shrinking of political boundaries through transport and digital connectivity, we are gradually approaching the novel concept of a global village. Some countries of the world have already recognised this potential of growth by forming an alliance - European Union (EU) epitomizes such a concept. The countries have realised their joint potential and have given the region more credibility and strength in the international fora. Such a concept needs thrust in the Asia-pacific region and the newsletter would be a catalyst in bringing such a concept into practice, especially with its focus on environment and development.

Poverty and under-development are important factors causing conflicts and instability in the region. Time-tested solutions to development issues are the most urgent requirement for the Asia-Pacific region. Collective actions focusing on equality and mutual benefit, maintenance of cultural diversity and balanced and sustainable development, through multilateral cooperative mechanisms are important. This would enable this vast region, with immense potential of its human population, make its presence felt as a strong force in world matters.

To this end the Asia Pacific Newsletter would provide a platform for countries in the region to come together and share their problems, find sustainable solutions and implement them. Natural Resource Management in the region would benefit immensely from a ‘Digest’ that showcases activities happening across the region. The Asia Pacific Newsletter would serve this purpose and focus on environment in a holistic way.

Besides dealing with strategies and highlighting efforts by countries to create sustainability in core sectors like energy, water and biodiversity, the newsletter would address issues of women empowerment, livelihood generation, rural development and poverty alleviation. It will aim to bring together the 27 odd nations closer by addressing the social, economic and ecological concerns of the region, with a focus on problem identification as well as providing solutions through shared learnings and experiences.

Our request

With this objective in mind, we request you, as experts or as agencies working in related fields, to contribute articles, features, news items, etc. that would help organisations working in environment and development field learn from similar organisations in other countries and their experiences. Specifically, we look forward to contributions in the following areas:

CEE Australia seeks to promote 1. Articles on current issues in different countries of the region 2. News items in related areas from this region 3. Feature articles highlighting best practices in sustainable development 4. Information on organisations (particularly Non Governmental Organisations) working in related areas in different countries and their thrust areas and achievements 5. Courses being offered in different countries in the areas of environment and development, with full details 6. Reviews of books and films in related areas 7. Policies and laws that have been introduced by different countries to ensure equitable development and environment protection