Working teams were established in the three countries under the supervision of Alexander Juras, the Project Supervisor; Gene Gibson and Alexander Chvorostov, the Project Coordinators; and Irene Khalyi and Alexander Stegniy, the Project Administrators. Juras, Gibson and Chvorostov were based at REC-Budapest and Khalyi and Stegniy were based in Russia and Ukraine respectively. The topics for the substudy reports and the names of the in-country experts who prepared the reports are indicated below. Annex A provides the contact points for these organizations and individuals.
The Project Coordinators prepared the TOR for the substudy reports. An Advisory Group, composed of government and NGO representatives from the CIS target countries and western countries, met in Budapest in April 1995 prior to the commencement of field work to review and comment on the TOR.
In August 1995, the Advisory Group met again to review and comment on the draft analytical report. The names and addresses of the people who participated in the Advisory Group are listed in Annex B. The Project Coordinators and the in-country experts met with over 200 people. Annex C provides a partial list of the people consulted regarding this feasibility study. REC-Budapest greatly appreciates the time and constructive input provided by the Advisory Group and the people in the target countries.
The data collected in the three countries shows many common needs. Consequently, we expect to find similar needs in the other countries of the CIS. The services which could be delivered to address these needs would stress regional cooperation and thus be applicable in the various countries of the CIS. We recognize that some services would require modification to reflect particular circumstances in different countries.
REC-Budapest's five-year record of supporting public participation demonstrates the viability of REC-Budapest's framework for delivering services. The main features of REC-Budapest are:
REC-Budapest's services have a strong focus on supporting environmental NGOs. Such support serves as a spur to the democratization process by facilitating public participation in environmental fact-finding and decision-making. Cooperation among different sectors is seen as a precondition for effective environmental protection. REC-Budapest provides a range of services including:
The services seek to build capacity among environmental leaders and lay a foundation for partnerships among environmental stakeholders by facilitating contacts based on common environmental concerns. Such contacts can lead to mutual trust and respect. The services are geared towards understanding and accepting principles for broad-based environmentally sustainable development, rather than costly environmental remediation and short-term results.
This analytical report provides suggestions, based on the needs analysis, for a framework structure, services and scenarios for implementing a not-for-profit, non-advocacy, independent organization.
The difficulties in fostering regional cooperation within the CIS should not be underestimated. Based on previous experiences with "Soviet cooperation," where national interests were often under-represented, many countries of the former Soviet Union have a great deal of anxiety about regional cooperation. Moreover, regional cooperation has different connotations in different countries. For instance, some sectors of Moldovan society look toward the CEE as the region with which to cooperate - not the CIS. In Russia, given the country's immense size, regional cooperation could entail cooperation within the country.
The trend towards decentralization of government authority from the national to regional and local levels must be recognized. Such shifts of authority, at first blush, appear to work against regional cooperation among countries, with the traditional view being that international cooperation had to be coordinated by central governments. Nevertheless, aspects of decentralization, if properly harnessed, can facilitate cooperation among countries and produce positive, demonstrable results at the grass roots level.
A new organization could provide services to a wide range of diverse constituents, including NGOs, central governments, regional and local authorities, and the business community. Of the potential constituents, the NGO community will receive the primary attention through a grants program. However, the other services would be offered to all constituents.
CHAPTER ONE, INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER TWO, NEEDS OF NGO COMMUNITIES:
Based on the "Needs and Perspectives of Environmental Non-governmental Organizations" substudy reports, this chapter identifies the needs of the NGO community.
CHAPTER THREE, GOVERNMENT NEEDS ANALYSIS:
Drawing on the "Central Government Needs Analysis," and the "Regional and Local Authorities Needs Analysis," substudy reports, this chapter identifies the wide-ranging needs of the different levels of government.
CHAPTER FOUR, A NEW ORGANIZATION:
In light of the clearly identified needs of potential constituents, this chapter examines the different types of organizations which could implement the recommendations of the feasibility study. The advantages and disadvantages of possible models are reviewed. This analysis leads to the conclusion that a new international organization should be established. This organization would consist of a network of national offices, coordinated by a head office which acts as a coordination and information center and has financial authority. This chapter concludes with the recommendation that the new organization should operate in Ukraine, Russia and Moldova.
CHAPTER FIVE, SERVICES A NREC COULD DELIVER:
This chapter discusses the possible services that a new organization could deliver, which include: information exchange, training and capacity building, and grants programs for NGOs with a limited access for local authorities. This chapter relies on the material in the "Main Environmental Organizations" substudy reports when suggesting organizations with which a NREC could work and identifies how the information in this substudy report would prove useful for the proposed services.
CHAPTER SIX, GOVERNANCE AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK:
The material in "Legal and Financial Environment for Not-for-profit Organizations" and "The Experiences of Establishing the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe" reports proved useful in preparing this chapter.
CHAPTER SEVEN, IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND BUDGET:
The implementation should last five-and-a-half years. The first services will be offered in the second year, and full services by the third year. Expansion to the other countries of the CIS would be contingent on demand and funding. Funding has to be secured for this entire period, including contributions from the countries involved. To establish and operate the organization in Moldova, Ukraine and Russia requires a total of approximately $10,500,000 for the duration of the project. Geographical expansion and program extension will increase the budget accordingly. In addition, the implementation costs should be considered.
ANNEXES:
The report has five annexes, specifically: members of NREC Feasibility Study Team, the names of the people who participated in the Advisory Group and consulted regarding the feasibility study, NGO survey data, legal and government outlines, and a key to abbreviations.