The Greens Movement of Georgia / Friends of the Earth - Georgia (GMG/FoE-G) is an organisation aiming to protect the environment, human and ethno-cultural surroundings according to the principles of sustainable development; to end the technocratic and utilitarian treatment attitude towards nature; to establish ecologically safe technologies; to build solidarity and peace between people, and in particular to build an ecologically and socially sustainable society. The goal is to build an ecologically and socially sustainable society and to take actions in specific actions.
The Greens Movement of Georgia is democratic non-profit grassroots organisation that deals with a broad range of environmental issues. The organisation implements its mission through campaigns and practical activities, public information and involvement, policy making and lobbying.
Established in 1988, the Greens Movement of Georgia is one of the largest and oldest environmental organisations in Georgia. It has 46 local groups throughout the country and more than 2000 members. In 1991 The Greens Movement of Georgia became a core member of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) www.foe.org, largest world-wide democratic environmental organisation with daughter organisations in 50 countries. FoE Georgia actively participates in FoEI programs on international and regional levels.
Other membership:
The Project Implementing Body
- The Greens Movement of Georgia in 2010 became a member of the Climate Action Network (CAN) http://climatenetwork.org.
- The Greens Movement of Georgia / Friends of the Earth - Georgia (GMG/FoE-G) is member of INFORSE-Europe , the International Network for Sustainable Energy, www.inforse.org/europe.
- The Greens Movement of Georgia / Friends of the Earth - Georgia (GMG/FoE-G) is a member of European Eco-Forum, www.eco-forum.org.
- The Greens Movement of Georgia / Friends of the Earth - Georgia (GMG/FoE-G) is a member of European NGO Networks on genetic Engineering, http://genet-info.org/
- The Greens Movement of Georgia is a member of the Women in Europe for Common Future, www.wecf.eu
Focus Areas and Campaigns:
- Climate change issues related to mitigation and adaptation, including advocacy of climate change policy in Georgia;
- Water resources protection and introduction of Integrated Water Resource Management, water supply and sanitation;
- Conservation of biodiversity and protection of eco-systems, combating deforestation, forest protection, combating for regulation of genetically modified organisms;
- Air protection and support to improvement of transport infrastructure in human settlements;
- Combating with land degradation;
- Lobbying and advocacy of legal instrument referring to principals of sustainable development at local and state level;
- Introduction of Agenda 21 provisions;
- Introduction of sustainable agriculture;
- Promotion of renewable energy; energy-saving and energy-efficiency technologies;
- Support to environment and health process;
- Education for sustainable development;
- Protection of Black Sea and costal zones;
- Promotion of cleaner production and clean technologies;
- Introduction of avoidance and reduction methods and recycling in waste management;
- Protection of mountain regions of the Caucasus;
- Support to introduction and lobbying principals of “green economy;”
- Promotion of public monitoring of environment;
- Support to cooperation and coordination among non-governmental environmental organisations and other stakeholders for improvement of environment protection and sustainable development;
- Advocacy of human rights and ensuring public participation into decision-making process, etc.
Recent Important Activities:
Activities of the organisation include different campaigns to raise public awareness and prevent of genetically engineered seeds import, timber-export ban campaign, protection of biodiversity on the Black Sea coastal zone, elaboration of the strategies aiming at the reduction of water resources deterioration due to urban, toxic and agricultural wastes. Campaign and different activities against radiation pollution and its impact on public health, pilot projects to improve warmth and help save energy in poor households, schools and kindergarten, promote renewable and efficient energy projects, to support local communities/rural population to access safe water and sanitation, health protection.
In recent years, considerable efforts (2009-2010) of the Greens Movement of Georgia are aiming at climate change issues, especially at supporting to advocacy and lobbying of climate change mitigation and adaptation policy development in Georgia.
For example: on initiative and patronage of the Greens Movement of Georgia and the “Business and Economic Centre” in the Parliament of Georgia the series of meetings “Climate Change – Challenges for Georgia” will be organised. The first meeting took place on March 12, 2010. The meeting was attended by the representatives of international financial institutions (WB, EBRD, KFW), business sector, governmental and non-governmental organisation. Among representatives from the Georgian government were: the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Khachidze, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Government of Georgia Giorgi Khuroshvili, Deputy Chairman of the Parliament – Mr. Giorgi Tsereteli, First Deputy Chairman of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee – Mr. Zaal Gamtsemlidze. The aim of the first meeting was reviewing of the results of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 15), discussion of need for mitigation and adaptation measures at the national level among presented at the meeting sectors of the society. The Greens Movement of Georgia during the meeting had lobby allocation of funds for elaboration of the Climate Change policy in Georgia.
The Greens Movement of Georgia are also actively, together with other non-governmental organisations, such as Green Alternative, involved in campaign against negative environmental/social impact that can be caused by implementation of the Tbilisi By-pass Railroad project supported by EBRD. Campaign includes workshops, press-conferences and advocacy to environmental/social protection under the project.
Worth to be mentioned that the Greens Movement of Georgia are strongly promoting and supporting in all its projects establishment of partnership relations and unity of different non-governmental organization and other stakeholders.
Organization Structure of the GMG/FoE-G:
- Congress, main decision making body, consists of all members of the organisation, 2000 members;
- Chamber (“Darbazi”): deliberative body, consists of 7 members;
- Governing Board, decision making body, governed by 2 co-chairmen, elected by the Congress, 7 members;
Executive Secretariat managed by appointed by the Governing Board Executive Director, responsible for day-to-day management of the organization. |
