PEACE Clubs

A new environmental initiative called PEACE (Partnership between Europe and Asia for Cleaner Environment) was established recently under the chairmanship of Dr Madhav Mehra, President WEF. This was a joint initiative between World Environment Foundation and Institute of Directors. Mr Pradeep Chaturvedi, a noted environmentalist and a UN specialist on energy was appointed the Chief Coordinator of PEACE. The initiative has been supported by several NGOs and industry organisations both in Europe and Asia.

Setting up of the PEACE follows one of the major recommendations of the Second Round Table on Cleaner Environment held in New Delhi in June 1999. This Round Table established the need for a forum to encourage regular dialogue between European and Asian stakeholders to disseminate information and benefits of environment friendly products, processes, practices, equipment and technology.

The objectives of PEACE include institutionalising dialogue between European and Asian stakeholders on environment friendly action and socially sustainable issues between the two regions and involve European organisations to help increase environment management capacity in Asia by facilitating market based approaches to environment protection, develop, promote and support Asia-Europe Environmental R & D networks, formalisation of policies, regulatory frameworks, management instruments and financing mechanisms.

The initiative is designed to foster creation of self sustainable environmental clubs called PEACE clubs across Asia that could act as focal points on exchange of information on environment best practices, inform public, private sector and civil society in Asia about the benefits of environmentally friendly trade, investment, action and behaviour
The next meeting of this initiative will be held on 1st June 2000 a day prior to the second World Congress on Environment Management.

"Peace Clubs will be promoted in every part o f India. It is time that all stakeholders - the government, industry, NGOs and civil society joined hands to find synergistic solutions to environmental problems" says Dr Madhav Mehra.