II. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
[ II-A | II-B | II-C
| II-D | II-E | II-F
| II-G | II-H ]
F. Non-governmental organizations concerned with environmental issues and management
SPACHEE provides a central point for expert knowledge on environmental issues. It has worked to raise government and popular awareness of environmental issues. Nevertheless, it sometimes is regarded as limiting its audience to the like-minded academics, while lacking in grassroots local membership. SPACHEE nonetheless is the only active organization and has a very wide resource base of expertise.
The Fiji Council of Social Services is a community-oriented social awareness organization. It has initiated environmental programmes that are educational and participatory at the local community level.
A number of international and regional NGOs, including the Worldwide Fund for Nature, Greenpeace, and the Pacific Resource Centre, have their regional offices in Suva. The presence of those NGOs has contributed tothe environmental consciousness of the community.
The National Trust for Fiji was set up in 1970. Although it is a statutory body it possesses attributes associated with an NGO. According to the National State of the Environment Report, the Trust seems to be well placed to becomean effective catalyst for environmental awareness in environmental, physical, cultural and heritage conservation. Unfortunately, the Trust has consistently failed to attract significant government support. As a result of the general failure on the part of the Trust, other agencies and departments have moved into areas of environmental protection and national and heritage conservation which formerly were designated for the Trust.
|
