2016 “Social and Environmental Justice” Twinner

Balkan Kids Foundation, Bulgaria

The BalkanKids Foundation from Varna, Bulgaria was founded in 2004. Their work is focused on young people from disadvantaged economic backgrounds, orphanages and those trying to overcome addictions. The foundation’s aim is the prevention of risky behaviour in youth by developing programs for inclusion and social leadership. They manage foster homes, day care centres and other social institutions. The organisation teaches through non-formal educational methods, for instance, by incorporating sports and music. BalkanKids also work on promoting of civic activity and intercultural tolerance through various campaigns, events and media.

Exchange Topic: Sexual education and technology addiction prevention for marginalized youth

The exchange between these organisations focuses on sexual education and technology addiction prevention as well as education on non-violent behaviour for marginalized youth. They aim at improving young adult’s holistic well-being.

Instituto Internacional de Derecho y Medio Ambiente (IIDMA), Spain

The Instituto Internacional de Derecho y Medio Ambiente (IIDMA) is a non-profit organization registered in Spain and established in December of 1996. It was accredited to the Governing Council of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) in 1998 and, in 2001, was declared a public utility by the Spanish Ministry of Home Affairs. IIDMA’s mission consists of contributing to the protection of the environment and promoting sustainable development through the study, development and effective implementation of the law, emphasizing implementation, compliance and enforcement. In doing so, the main challenge lies in making international and national institutions, as well as citizens, aware of the importance of legal instruments in transforming environmental policies into actions.

Exchange Topic: Environmental Public Litigation System (EPIL System)

2015 a law was passed in China that allows Environmental NGOs and pollution victims to sue polluters, CLAPV and AJE are planning the establishment of an online platform and the continuous sharing of information on environmental public interest litigation cases to improve professional capacities in environmental law litigation worldwide.

Collaboration Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, Germany

The Collaboration Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) was founded in 2005. CSCP is a well-established organization that focuses on supporting companies and institutions on national as well as international projects in developing strategies on sustainability and their implementation. To that end CSCP cooperates with national and international government bodies, thereby having accumulated vast knowledge and experiences in bringing sustainable development into the fields of politics, societies and economy.

Exchange Topic: Sharing economy and exchange on co-housing

Both organizations strive for establishing sharing economies by utilizing and monetizing idle resources, for instance, car sharing, space sharing, co-housing and thereby reducing the environmental footprint and enhancing social justice.

Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt und Energie, Germany

The Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt und Energie designs transitions towards sustainable development. It aims at generating practical and actor-oriented solutions for environmental issues on local as well as global level and is organized in four research groups: Future Energy and Mobility Structures; Energy, Transport and Climate Policy; Material Flows and Resource Management; Sustainable Production and Consumption. Clients of the Wuppertal Institute come from governments, the business and industry sector as well as civil society.

Exchange Topic: Circular economy, establishing a global sustainable clothing network, improving clothing lifecycle

The principle topic of these organisations exchange will be circular economy and the establishment of a global sustainable clothing network. During the exchange the twinners plan on raising awareness of sustainable clothes management, introducing fibre sorting and scalable downstream recycling solutions in China as well as  establishing a “Collaborative Consumption” project.

Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V., Germany

The Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. (DUH), founded 1975, is an independent non-profit association which focuses on protecting nature, environment and consumer rights. Activities of the DUH include coordination, public relations and campaigning as well as consultancy of policy makers on national and European level. Since 2009, DUH´s traffic department has been coordinating the Pan-European Campaign “Soot Free for the Climate” consisting of 13 European NGOs and since 2012 it is part of the EU Life Project “Clean Air” where it is working on legal opportunities to fight for the right of clean air.

Exchange Topic: Environmental legal aids, environmental litigation

The DUH and CBCGDF plan a comparative study on environmental interest litigation and /or environmental legal aids. They want to establish a knowledge transfer network to share their first-hand experiences, successes, and strategies to meet challenges in reducing air pollution

Bund Heimat und Umwelt (BHU), Germany

Founded in 1904 the main focus of Bund Heimat und Umwelt (BHU) is the conservation of cultural landscapes, nature, historical monuments and sites for the protection of regional languages and traditional customs. The organisation also works on involving the local population in securing a basis for a habitable environment and to reinforce regional identities. BHU is the umbrella organization of the local history and citizen societies in the Federal Republic of Germany and has broad experiences in international collaboration with sister organizations all over Europe

Exchange Topic: Preservation of rural landscapes and old architecture, social innovation

For BHU and the Friends of the Old Village, the rural areas in the corresponding countries are important fields of work and fundamentally shape their activities. Therefore their exchange will focus on the handling of historical and/or listed buildings and new constructions in rural areas.

Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken, Belgium

Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken is a NGO working in Flanders and Brussel. Its thematic focus is on sustainable consumption. The organisation has established a network of more than 40 environmental and social justice groups, has a staff of five people and is being supported by volunteers. Their goal is to raise awareness of the growing consumption patterns. To achieve this, Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken organises campaigns, workshops and experiments, they also inform on sustainable consumption by sharing, swapping and repairing goods.

Exchange Topic: Improve sustainability of goods and green swap spaces in communities

Network Bequest Verbruiken and Green Woodpecker Association will exchange on the building of green swap spaces in communities and share best practises on promoting sustainable consumption by sharing, swapping and repairing.