Legambiente (League for the Environment) is the most widespread environmental organization in Italy, with 20 Regional branches and more than 115,000 members. It is acknowledged as “association of environmental interest” by the Ministry of the Environment; it represents the UNEP National Committee for Italy, it is one of the leading member of EEB (“European Environmental Bureau”) the Federation of European environmental organization, and of IUCN - the World Conservation Union. The headquarters is in Rome, with a staff made up of fifty professionals and experts on different fields of activity.

The processes of globalization  which we have been confronted with in the past years have led  to the inevitable consequence that an association as is Legambiente, traditionally involved in campaigns, in fighting and taking action with regard to issues on  Italian territory, had to draw attention to and towards a more global and international dimension.

The issues  developed from  Seattle,  examined in the Forum of Porto Alegre, Genoa and Florence have in fact represented a turning point  from which those associations whose ambitions are creating a better world for everyone, must confront themselves with.  Unless, that is, they accept being relegated to offering shire witness.

Legambiente therefore participates actively to the movement that involves  many hundreds of NGOs around the world, having different priorities but following pacific, non violent and democratic methods.  Associations which operate in the fields of international cooperation, of environmental protection, of the valorization of citizen’s rights, of the full recognition of  the dignity of labor, that promote alternative and fairer economic models, forms of multiethnic coexistence and intercultural exchange, of peace commitment and  fight against injustices. Thus Legambiente had decided to enforce and invest on the international field, and has decided in the past year on creating  an International Department, to which all initiatives and sectors until then involved have flown:  ranging from international cooperation, participation to the anti-global movement, international voluntary service, to the creation of a network of relations to other international realities.

 

DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

Legambiente is active in the field of International Co-operation to Development, implementing development and socio-environmental projects, aimed at facilitating measures in the Third World and in Eastern Europe that safeguard ecosystems, offer experiences of concrete and sustainable development, and highlight the value of local human resources. Furthermore, the International Co-operation office of Legambiente promotes and supports initiatives of solidarity and linked to “emergency” situations.

Legambiente’s initiatives in the field of co-operation to development started in 1994 with the project “Ecoscambio”, implemented in Brazil, and have been growing quickly. We have built contacts, links and alliances, and we are carrying out projects to support local processes of eco-development. Such activities, realized in conjunction with other associations, non-governmental organizations, local entities, universities and research institutes and in collaboration with other branches of Legambiente (such as the network “Legambiente Solidarity”, the National Civil Protection, the regional and local branches of the association, etc.), are presently being carried out in the following areas: The Balkans, Latin America and Africa.