30 new initiatives to be planned with the general public and the media to raise awareness on environmental issues
Recently, the Global Environment Centre (GEC) celebrated its 20th anniversary. For those of us who don’t know about GEC, well, it is a
Malaysian based non-for-profit organisation that works on environmental issues of global importance. Isn’t that awesome!
Since its establishment in 1998 in Malaysia, the GEC works locally, regionally and internationally both directly and through many partners including government agencies, international organisations, private sector, civil society organisations and local communities.
GEC supports information exchange and capacity building as well as undertakes strategic projects in developing countries. It works in partnership with other like-minded agencies worldwide.
“For the past two decades, we have been investing in empowering and enriching communities and stakeholders on forest and peatland conservation and best management practices, stimulating positive changes for a cleaner rivers and enhanced water resource management and spearheading working groups to transform practices for the oil palm
industry. We will continue to advocate protection, rehabilitation and sustainable use of forests, wetlands and water resources with community involvement for the betterment of our environment”, said Zainudin Ismail, Chairman of GEC, who is also former chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Bar Council.
“Twenty years marks a significant milestone for GEC. We began as a small NGO working solely with local communities and local government, and have since grown to a global NGO working with partners from around the world addressing crucial benefits of environmental protection and sustainability. During this 20 year period, we have supported protection and rehabilitation of one of the largest peat swamp forests in Peninsular Malaysia and helped in the 90% reduction in forest fires incidents and haze in Selangor,
rehabilitated more than 100 hectares of degraded mangrove areas with a total of 250,000 mangrove trees planted at Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam in Selangor, Kuala Gula and Lekir Sitiawan in Perak and at Pulau Tanjung Surat in Johor involving more than 24,000 volunteers”, said the Founder and Director of GEC, Faizal Parish.
“We are the pioneer and leading NGO on community-based river care in Malaysia. With the “River Care We Care approach” we established the National River Care Fund which has provided a total of RM250,000 in grants and training benefiting more than 40 groups comprising community groups, education institutions and interest groups in river care activities. We are also the founding collaborative partner of ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative & ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy which provides a road map for the management of the 23 million hectare of peatlands in ASEAN and we continue to provide technical and operational support to all ASEAN Member States,” Faizal added.
Faizal also thanked many key government agencies and the corporate sector including the ASEAN Secretariat, Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Federal Territories, Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia, Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia, Selangor State Government, State Forestry Departments, Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS), Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad, SPARK Foundation, Vale Malaysia Minerals Sdn Bhd, Yayasan Hasanah, Yayasan Sime Darby, and also fellow NGOs, CBOs, local communities, friends of rivers, mangrove, peatland and individuals who have helped GEC to achieve the success that it has today.
To celebrate 20 years of partnership for the environment, GEC will be organising more than 30 events including knowledge – sharing workshops for stakeholders and local communities, media visits and a series of environment events and awareness raising activities for more than 30,000 volunteers and public to participate.
Members of media will have the opportunity to participate in a media platform and visits that will be organised in 2019 to raise awareness and deepen the understanding of the media on the importance of protecting the environment and sustainable development.
GEC has successfully undertaken more than 150 projects in more than 15 countries, covering environmental issues of global importance with a strong focus on river basin, wetlands, forest and biodiversity as well as climate change. Since its establishment, GEC has come long way to become a prominent NGO with internationally recognized
expertise in safeguarding and protecting the environment in Malaysia, ASEAN and globally.
We take pride in what we have achieved in 20 years and want to showcase this to the world.
For more information about GEC’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, please visit www.gec.org.my or contact Outreach and Partnership Programme at 03-7957 2007 or email at [email protected].
