https://www.nhc.

nl/catalysts-of-change-call-for-proposals-ro-bg-hr-si-pt/

Catalysts of Change: Call for Proposals (RO,

BG, HR, SI, PT)

Current situation which drives us to apply for this call

Romania is privileged to be home to an important part of Europe's natural heritage - the last and
largest intact areas of forest wilderness and primary and old-growth forests in the temperate
climate zone of the European Union. Unfortunately, over the last 30 years, these natural
treasures have continued to fall prey every day to systematic nature destruction and
degradation. So far, authorities have not managed to slow down this phenomenon by taking
coherent legislative decisions and ensuring effective enforcement that could provide these
forests with real protection.

We have revealed that the systemic corruption in Romanian institutions is a key cause for
most, if not all of the environment infringements such as: illegal logging, construction
permits issued for protected areas, construction permits for residential areas or
economic agents which are breaking the environmental legislation, and other violations
of environmental laws.

The current state of environmental diplomacy in Romania is marked by the efforts of a few
organizations, with Agent Green and their collaborators: Ecocivica 1, Conservation Carpathia
being some of the most active and engaged.

1 Agent Green and Ecocivica are the main two most involved and mature NGOs protecting the environment in
Romania. Their main activity and focus throughout the last more than 10 years has been to defend forests, protected
areas, habitats and species, as well as urban and periurban green spaces and natural and cultural heritage across
Romania.
With over 100 active lawsuits (Agent Green) and 40 active lawsuits (Ecocivica), we have gathered significant
experience and expertise in defending the environment (forests, rivers, pastures, Natura2000 areas, national
protected areas, green urban space, periurban forests) before Romanian courts of law and in Romania’s legal civic
space. In addition, we have systematically documented issues and initiated legal actions which prompted the
European Commission to open infringement procedures against Romania, and we have continued to assist the
Commission throughout these processes.
At the legislative level, for instance, when new proposals are open for public consultation, the
various stakeholders involved often submit overlapping responses. Unfortunately, these
responses are frequently dismissed by the authorities under the pretext that they were already
addressed for a different NGO.

The coalition of NGOs we aim to bring together in this project is currently fragmented, with
collaborations happening on a project-by-project basis around specific or general environmental
protection issues. These include the declaration and protection of virgin forests, the Natura 2000
network and National Parks, as well as forest and urban green space conservation and
promoting sustainable forestry practices. Agent Green often plays a leading role in providing
legislative feedback and advocating for best practice implementation, such as reforms to the
Forestry Code, the designation of strict protection for 10% of Romania’s forests, and laws
protecting bears.

The other NGOs and informal community groups are forming alliances and developing diverse
strategies to confront the oligarchic power of corrupt authorities. These authorities often obscure
environmental information and restrict public participation in decision-making processes related
to the environment. Every case we've highlighted reflects a common narrative: administrative
documents issued illegally, environmental violations ignored despite existing legal protections,
and delays in granting protected status to areas at risk.
The scope of the Catalyst of Change current project
The goal of the proposed project within the framework of Catalyst of Change is to establish an
informal but well-organized network of NGOs from both Romania and the EU. This network
would work to identify, structure, and document the systemic issues undermining environmental
protection initiatives and escalate these concerns to a higher level—beyond the national
administration, which has proven to be heavily entrenched in corruption.

To achieve this, we propose three key strategic directions:

1. Application of the Aarhus Convention in Romania: Ensuring that international

standards for environmental protection and public participation, as outlined by these
conventions, are implemented effectively. This could involve lobbying for compliance
and transparency, as well as documenting instances of non-compliance to pressure
authorities into action.
2. Respect and Implementation of EU Environmental Directives: This focus would
target the proper application of EU environmental laws, particularly in relation to the
misuse of EU funds for harmful projects approved by Romanian authorities. A structured
campaign could highlight violations, including cases where projects receive EU funding
despite their negative environmental impact, urging for stricter oversight by the EU. We
also envisage having an active and constructive role in the proposals for the Nature
Restoration Plans and increase of the Protected surface in Romania.
3. Systemic Corruption Linked to EU Fund Accessibility: Investigating and exposing
the network of high-level public officials involved in approving environmentally damaging,
EU-funded projects. This direction would aim to uncover how EU directives are
deliberately misapplied or implemented inadequately, allowing these officials to maintain
their influence over the allocation of funds. A key outcome could be the development of
recommendations for improving transparency and accountability within these processes.

Additionally, or in parallel with these main directions, we would look into these ones also:

● Foster partnerships with international watchdog organizations that focus on

corruption and environmental compliance, to amplify pressure on both national and EU-
level authorities.
● Develop a public-facing platform / creating a more directly involved forum or
reporting mechanism to increase transparency and allow citizens and organizations to
contribute real-time data or reports of violations, and also maybe more concrete
resolutions.
● Initiate legal action where appropriate, such as filing complaints with the European
Commission or taking cases to the European Court of Justice when clear violations of
EU environmental directives or funding misuse are identified.

The 3 workshops we intend to organize under the scope of this project would target the 3 core
locations of Environment Justice in Europe: Aarhus with the Aarhus commission and
Special Raporteur, Bruxelles with DG Environment, Luxembourg with EPPO.
These would imply:
● Reports preparation from our side
● Travel and workshops with case studies and list of actions - with European
representatives who would be opened for this kind of advocacy meetings.
For the Future - Impact foreseen

The vision behind this initiative is to overcome the significant barriers faced by Romania's civic
environmental movement, which is stifled by a corrupt and untruthful administration at this
moment. This administration claims to adhere to conventions and EU directives, but in reality,
obscures information, intimidates citizens, and blocks meaningful civic participation. To counter
this, we propose the creation of an independent entity, like a Civic Embassy for Romania’s
Environment, that would function autonomously from Romania’s corrupt authorities.

This Civic Embassy could begin as a pilot project, starting with a coalition of NGOs focused on
exposing and addressing systemic environmental issues. Its mission would be to elevate these
issues to the international stage, engaging with influential bodies in the European environmental
and climate change context.

The ultimate long term and after project goal is to amplify the voice of this small coalition and
inspire the formation of a resilient, self-organizing, and ever-expanding network of NGOs and
communities.

What we envisage as long term vision and after project successful is a structure for ensuring
independence from corrupt authorities with any and all of the following:

1. International Oversight and Partnerships: Establish strong alliances with reputable

international organizations and EU institutions, ensuring transparency and
accountability. Regular reports on environmental issues in Romania could be submitted
to EU agencies, the European Commission, and other international environmental
bodies. This would provide a safeguard against interference from national authorities.
2. Independent Funding Sources: The Civic Embassy should secure funding from
diverse, reliable sources—such as EU grants, international foundations, or crowdfunding
platforms—to avoid reliance on Romanian state-controlled resources that may be tied to
corruption.
3. Legal Advocacy and International Legal Action: The Embassy could also act as a
hub for legal advocacy, working with European courts, filing complaints with EU bodies,
and pursuing legal actions against violations of environmental law, bypassing Romania's
national judiciary, which may be compromised.
4. International Media and Awareness Campaigns: Engaging with international media
outlets to expose systemic corruption and environmental degradation could pressure
both Romanian authorities and EU actors to take action. A coordinated effort with media
partners can ensure that the environmental narrative is controlled by the Civic Embassy,
rather than state entities.

Through these strategies, the Ro Environment Civic Embassy could function independently,
championing the cause of environmental protection free from the influence of corrupt Romanian
authorities, and fostering a long-term, visionary approach to combating climate change.