Strengthening Lobbying and Campaign capacity

The development of an overarching strategy is dependent on the scale of resources and how quickly we can build an effective network and provide the information the network needs to be effective.

Over a 12 month period strategy will be developed iteratively and be refined based on progress at WILD 10 and each of a proposed two further regional workshops.

If it proves possible to complete an independent review of the operations of the Committee in good time before the next WH Committee meeting, campaign and lobbying options will increase significantly.

Holding an ENGO forum before each World Heritage meeting in the same city as the Committee meeting is a useful vehicle for building consensus on action needed over identified threats and priority issues.

A first and remarkably successful forum was organized by Greenpeace Russia at the WHC meeting in St. Petersburgh in 2012. It was well attended by Russian ENGO’s but also included modest representation from Africa, Australia and South East Asia. The Chair of the World Heritage Committee and many members of the advisory bodies also attended. It is clear that if these forums are a regular feature associated with WHC meetings and representation and outputs are able to be strengthened, they will be taken seriously by WH Committee members.