ANPED

ANPED - Northern Allliance for Sustainability

ANPED is a democratic alliance and network of over 100 local and national NGOs, national NGO networks, and other environment and development groups in the Northern hemisphere. ANPED works to empower Northern Civil Society in creating and protecting sustainable communities and societies world-wide. The alliance was set up in 1991 before the UN Earth Summit in recognition of the fact that northern NGOs have special responsibilities with regard to the impact of the richer northern nations on the poorer south. This relates especially to issues of sustainable consumption and production. Since 1992 ANPED has developed a second major role: it offers a way for NGOs in the eastern and western parts of the northern hemisphere to work together. A majority of members are now from nations in Eastern Europe and from nations that were formerly part of the USSR. As well as linking Europe and North America ANPED also has strong links with southern NGO networks. ANPED Thinks and Acts... ANPED unites over 100 groups of which 25 are national or regional networks, bringing the number of NGOs linked to the Alliance to approximately 2500. ANPED is unique among NGO networks in that it is open to any NGO working on issues related to sustainable development. ANPED receives funding from the European Union and other donors. It has a permanent Secretariat based in Amsterdam.
 * Globally, in co-operation with partners to ensure its goals are rooted firmly in the global need for sustainable development.
 * Locally, through members ANPED co-operates with local communities to ensure that their needs and concerns are taken into account and to ensure that they are able to take action.

Working Groups
ANPED runs several issue-related working groups which enable members to co-operate. The current (March 2005) working groups are: ANPED is engaged in a range of political processes including the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), the OECD, UNEP, European Union and ‘Environment for Europe (EfE) and endeavours to build the capacity of individual NGOs to have a voice in these processes.
 * Agriculture and Biodiversity
 * Health and Environment
 * Human Rights and Sustainable Development
 * Local Action for Sustainable Development
 * Nuclear Issues
 * Sustainable Production and Consumption
 * Water, Pollution and Health.

Joining ANPED
ANPED members benefit from the working groups and other activities, and receive invitations for the Annual General Meeting and other skill-shares organised by ANPED. They are also subscribed to the ANPED Members list-server and ANPED’s Northern Lights newsletter. Non-Governmental Organisations from North America, Western and Southern, Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia (the region formerly known as the NIS) and Japan can apply for membership. All applications have to be approved by the existing members at the ANPED Annual General Meeting. For more information please contact the ANPED International Secretariat www.anped.org