DOS SFOP0009324: 2023Enabling Civil Society Efforts to Combat Climate Change and Protect the Environment

D.Diaz (Animal&Biomedical Sciences-Res)

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor(DRL) announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications for projects that address the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on democracy and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

DRL seeks regional projects in the Middle East and North Africa that articulate the linkages between human rights and good governance with climate and the environment, and that prepare citizens to play a key role in mitigating the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. Responsive projects should be designed to achieve outcomes that may include:

• Civil society organizations (CSOs) and natural resource defenders (NRDs) meaningfully and safely contribute to national, regional, and global environmental policy development and reforms.
• Reform efforts that address environment and the challenges of climate change insecurity and include efforts to address governance, corruption, post-conflict recovery, and a just and equitable transition to a clean economy.
• Ensure the public has access to transparent and credible information on climate issues, including by supporting responsible media reporting, the role of independent media in climate coverage, and access to public records on environmental degradation and climate change.
• NRDs and CSOs are better able to safely coordinate and cooperate in their local, national, and regional-level advocacy for preserving natural resources and tackling climate change.