From Environmental Activism to Sustainable States
Maximizing the potential of civil society in the Middle East
Many governments in the Middle East strain to respond to environmental issues. As populations grow and economic crises spread, access to clean water and clean air is an increasingly difficult challenge for many. Citizens have come together and formed local civil society groups to address some of these challenges. These groups often have a far more nuanced understanding of the social, political, and environmental contexts in which they are operating than international development actors. They also have a front-row view of how environmental issues affect states and societies.
CSIS is seeking to understand the diverse efforts of civil society groups working on environmental issues, exploring their successes and failures and the applicability of the lessons they have learned to other settings. Our analysis will take a region-wide, multi-sector approach to help international stakeholders refine their approaches to groups working on environmental issues, and toward civil society groups more broadly.
This project is part of the Middle East Transformation Initiative, which is supported by Bahaa Rafic Hariri.
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Entrepreneurs Can Help the Middle East Adapt to Climate Change
Commentary by Will Todman and Jamil Wyne — January 3, 2024
The Barriers to MENA Civil Society’s Influence at COP28
Blog Post by Neeshad Shafi and Will Todman — December 5, 2023
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Blog Post by Will Todman — November 8, 2023
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Blog Post by Will Todman — September 20, 2023
Roundtable Summary: Civil Society and Environmental Action in the Gulf
Blog Post by Will Todman — September 20, 2023
Scaling Out: Lebanon’s Civil Society Joins Forces to Tackle the Waste Crisis
Commentary by Martin Pimentel — September 15, 2023
Environmental Civil Society in the Middle East
Commentary by Will Todman — June 9, 2023
Can Artists Shape Environmental Policy in the Middle East?
Blog Post by Will Todman — May 11, 2023
Bolstering Climate Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region
Commentary by Will Todman and Jamil Wyne — May 5, 2023
Libya’s Civil Society Crackdown Exacerbates Its Climate Woes
Commentary by Lubna Yousef and Will Todman — May 2, 2023