South Asian Forum for Environment [SAFE] was started to achieve sustainable environment development goals for poverty alleviation through empowerment, equity and reciprocity in the milieu of climate change in Indian ecoregion. It envisages global reciprocal partnership and participatory policy frame for ‘Biorights’ of commons to promote wise use of natural resources through community governance and inclusive growth for sustainable development. SAFE aims to address environmental issues especially with reference to water energy and food security through community based conservation initiatives for which it conducts action research at science-society interface for SDGs assuring alternative livelihood through risk spreading and coverage. It also aims to inculcate awareness and community preparedness for disaster mitigation and adaptive strategies for resilience to climate change among all stakeholders and as well to impart environmental education enhance capacity building for innovation and green technology cooperation in rural sector and encourage environmental stewardship for health & sanitation for the poor.
Our Vision: SAFE envisages global reciprocal partnership and participatory policy frame for commons to promote sustainable environment development and wise use of natural resources.Mission statement: SAFE works to achieve environmental conservation objectives with poverty alleviation through adaptive change management towards inclusive growth, empowerment, equity & reciprocity in the Indian ecoregion.
SAFE objectives:
- To address environmental conservation issues especially with reference to lakes, wetlands, floodplains, mangroves and tropical rainforests.
- To conduct research at science-society interface for sustainable development and poverty alleviation by assuring alternative livelihood through risk spreading and coverage.
- To inculcate awareness and community preparedness for disaster mitigation and adaptive strategies for resilience to climate change amongst all stakeholders.
- To impart environmental education through publications and review of environmental laws, policy, planning and negotiations.
- To enhance capacity building for innovation and green technology transfer in rural sector and encourage environmental stewardship for health & sanitation.
- To incorporate strategic communication framework using digital technologies including alternative media as means of facilitating climate change risk adaptations.
A long journey and consistent struggle to put the environmental conservation with poverty alleviation paradigm into practice has brought SAFE to a platform, where it is UNU, ECOSOC, UNFCCC, GEF and UNEP, MoEF have accredited SAFE for its conservation efforts, the admirable feat came about in three years, after the success of ‘Biorights’, strengthening the belief that environmental conservation with poverty alleviation can be achieved steadily if not easily.
Our current focus adopts a community based strategic approach for natural resource management that is congruent to sustainable socio economy creating a win-win situation for the society and global environment.
SAFE after receiving Earth Care Award in year 2011, received UNFCCC Momentum for Change, Lighthouse Activity Award in year 2014, and received UN award for Best Practice in ‘Water and Sanitation’, in year 2015.