Foundation for Environmental Education
Encyclopedia
The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is a non-governmental
, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development
through environmental education. FEE is active in five programmes; Blue Flag
, Eco-Schools
, Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE)
, Learning about Forests (LEAF)
and Green Key
.
When a national organisation is accepted as member of FEE it becomes “associate member of FEE”. Within 3–5 years of FEE membership, the organisation must become “full member of FEE” (which means that it has fully implemented at least two FEE programmes).
Besides the national associate/full FEE member organisations, international institutions/organisations or other national organisations can also become affiliate member of FEE and FEE does furthermore have some individual persons as honorary member of FEE.
The Blue Flag
Programme was originally a French idea launched in 1985 in France. In 1987, the idea of the award scheme was presented to FEE. This year was also the European Year for the Environment initiated by the European Union, so Blue Flag was launched on the European level (10 countries) in a partnership between FEE and the European Commission.
In 1987, there were only five national FEE member organisations (Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Denmark). After the launch of Blue Flag in other six European countries, FEE started to require organisations as members of FEE in order to run Blue Flag. In the late 1980s and in the beginning of 1990s, big constitutional changes were made for FEE.
In 1994, the Eco-Schools
and the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE)
Programmes were implemented as second and third programmes of FEE.
The Learning about Forests (LEAF)
programme started in 2000 and the Green Key
Programme in 2003. They were already nationally existing programmes before that but were implemented theese to years as FEE programmes with the use of external steering committees.
In the mid-1990s a co-operation with United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), was established and a manual for coastal zone management with the example of the Blue Flag was produced.
With a further support from UNEP, workshops were held in Caribbean, Africa and Asia. An interest grew rapidly in the Caribbean area and a very solid interest was shown from South Africa.
In 2003, FEE signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” (MoU) with UNEP which "formalises long-standing relationship between UNEP and FEE and provides a framework for long term co-operation on areas of common interest relating to education, training and public awareness for sustainable development globally". This MoU provides a solid basis for furthering the work already undertaken in collaboration between FEE and UNEP, in particular with regard to the introduction of FEE programmes and associated activities, particularly in developing countries and those with economies in transition.
Another MoU was signed in 2007 with the UN World Tourism Organization, where especially the tourism related programmes of FEE was recognised.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
through environmental education. FEE is active in five programmes; Blue Flag
Blue flag
Blue flag or Blue Flag may refer to:*Blue Flag, the flag of Chelsea F.C.*Blue Flag beach, a beach or marina that meets certain quality standards*Larger Blue Flag or Iris versicolor, a type of iris...
, Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international program of environmental and sustainable developmental education for schools. Foundation for Environmental Education is the founder of the programme and Eco-Schools is just one out of their five programmes....
, Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE)
Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE)
Young Reporters for the Environment is a programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education . An international network of youth in more than 25 countries, YRE promotes solutions to today’s environmental issues through investigative journalism....
, Learning about Forests (LEAF)
Learning about Forests (LEAF)
Learning about Forests is one of the five programmes run by the NGO Foundation for Environmental Education . 15 countries in the world runs the LEAF programme....
and Green Key
Green Key
The Green Key is an international eco-label tourism facility that aims to contribute to the prevention of climate change and to sustainable tourism by awards and promoting good initiatives...
.
Member organisations
FEE is an international umbrella organisation with one national member organisation per country representing FEE on the national level and in charge of implementing FEE programmes nationally. FEE has member organisations in 60 countries worldwide.When a national organisation is accepted as member of FEE it becomes “associate member of FEE”. Within 3–5 years of FEE membership, the organisation must become “full member of FEE” (which means that it has fully implemented at least two FEE programmes).
Besides the national associate/full FEE member organisations, international institutions/organisations or other national organisations can also become affiliate member of FEE and FEE does furthermore have some individual persons as honorary member of FEE.
History
The Foundation for Environmental Education first started with the name Foundation for Environmental Education Europe (FEEE) and was established in 1981. But because of a growing interest for FEEE from outside Europe the organisation decided to become more global and left out the last "E" (Europe) and became FEE; Foundation for Environmental Education, in 2000.The Blue Flag
Blue flag
Blue flag or Blue Flag may refer to:*Blue Flag, the flag of Chelsea F.C.*Blue Flag beach, a beach or marina that meets certain quality standards*Larger Blue Flag or Iris versicolor, a type of iris...
Programme was originally a French idea launched in 1985 in France. In 1987, the idea of the award scheme was presented to FEE. This year was also the European Year for the Environment initiated by the European Union, so Blue Flag was launched on the European level (10 countries) in a partnership between FEE and the European Commission.
In 1987, there were only five national FEE member organisations (Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Denmark). After the launch of Blue Flag in other six European countries, FEE started to require organisations as members of FEE in order to run Blue Flag. In the late 1980s and in the beginning of 1990s, big constitutional changes were made for FEE.
In 1994, the Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international program of environmental and sustainable developmental education for schools. Foundation for Environmental Education is the founder of the programme and Eco-Schools is just one out of their five programmes....
and the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE)
Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE)
Young Reporters for the Environment is a programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education . An international network of youth in more than 25 countries, YRE promotes solutions to today’s environmental issues through investigative journalism....
Programmes were implemented as second and third programmes of FEE.
The Learning about Forests (LEAF)
Learning about Forests (LEAF)
Learning about Forests is one of the five programmes run by the NGO Foundation for Environmental Education . 15 countries in the world runs the LEAF programme....
programme started in 2000 and the Green Key
Green Key
The Green Key is an international eco-label tourism facility that aims to contribute to the prevention of climate change and to sustainable tourism by awards and promoting good initiatives...
Programme in 2003. They were already nationally existing programmes before that but were implemented theese to years as FEE programmes with the use of external steering committees.
In the mid-1990s a co-operation with United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), was established and a manual for coastal zone management with the example of the Blue Flag was produced.
With a further support from UNEP, workshops were held in Caribbean, Africa and Asia. An interest grew rapidly in the Caribbean area and a very solid interest was shown from South Africa.
In 2003, FEE signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” (MoU) with UNEP which "formalises long-standing relationship between UNEP and FEE and provides a framework for long term co-operation on areas of common interest relating to education, training and public awareness for sustainable development globally". This MoU provides a solid basis for furthering the work already undertaken in collaboration between FEE and UNEP, in particular with regard to the introduction of FEE programmes and associated activities, particularly in developing countries and those with economies in transition.
Another MoU was signed in 2007 with the UN World Tourism Organization, where especially the tourism related programmes of FEE was recognised.