Themes:

water, land and capital

Ecosystems:

• humid forests
• dry ecosystems (deserts, savannas, dry forests)
• mountain ecosystems
• river basins and wetlands
• agro-ecosystems

Additional Information:

Both ENDS is a play on words, with ‘ENDS’ standing for Environment aNd Development Service and the name ‘Both ENDS’ describing what we do: making connections between nature and people, the global and the local, between environmental protection and development cooperation and advocacy and alternatives. We aim to strengthen civil society organisations (mostly in developing countries) working on environmental and poverty-related issues.

Why?

There is growing global awareness that we can no longer continue to abuse natural resources such as water and land and that such degradation is inherently related to issues of poverty and powerlessness. When ecosystems are degraded it is poor people who suffer the most, who are further marginalised and see their lives and livelihoods become less sustainable. Many civil society organisations – CSOs- (e.g. trade unions, women’s organisations and farmers’ associations) in developing countries are coming up with alternative and sustainable solutions to address the effects of climate change, land degradation or ecosystem damage. These locally developed ideas can have a global impact. There is a need for the insights and experiences of these organisations to be fed into the system of global governance, which is heavily expert-driven and not always aware of grassroots responses to global problems. Both ENDS champions CSOs in developing countries to provide such creative inputs.

How?

Many things can be done to strengthen civil society organisations. Both ENDS is involved in directly and indirectly strengthening CSOs

• Direct strengthening involves providing services such as assistance in finding the information they need and help with fundraising. It also involves developing strategic networks and starting joint initiatives based on shared agendas and the needs of partner CSOs;

• Indirect strengthening involves introducing the insights, experiences and practical responses of CSOs into discussions over policy and strategic implementation at different levels: in the Netherlands, Europe and internationally.

Our focus

Both ENDS has three thematic programmes focused around water, land and capital. Many poor communities are reliant on natural resources which can be prone to degradation or expropriation by others. Often their only income comes from the land they work on, the forests they live in or the waters they use for fishing and drinking. Access to, and control over, land and water determine their quality of life. The usage of water and land is heavily influenced by capital flows, for example from investment in large infrastructure projects, such as dams, and by financial policies related to agriculture, trade and debt.