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Description
The Estonian Green Movement, established in 1988, works to support climate change adaptation that includes the preservation and restoration of our remaining ecological environment. Estonia Green Movement aksi works to reinforce societal transformation towards a fair and sustainable economic model to ensure a liveable environment for future generations. The ACF’s support will enable Estonian Green Movement to expand their advocacy work on corporate accountability, initiate cooperation between research institutions, affected communities and environmental organisations to assess the ecological impacts of mining; and enhance their financial resilience. The organizational grant is used in line with Estonian Green Movement’s strategy for years 2022-2023.
Summary of project results
The goal of the project was to enhance the capabilities of the Estonian Green Movement, both as an organization and in relation to several specific issues aligned with its objectives.
Among other things, the aim was to transition to a collaborative, knowledge-driven organizational model, implement changes in the organization''s structure and management practices, share responsibility, streamline processes, and generally support the development of the organization toward greater sustainability.
In terms of content, the focus was to significantly increase the attention given to corporate responsibility in the green transition, particularly through the EU Directive on corporate due diligence, strengthening climate networks, and building foundational capacity in the areas of phosphorite and mining.
The project focused on several key activities. ERL engaged in advocacy and policy work by providing feedback on the EU corporate sustainability due diligence directive to both Estonian and Brussels officials and coordinated a joint citizen''s petition supporting a strong directive, with various Estonian organizations joining the effort.
The project also saw a significant media presence, with articles published on topics such as balancing profit and the environment, ethical choices regarding chocolate, the impact of economic growth on health, and EU corporate environmental impact. Additionally, ERL hosted events, including their anniversary conference on greenwashing and a film discussion evening on "Duty of Care." They also continued to network with other environmental organizations in Estonia and Europe and were actively involved in the development of Estonia''s climate law.
ERL contributed to the creation of Estonia''s climate law, participating in joint citizen petitions and providing expert input in various working groups. In addition, they engaged with the Estonian Geological Service regarding phosphorite mining and ecological impact assessments, as well as participated in European networks focused on resource justice and environmental restoration of mining areas.
As a member of the CEE Bankwatch Network, ERL worked in four key areas: biodiversity, fossil gas, just transition, and renewable energy transition and shared reports to raise awareness and advocate for better environmental policies in these fields. ERL also launched a project addressing climate anxiety among youth, receiving Erasmus+ funding and collaborating with mental health experts.
Internally, ERL worked to enhance organizational capacity by transitioning to a knowledge-driven model, focusing on shared responsibilities, improved communication, and reducing burnout risks. They conducted internal workshops and restructured the organization based on these principles to foster better decision-making. Additionally, the organization worked to maintain financial stability through project-based funding, while exploring opportunities to increase income from training, seminars, and workshops. Efforts were also made to improve internal work distribution to better align with team capabilities.
Finally, ERL continued its work on diversity and inclusion, working towards achieving a diversity certification through the Estonian Human Rights Center''s program, with plans to revisit this goal in 2024. These activities collectively strengthened ERL’s role in environmental advocacy, climate policy development, and organizational growth.
With ACF support, ERL took a significant step towards transitioning to a knowledge-driven organizational model by introducing changes in the organizational structure and management practices. These changes involved sharing responsibility, streamlining processes, and supporting the overall development of the organization towards sustainability.
In terms of content, the ACF support allowed the focus to shift towards a much greater emphasis on corporate responsibility in the green transition, particularly through the EU''s Corporate Due Diligence Directive, strengthening the climate network, and building capacity in the phosphorite and mining sectors. One of the most significant outcomes in 2023 was the analysis commissioned from SEI Tallinn on the "Concept of Planetary Boundaries," which will support ERL''s future work related to global justice, energy sufficiency, and the need to reduce consumption.
Subjectively, the ACF operational support has been immensely helpful on multiple levels in ERL''s daily work and progress towards larger goals, with notable advancements in nearly all areas. Over the past two years, the ERL team has grown (not directly because of the ACF support, but indirectly—the support allowed the organization to seek partners and write funding applications that are likely to bring benefits for years to come). The organization has been able to focus on several sub-themes in its advocacy work, building expertise in those areas. The entire team remains very positively inclined toward the transformation into a knowledge-driven organization, and this process is expected to continue for some time, offering further learning and development opportunities.