Esteemed Colleagues,

On behalf of the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE), I would like to share with you some of our significant activities in 2008 and our vision for collaborating in 2009 to further advance the role of environmental compliance and enforcement as a cornerstone of sustainable development.

For each of INECE’s activities in 2008 – from its 8th International Conference in Cape Town to the kick-off meeting of the Seaport Environmental Security Network, we sought to move the network “from concepts to action.” This theme was particularly important in our work to respond to climate change.  As the world's policy makers develop the next series of climate commitments at the international level, there must be a renewed focus on mechanisms and strategies to facilitate high levels of compliance, including adopting lessons from successful multilateral environmental agreements such as the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. At the national level, local officials must be authorized and encouraged to enforce and otherwise ensure compliance with existing environmental laws with climate co-benefits, particularly laws with "fast-action" mitigation potential.

I hope that you will use the links below to access new tools, publications, and knowledge communities that can help support your important work and I encourage you to contact the Secretariat at inece@inece.org with suggestions on how you would like to participate in INECE’s activities in 2009. 

Cross-cutting Activities

• 8th International Conference on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement. During INECE’s 8th International Conference on 5-11 April 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa, 177 leading experts from 45 countries and 101 organizations, representing all regions of the world, gathered to promote practical, action-oriented results and share successful strategies from around the world.
  
  Through the Cape Town Statement on Successful Strategies for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement, participants affirmed that compliance with and enforcement of environmental law create value by enhancing competitiveness, providing a level playing field, and driving innovation.

• Conference Proceedings. The Proceedings give an overview of the breadth of issues discussed at the Conference, present summaries of plenary sessions and workshop discussions, and include 47 papers on environmental compliance theory and practice that support the main Conference themes of strategic program management; detecting non-compliance; transboundary compliance and enforcement; biodiversity, ecosystems, and enforcement; climate change and compliance; and creating a culture of compliance.  

• Climate Compliance: Strengthening Compliance with and Enforcement of International and National Measures. From an expert panel and workshops at the 8th INECE Conference to side events at the UN Climate Conference in Poznan, INECE raised awareness of the role of compliance as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and warming aerosols such as black carbon, and to enhance sinks by protecting our forests.
  
  INECE emphasized compliance with laws controlling black carbon, evaluated mechanisms to assure compliance with demand-side policies to control illegal logging such as the new U.S. Lacey Act timber amendments, announced new plans to collaborate with military organizations worldwide to collect and ultimately destroy unwanted ozone-depleting substances which are potent greenhouse gases, and demonstrated how improving compliance with certain fast-action strategies can help promote near-term climate mitigation.

Join the Climate Compliance Expert Working Group by emailing inece@inece.org.

Topical and Regional Networks for Enforcement Cooperation

• Seaport Environmental Security Network. INECE’s Seaport Environmental Security Network, launched INECE’s 8th Conference, works to build capacity of developed and developing countries to deter and detect illegal movements of hazardous waste through seaports. An international group of environmental and customs inspection and enforcement experts convened in October to assess priority areas for enforcement collaboration and training and, based on the interests and needs of participants, the Seaport Environmental Security Network is planning a "tools and techniques" working meeting in 2009.

Join the Seaport Environmental Security Network by emailing inece@inece.org.

• International Network for Environmental Compliance Training Professionals. Formally launched at INECE’s 8th Conference, the International Network for Environmental Compliance Training Professionals is a practitioner knowledge community that shares information and best practices, supports trainer education and exchanges, and promotes the importance of effective environmental compliance training. A new compliance training resource library is available through the web site.

Join the International Network for Environmental Compliance Training Professionals by emailing inece@inece.org.

• Regional Enforcement Networking in Sub-Saharan Africa. During the Regional Conference for Sub-Saharan Africa, which took place immediately prior to the 8th International Conference, over 85 participants from Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda engaged in discussions on advancing the implementation of environmental compliance and enforcement in the region. Participants identified the formation of regional networks in sub-Saharan Africa as a critical tool for enabling enforcement cooperation. INECE is providing support for the emerging networks.
  
  
• Regional Networking Activities. INECE supported activities in and cooperated with regional compliance and enforcement networks in Asia; Australasia; Central America; North America; Western Europe; the Central European candidate, pre-candidate, and accession countries; the Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia region, the Maghreb region, and the Arab region.

Strengthening Capacity for Compliance and Enforcement Throughout the Regulatory Cycle

Raising Awareness of the Importance of Compliance & Enforcement

I would like to conclude by thanking each of you for your contributions to INECE projects during 2008. INECE’s accomplishments have been possible only because of the active involvement and support of our participants, and I look forward to working with current colleagues and new partners in the future. 

I would like to offer special recognition to INECE’s Executive Planning Committee – an unparalleled group of environmental advocates whose vision and dedication have guided the Network’s program of work and achievements.

On behalf of the Executive Planning Committee, I would like to extend our appreciation to our funders, especially the Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and to the other generous sponsors of the 8th International Conference -- the United Nations Environment Programme, the European Commission, the British High Commission, Environment Agency of England and Wales, Environment Canada, International Fund for Animal Welfare, South Africa Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Finland’s Ministry of the Environment, Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network for Accession, Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network, the Danish Agency for International Development, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Natural Resources Defense Council, the United States Embassy, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the City of Cape Town, South Africa National Parks, Table Mountain National Park, and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

I look forward to the busy year ahead, in which each of us will commit to new cooperative activities through INECE and the regional enforcement networks to move our agencies, organizations, and communities from “concepts to action” to achieve sustainable development objectives.

Best regards,

Durwood Zaelke
Director, INECE Secretariat