The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) is an umbrella organization for

environmental non-governmental organizations A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...

(ENGOs) located across Canada. This

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

was mainly funded by Environment Canada and helped to facilitate networking and communication between

environmental organizations An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movements that seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces. In this sense the environme ...

, and coordinate ENGO participation in consultations with government. A portion of the funding flowed through to affiliated provincial environmental networks before it was cancelled in 2011. The RCEN also works to educate the public on major issues and policy-making in regards to the environment. The RCEN is independent and

non-partisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...

, which means it does not take positions on environmental issues, although its members do. It was established in 1977 by six environmental organizations, and today connects more than 700 ENGOs through its eleven regional networks. The

Manitoba Eco-Network The Manitoba Eco-Network is an environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO) and registered charity located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is a regional affiliate of the Canadian Environmental Network, based in Ottawa, Ontario. The Manito ...

is an example of one of the provincial umbrella groups in the network that have members from only that

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

Organization

The RCEN facilitates and promotes sharing of knowledge, resources and collaborative efforts to influence domestic and international practices, policies, laws and agreements affecting the environment. An annual general meeting is held each year to elect a governing board of directors and national council which represent the network's diverse membership. A Conference on the Environment is also organized to allow staff, members from all the regional networks and the public to meet, plan and discuss environmental issues. This increases public participation in the democratic process and to helps Canadian citizens communicate more effectively with the federal government. Several national

caucus A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures. The term originated in the United States, where it can refer to a meeting ...

groups allow individual members to work collaboratively on issues. These caucuses also choose delegates to participate in government consultations through a transparent democratic selection process.

Goals

The organization's principal mandate is to ''Protect the Earth and Promote Ecologically Sound Ways of Life'' by helping its member groups preserve and protect the natural beauty, diversity,

habitats In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

landscapes A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the p ...

regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

forests A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

, ecological integrity, quality of

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

, quality of air and

health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

of all species and their interdependent relationships.

References

External links

RCEN website
{{Authority control Environmental organizations based in Ontario Non-profit organizations based in Ottawa