Environmental non-governmental organisations play a vital role in protecting biodiversity, monitoring the environment, raising public awareness and safeguarding our natural heritage. In many parts of the country, particularly at local and regional level, it is often these organisations that identify environmental threats, monitor ecological degradation and promote concrete nature conservation measures.
However, the reality in which these organisations operate remains characterised by enormous structural difficulties.
Milvoz believes that there is a growing imbalance between the responsibilities implicitly placed on environmental organisations and the resources actually available to fulfil that mission. Against a backdrop of scarce funding, a lack of ongoing support and excessive reliance on voluntary work, many environmental NGOs face serious difficulties in ensuring the continuity of their work.
At the same time, there is often a tendency for the public administration to shirk its responsibilities in areas that should constitute core functions of the State, namely ecological monitoring, environmental enforcement, habitat conservation and the monitoring of threats to biodiversity.
In many cases, it is local associations – lacking adequate technical or financial resources – that end up taking on the tasks of reporting infringements, conducting inventories, raising awareness and defending the territory, tasks which should instead be addressed through a more robust and structured public response. This situation is particularly worrying at a time when ecosystems are facing ever-increasing pressures: the intensification of agriculture and forestry, the urbanisation of the landscape, habitat destruction, invasive species and climate change.
Despite these difficulties, countless organisations continue, on a daily basis, to carry out work of great ecological and civic value, sustained almost exclusively by the dedication of their members and volunteers. This effort deserves public recognition, but it also requires minimum conditions for sustainability.
Nature conservation cannot depend solely on the perseverance and personal commitment of citizens and organisations. It requires political commitment, public investment and a genuine appreciation of the role played by civil society organisations in conserving our natural heritage.
Protecting nature is a collective responsibility. Without adequate resources, we risk losing not only biodiversity, but also civil society’s ability to defend it.
