ISET is an
international, non-profit institute with members and advisors in both the North
and the South. Individuals and organizations involved in ISET all share a
commitment to environmentally sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
Within this commitment, ISET's mission is twofold:
First, we seek to improve understanding and elevate the level of dialogue as civil society attempts to respond to natural resource and environmental challenges in a rapidly changing global context.
Second, we seek to serve as a framework for equal collaboration between individuals and organizations in the North and South on programs that address the first mission.
To achieve these objectives we intend to:
Identify, demonstrate and support the implementation of practical, innovative solutions to basic environmental and humanitarian needs;
Disseminate information on basic resource, environmental and humanitarian topics;
Educate upcoming generations and evolving community, policy and private sector audiences;
Function as a highly professional, non-partisan forum where the open exchange of views and ideas is welcomed;
Serve as a framework enabling evolution of new strategies in response to rapidly changing local and global conditions while learning from the results of current and past initiatives;
Undertake evidence-based advocacy in local, national and global forums to support widespread implementation of strategies that are shown to be effective.
Think
strategically, act accordingly:
Environment and development challenges are attributes of interlinked natural,
technical and social systems. Solutions depend on the interaction between
systems and often require action at multiple levels (from local to global) and
through multiple avenues of intervention (technical, institutional and educational). They also depend on the integration of technical and social
approaches. We believe that analysis of an issue must identify points of
leverage at whatever level and through whatever discipline that particular issue
necessitates.
Partnership: Insights into effective approaches to environment and development challenges are generated in all parts of the world through research, traditional knowledge, private initiatives and a multitude of other sources. Equal collaboration between individuals from low income and high income regions on projects is a key source of access to these insights. Through equal partnership we seek to harvest and apply insights from diverse sources.
Participation: We believe in working with people, helping them to develop capacity and find solutions in the process. Furthermore, the most effective decision-makers are increasingly located in local communities, private sector organizations (global corporations to local companies), and quasi-governmental organizations (municipal corporations, large cooperatives, etc.). Official decision-makers often have relatively little effective power, particularly at local levels where implementation actually occurs. Approaches that recognize this locus of control and regard local people as full partners are essential.
Communication: Results and insights must be communicated as broadly as possible to be effective. Traditional mechanisms -- policy papers and publications -- are often ineffective. Other mechanisms are needed to reach community, student, local government and business audiences. Electronic media, such as radio, television, and even the Internet, are no longer high cost and are increasingly available in local languages in isolated areas.
Capacity Development: Sustainable solutions to social and environmental challenges depend on the evolution of local capacity to respond flexibly as new issues arise. Similarly, within the Institute, the ability to identify innovative approaches to challenges depends on continuous enhancement of member and affiliate capacity. The Institute is designed to meet both needs.
Commitment: Sustainability requires commitment by members, affiliates, local counterparts and the societies and communities facing the challenges of change. The combination of local and international members enables a much higher level of sustained commitment to ISET activities than often occurs in international projects.