About Us
We work for an environment-friendly and poverty-free society with equity and justice
The Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) is a non-partisan, voluntary organization that is organized, operated, and guided by a group of sociocultural and professional activists. We work with around 50,000 people all over Bangladesh through our partners and the members of the Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED). As the focal point of the South Asia Just Transition Alliance (SAJTA), we work in the South Asia sub-region.
Representational Photo
OUR VISION & MISSION
To establish an environment-friendly and poverty-free secular society with equity and justice in Bangladesh. Towards the vision, our mission is to enable communities to achieve their rights over nature and natural resources for a healthy environment and sustainable socio-economic development.
To achieve the mission, we focus on five interconnected Thematic Pillars from Climate Justice to Energy Transition to Food Security to Financial Accountability. To achieve our objectives, we work with farmers, women producers, fishermen, forest peoples, indigenous communities, and other marginal producers to protect common natural resources and the atmosphere from powerful groups.
We ground our Thematic Pillars and strategies at the community level to make sure our efforts are translated to the local communities and tailored to local realities. We involve students, academicians, researchers, social leaders, media, local government, and policymakers to create an enabling environment for people and the ecology.
GOVERNANCE
CLEAN is governed by a 15-member Board of Trustees from different sectors of society. The trustees oversee all our policies, strategies, and action plans. For day-to-day management, the Board of Trustees elects a five-member Executive Committee for two years of tenure to assess our progress and approve our fundraising and grantmaking decisions. The Committee also appoints the Advisers and Chief Executive of the organization. We hold the Board meetings annually and Committee meetings quarterly. The Advisers are a group of leaders who provide advice to our management and act as our ambassadors to facilitate the organization’s collaboration with wider communities.
WHERE WE WORK
We are one of the major organizations in Bangladesh working in the sectors of Energy and Power, Climate Justice, and Forest Biodiversity. Besides our working areas, we work in partnership with local, national, and international organizations, networks, alliances, and forums to amplify people’s voices for rights, justice, and equality.
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As the secretariat of the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED), we work in the districts of Bagerhat, Barguna, Barishal, Bhola, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Jamalpur, Khulna, Mymensingh, Narayanganj, Netrokona, Noakhali, Panchagarh, Patuakhali, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Satkhira, Sunamganj and Sylhet.
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We are also responsible for operating the secretariat of the South Asia Just Transition Alliance (SAJTA). Through SAJTA, we work with the grassroots campaign and research organizations of India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Representational Photo: CLEAN
OUR APPROACH
We emphasize narrative building, knowledge management, policy advocacy, popular mobilization, networking, campaigns, and capacity building to achieve our development goals. We monitor large infrastructures and development projects financed under external debt, especially those financed by the Multilateral Development Banks (MDB), to ensure a just and equitable transition towards green development.