On October 17, 2025, around twenty Executive Directors from REH member NGOs gathered to make key decisions and reaffirm their commitment to a just and effective ecological transition within the international aid sector.
✅ Update on the progress of the ecological transition within the aid sector, and particularly within REH
👉 A tightening geopolitical context 👉 increasing humanitarian needs 👉 loss of access to certain areas 👉 the rise of far-right and authoritarian movements 👉 a drastic reduction in aid funding 👉 the loss of environmental focal points in some organizations… The indicators are in the red. Yet, despite these challenges, environmental issues continue to gain traction within organizations and among donors❗Numerous initiatives and activities demonstrate genuine progress toward integrating ecological transition into the aid sector -even if much remains to be done.
✅ Clarification of the targets of the Humanitarian Organizations’ Climate Commitment Declaration
In December 2020, 10 NGOs signed the Declaration of Commitment of Humanitarian Organizations on Climate, later joined by 5 new signatories – a strong signal of mobilization and evidence of real political engagement within the NGO community.
Today, some updates have become necessary.
▶️ See the position paper of the signatories on this matter.
These discussions particularly highlighted emerging challenges related to climate and environmental justice. The exchanges were rich and thought-provoking, focusing on how best to address these issues and reaffirm the sector’s ambition in the face of ecological backlash and growing attacks on international aid.
With this amendment, the signatory organizations remain ambitious and are directing their efforts where they can be most impactful and just. More information coming soon…
✅ Future of REH
The discussions also addressed the future of REH – its activities, governance, and economic model. Despite the sector’s difficulties, the Executive Directors emphasized the relevance of REH and reaffirmed their support for a network grounded in peer learning, mutual support, and solidarity among organizations.