The Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus) is an independent, not-for-profit, non-advocacy foundation registered in spring of 2000, following the decision made at the Sofia Ministerial Conference in 1995, to work for environment and sustainable development in the Caucasus region. The centre fulfils this mission by promoting cooperation among non-governmental organisations, governments, businesses and other environmental stakeholders, and by supporting the free exchange of information and public participation in environmental decision making.