Origins

LIRE was set-up by the Conservation Foundation (Prof. David Bellamy and David Shreeve) in 1993 together with John Massey Stewart. Their purpose: to initiate, encourage, facilitate and co-ordinate a Western response to the problems of the former Soviet Union environment (now EECCA - Eastern Europe, Caucasus & Central Asia) and to this end work with governments, national and international organisations, the scientific community and civil society. 

In 1994, Struan Simpson (St James’s Research) joined up with the Foundation and John Massey Stewart to co-direct LIRE's programme development.

LIRE’s present and future plans, in association with St James’s Research, are to broaden its environmental and human rights remit into safety and health policy (viz. Amsterdam Convention) and to strengthen partnerships between civil society organisations, scientific communities and private sector SMEs.