AFTER years of competing for funds and the public's attention, the four main green groups are taking tentative steps towards joining forces, at least on major issues.
The Green Groups United Front - comprising the Conservancy Association, Friends of the Earth, Green Power and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) - will be launched this week in honour of Earth Day on Thursday.
The move marks a crossroads both in terms of the Government's environment policy and the local green movement.
The Government's policy review, due to end in June, is expected to yield new conservation initiatives, which until a couple of years ago were considered fringe.
After years of lobbying on these issues, the groups are on the verge of seeing their efforts bear fruit. This success, however, poses the question of what direction they should take next.
Excluding the WWF, which has overseas support, the other groups were, until recently, tangled up with financial and leadership difficulties.