Environmental networks and the role of NGOs in the establishment of carbon sequestration projects: the case of Bananal Brazil

Abstract

The new demand for institutions to cope with both broadening and deepening interdependencies in the environmental global context has created the need for co-operation and co-ordination between individuals and social groups at the international level. In this context, local environmental needs are not easily incorporated into the global agenda, largely dominated by global organizations highly influenced by the governments of developed countries and large international NGOs. The domination of the international environmental agenda by strong global actors obviously limits the ability of poor countries and local communities to properly address their specific needs.This paper assesses the role played by NGOs in environmental networks in the context of the implementation of a carbon reduction project in Bananal, Brazil. The analysis shows that NGOs can either help or hinder the incorporation of global and local issues into the environmental agenda. In particular, the case study analyzed here suggests that the nature of the links between participants in an environmental network is the main factor determining the benefits obtained by each member. The case of Bananal shows how by studying the nature of the links, it is possible to determine the distribution of power and the degree of dependence of each participant as well as his or her influence on the decision-making power of other network members.