The Influence of Chinese Grassroots Environmental NGOs on Government Decision-Making: Based on Social Internet of Things in Two Ant-Dam Movements

Abstract

Whether Chinese grassroots environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) have played a significant role in Chinese environmental decision-making remains a subject of debate. Like companies, ENGOs seek ways to apply social internet of things to deliver quality services in increasingly complex environments, enhance capabilities, engage partners, and thereby influence governments. This research reanalyzes two ant-dam movements in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces to assess which strategies ENGOs deploy, how they exert their influence, and to what extent they have influenced Chinese environmental decision-making. We identify three strategies adopted in the two cases. The first is a bottom-up (public) strategy that involves mobilizing the media and celebrities to exert public opinion pressure on the Chinese government. The second is a top-down (international) strategy that involves gaining the sympathy and support of the international community to exert international pressure on the government. The third is a flank-attack (political) strategy that involves winning over deputies of the Chinese NPC and CPPCC and members of Chinese democratic parties to exert political pressure on the government. However, all of the pressure exerted only catalyzes and accelerates the process of Chinese environmental decision-making: Its influence is secondary and represents an external cause. The will and determination of the central and local governments are the leading factor and represent the internal determinant of environmental decision-making.