The transformation of environmental activism: Activists, organizations and policy‐making1

Abstract

The increasing institutionalization of environmental movement organizations (EMOs) across Europe has given them improved political access and increased resources but it has created new problems for EMOs and their interlocutors alike. As constructive contacts have developed with more powerful actors, official and corporate, so relations between EMOs and activists have become increasingly problematic. Frustration at the increased moderation and caution of established EMOs contributes to organizational and tactical innovation among activists. This and the anxiety of EMOs to respond to the popularity of the radical direct action of environmental activists such as anti‐roads protesters has in turn made problematic the reliability of EMOs in the eyes of those responsible for the formulation and implementation of policy. This article outlines the rationale for the major EC‐funded cross‐national study of the transformation of environmental activism (TEA) which commenced in March 1998.