Role Of Environmental NGOs Research Articles

The Role of Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) in Deforestation Issues in Endau-Rompin, 1970-2000

Tropical Rainforests in Peninsular Malaysia have a very important role in social, economic, and ecological development locally and transnationally. During the British colonial period, the forests in Peninsular Malaysia were heavily exploited until the idea of conservation came into existence to avoid the depletion of forest resources in the future. The colonial government subsequently established the Forestry Department by designating certain areas as forest reserves. However, after Independence, these forest areas continued to remain under threat to the extent that it has resulted in a decline in forest cover in addition to damage, fragmentation, and degradation of forests in favour of government policies that prioritized economic development. The rush for economic growth has created a conflict between forest stakeholders, particularly the state government and environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs). The objective of this paper is to present the role of ENGOs related to issues in deforestation and forest protection efforts within Endau-Rompin between 1970 where the EndauRompin controversy began until the establishment of Endau-Rompin State Park (Pahang) in 2000. This study used a qualitative approach, that is primary sources such as Parliamentary Hansard and newspapers, and secondary sources such as books and journal articles. In addition, field research was carried out through the observation of forest-related activities organized by several ENGOs. The findings of the study showed that one of the most critical roles of ENGOs in dealing with the issue of deforestation is to prevent activities that damage the forest, especially legal activities that involve decisions made by the state government. The involvement and role of ENGOs can only delay or prolong the process of losing forest cover. This happens because the state government has authority over the land (forest) matters according to the Federal Constitution which cannot be disputed from a legal point of view. The efforts to save the forest can only depend on the political will on whether the state government wants to address or ignore the concerns voiced by ENGOs in issues related to deforestation.

Strategic transparency under authoritarian environmentalism: information disclosure and the role of environmental NGOs in China’s national emission trading scheme

ABSTRACT Transparency in carbon markets is considered critical to ensure market effectiveness and public accountability. Low levels of transparency and lack of participation of non-governmental actors are persistent criticisms of Chinese (pilot) emission trading systems. Building on debates around authoritarian environmentalism and China's role therein, this article analyses transparency, manifested as information disclosure, in China's national carbon emission trading scheme (C-ETS) – the largest carbon emission market worldwide. Using expert interviews and content analysis, the article outlines practices of C-ETS information disclosure and discusses its characteristics in the context of China’s environmental governance. Key findings include discrepancies both between central and provincial governments related to information disclosure, and between different provincial governments. And while most industry actors lack interest and capacity to engage in C-ETS disclosure, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), by contrast, are significantly more involved in the policy process and information disclosure, often as ‘eco-elites’. Overall, this reveals that international and domestic ENGOs retain high-level channels to influence policy design and implementation. Yet, ENGO input is not pursued as a public good valuable for its own sake, but sought strategically as a means to the larger goal of efficient market functioning. This type of ‘strategic transparency,’ as we call it, suggests that China’s environmental governance model – regularly considered to be a key example of authoritarian environmentalism – instead represents an evolving mixture of liberal and illiberal tactics.

Can you hear the Eco? From SME environmental responsibility to social requirements in the supply chain

Recent years have seen an increasing interest on the separate areas of corporate environmental responsibility (CER) in small-and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) in SMEs, and collaboration with environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) on sustainable activities. However, very few studies have both investigated (i) how SME environmental activities can be translated into social requirements in the supply chain through responsible purchasing, and (ii) how the cooperation with ENGOs impacts this relationship. Within a framework that incorporates dynamic capability, legitimacy, and relational view theories, this study tests the proposed moderated mediation model using data from 146 thousand small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Results indicate that CER significantly and positively influences social requirements in SME supply chains. Moreover, findings also show that CER is positively associated with social requirements in SME supply chains through responsible purchasing. Results further reveal that the effects of CER and the use of responsible purchasing to implement social requirements in SMEs’ supply chains vary depending on the cooperation with ENGOs. Overall, this study contributes to the theory of sustainable supply chain management, and offers unique insights into the role of environmental NGOs in the move from CER to social requirements in SME supply chains.

Mimicking Environmental Transparency: The Implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Romania

This chapter investigates the implementation status of the Aarhus Convention in Romania by a) examining if the provisions of the national legislation are in line with the requirements of the Convention; and b) empirically analyzing how implementation is either hindered or helped by the existing legal and administrative culture and practices surrounding access to information, participation, and access to justice in environmental matters. The main conclusion of the authors is that by examining the legal provisions in place, the reader will likely get only half the story – despite the fact that Romania seems very progressive in terms of its legislation in this field, numerous challenges occur during implementation. Public authorities view participation as a hassle, something they need to comply with by doing the minimum required by law and not being proactive. Citizens’ demand for transparency and openness in government is weak, as they lack trust in state institutions, including courts, and harbor the belief that they cannot change the course of governmental affairs. Courts, in their turn, aggravate this situation by means of lengthy court proceedings and lack of a proper remedy system. In order to enhance implementation the authors argue that the role of environmental NGOs is critical – they need to continue to be involved in identifying deficiencies in the application of the Convention, coupled with more severe sanctions for the institutions that do not comply.

Transnational Actors in Environmental Politics: Strategies and influence in long negotiations

For scholars of global environmental politics transnational actors are a central focus and many ascribe them with significant influence. However, it is not always clear how their influence is felt or what strategies are most effective. Most studies that do consider these issues focus either on the role of environmental NGOs or business groups on one international outcome. Very few studies analyse these actors together, limiting how far conclusions can be generalised, and remarkably almost none of this work has considered the influence of these actors and the strategies they could employ in prolonged environmental negotiations that last many years or decades. Drawing on a rich empirical data set from the international climate negotiations, this article does both. It considers how the influence of transnational environmental NGOs and business groups are felt in long negotiations and identifies three strategies that these actors can use not only to influence state behaviour, but each other as well.

Environment NGO Activity in the World Political Arena

The globalization of ecological and environmental problems in contemporary world politics defines a significant role of such issues in the agenda of both state and non-state international actors. Traditional diplomacy needs the assistance of NGOs related to environment and creating new mechanisms which could be able to respond to rapid ecological changes. The new role of environmental NGOs in world politics is clearly evident in rule- and standard-making as well as global governance issues.

Impacts of Forest Fires on Environment: Role of Environmental Ngos in Satara District

Forest fire is a common phenomenon in the world and forest fire is as old as the forest itself. Forest fires destroyed considerable forest resources and its biodiversity. It is degrading environment and affects on flora and fauna. Forest fires cause soil erosion, floods, natural vegetation, loss of animals and birds. Forest fire is one of the major environmental issues facing today, due to the carbon being released in the atmosphere, and it is commonly called ‘Green House Effect’. The GOs and NGOs conduct various activities for the protection of environment and sustainable development for the survival of society. The NGOs play a vital role in maintaining the balance of nature. When the government cannot solve these problems, the non-governmental organizations have entered in the field of environmental protection and conservation.

Organising consumer involvement in the greening of global food flows: the role of environmental NGOs in the case of marine fish

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impacts of global food provision, but especially in the case of marine fish, their unease is complex, locally specific and still evolving. Responding to these apprehensions solely by promoting short local supply chains is restricted to niche markets and leaves other opportunities for increasing sustainability untouched. Additional, complementary strategies for the greening of food supply chains are examined. To analyse the interaction between local and global dynamics, the sociology of networks and flows is applied to the case of marine fish production and consumption in order to identify innovative governance arrangements that make global supply chains more sustainable. Certifying fisheries and the use of fish wallet cards by consumers are examples of new governance arrangements that connect sustainability concerns of consumers with production decisions made by distant actors. To improve the effectiveness of these arrangements, new roles are proposed for environmental NGOs as representatives of local actors and as managers of trust in certifying institutions.

Limiting environmentally harmful economic activities: the role of environmental NGOs and activist groups

Limiting environmentally harmful economic activities: the role of environmental NGOs and activist groups

Participatory Experiments from the Bottom up - The role of environmental NGOs and citizen groups

Participatory Experiments from the Bottom up - The role of environmental NGOs and citizen groups

FOREST PRODUCT PROCUREMENT: THE INFLUENCE OF EUROPEAN CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCUREMENT ON FORESTRY PRACTICE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES HOW, in Europe, the development of partnerships between environmental NGOs and business has led to 'green' corporate demand for the procurement of certified wood and paper products that has made a significant contribution to the 'greening' of forestry practices in British Columbia. 'Green' in this article refers to policies and practices that improve care and sensitivity to the environment and promotes sustainability. The article examines the environmental NGO confrontation with wood product retailers in the UK that led to environmental NGO/business partnerships in Europe to secure environmental procurement of wood and paper products. Documented is the forest certification debate that led to the establishment of the environmental NGO/business partnership in the global Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard and the 'buyers' groups' such as the WWF 95+ Group in the UK. This examination looks at the forest 'sustainability' measures taking place in BC; the reaction of the BC forest industry to proposed forest certification (the global FSC system in particular); the influence in BC of green buyers' groups in Europe; and the reaction in BC to a boycott of BC forest products in Europe as the result of an international campaign against existing and proposed forestry practices in part of the BC temperate rain forest (the Great Bear Rainforest). The article concludes with highlights of the globalisation of environmental procurement within the networks of one industrial sector and its implications for BC. These include the influence of an environmentally sophisticated regional market, with its unique drivers for green corporate customer demand, on global forest product procurement and forest practice. Also included is the role of environmental NGOs in successful confrontation with business which led to a positive partnership with business to help achieve forest sustainability. The proven use of a market mechanism to contribute to sustainable forest management in BC is also highlighted. Forest product certification and procurement Forest product certification and green forest product procurement came about in the late 1980s because certain sectors of the public, government, business and environmental NGOs were concerned about the perceived destruction of global tropical rainforests, temperate forests and temperate rainforests. There was also concern about industrial forestry practice such as clear felling and use of monoculture forest plantations. These concerns occurred at a time when environmental NGOs (such as WWF, Greenpeace, foe, Rainforest Alliance) were initiating campaigns to protect the quantity and the quality of world's forests. The environmental NGOs were particularly dissatisfied with international and national government commitments and legislation and industry's Good Practice Codes, most of which failed to protect forests or ensure quality through sustainable management. There was also some consumer demand for sustainable wood products at a time when there was consumer dissatisfaction with wood product green labelling. Labels were not trusted, since they were regarded as being inconsistent, lacking both credibility and independence. In particular the 'chains of custody' of wood products were not clear. Furthermore there was some corporate interest in forest certification and certified wood products. The result of this interest was the founding of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in 1993 as an international non-profit organisation of diverse members from environmental and social groups, the timber trade and the forestry profession from around the world. As a response to this interest competing forest certification schemes were developed - in Europe, Pan European Forest Certification; in Canada, the National Sustainable Forest Management System (SFM); and in the United States, the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). The process of forest certification is concerned with the definition and validation of a sustainable forest. …

The Role of Environmental NGOs in International Environmental Conferences and Agreements: Some Important Features

The Role of Environmental NGOs in International Environmental Conferences and Agreements: Some Important Features

The Role of Environmental Ngos in Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study in Northern Honduras

Mass tourism has been widely used as a development tool for boosting national, regional, and local economies worldwide. Recently numerous negative impacts associated with mass tourism have been recognized. Sustainability of the local culture, social structure, economic well-being and way of life are common goals that are inherently interconnected with the health of the natural resource base. The tourism industry, through ecotourism, is natural resource based and is but one competing use or demand on these resources. Local extractive demands or subsistence use also competes with the resource needs of the ecotourism sector. This paper investigates tl.e importance of natural resources and their use, the perceptions and opinions of the local population toward the NGOs in charge, and the likelihood of the local population of supporting ecotourism in two natural areas in northern Honduras. In the communities adjacent to the natural areas, nearly all people supported the preservation of natural resources and had a positive view of tourism and NGOs. Comparison of the approaches taken by two NGOs illustrates that strategies emphasizing local participation are most likely to achieve development and resource sustainability.