eric: solutions: NGOs

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eric: solutions: NGOs

non-governmental organisiations
There are many different types of NGOs, some local some national. Environmental NGOs have been effective 'whistle blowers' drawing media and public attention to all kinds of health and ecological issues. Despite this 'progressive' image some have argued that NGOs more often than not accept governmental and elite perspectives and are more often a conservative than radical voice. When thinking about NGOs it is worth considering whether they are a force for 'good' or 'evil'; do the more radical NGOs simply marginalise themselves from any real influence in political life.

Online resources
NGOs
Friends of the Earth International (with good links and different from below)
Friends of the Earth Homepage
RAN Information Centre (home-page of rainforest action network)
Greenpeace International Homepage
WWF Main Page
Environmental Defense Fund

NGOs and deforestation
RAN (home-page of rainforest action network)
RAN CAMPAIGNS
RAN facts about Rainforests (useful stats)
Greenpeace International: Forests
Free-market Environmentalism (yes really!)
Earth First (journal and links)
FOE: Environmental Campaigns (...including this biodiversity one)

NGOs and nuclear power
FOE: Environmental Campaigns
Greenpeace International: Nuclear

For language learners the Friends of the Earth International Page offers links to many national affiliates. For instance students studying Spanish could try Chile's Comite Nacional pro Defensa de la Fauna y Flora. There are also Amis de la Terre, Freunde der Erde, Amici della Terra and many others.

Directed learning
1 What are the similarities and differences between two or more NGOs you have studied?
2 To what extent do NGOs such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have to water-down their proposals in order to gain wider appeal?
3 Will NGOs be the most important actor in environmental politics of the future? - Why?

Aerial photograph

"Friends of the Earth International, based in Amsterdam, is a confederation of 53 national, independent affiliates, half of which are in developing countries...Greenpeace is the fastest growing INGO, with more than 3.3 million members in 20 countries...The Switzerland-based World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has 28 national organisations, of which the US affiliate is much the largest, and a total of 4.7 million members, mostly in industrialised countries."
From, Porter and Welsh Brown, Global Environmental Politics

Sample exam questions
1 Environmental NGOs will be vital in the fight to save the global environment - demonstrate how valid this statement is by reference to specific examples.
2 Compare the approaches of at least two NGOs to deforestation - what conclusions can be drawn regarding the effectiveness of their work?
3 Environmental NGOs tend to have exaggerated the costs and minimised the benefits of nuclear power - discuss.

"We are neither left or right; we are in front"
Ronnie Hawkins of Earth First!

2002 ODL Project home | map

non-governmental organisiations There are many different types of NGOs, some local some national. Environmental NGOs have been effective 'whistle blowers' drawing media and public attention to all kinds of health and ecological issues. Despite this 'progressive' image some have argued that NGOs more often than not accept governmental and elite perspectives and are more often a conservative than radical voice. When thinking about NGOs it is worth considering whether they are a force for 'good' or 'evil'; do the more radical NGOs simply marginalise themselves from any real influence in political life.
Online resources NGOs Friends of the Earth International (with good links and different from below) Friends of the Earth Homepage RAN Information Centre (home-page of rainforest action network) Greenpeace International Homepage WWF Main Page Environmental Defense Fund NGOs and deforestation RAN (home-page of rainforest action network) RAN CAMPAIGNS RAN facts about Rainforests (useful stats) Greenpeace International: Forests Free-market Environmentalism (yes really!) Earth First (journal and links) FOE: Environmental Campaigns (...including this biodiversity one) NGOs and nuclear power FOE: Environmental Campaigns Greenpeace International: Nuclear For language learners the Friends of the Earth International Page offers links to many national affiliates. For instance students studying Spanish could try Chile's Comite Nacional pro Defensa de la Fauna y Flora. There are also Amis de la Terre, Freunde der Erde, Amici della Terra and many others. Directed learning 1 What are the similarities and differences between two or more NGOs you have studied? 2 To what extent do NGOs such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have to water-down their proposals in order to gain wider appeal? 3 Will NGOs be the most important actor in environmental politics of the future? - Why?	"Friends of the Earth International, based in Amsterdam, is a confederation of 53 national, independent affiliates, half of which are in developing countries...Greenpeace is the fastest growing INGO, with more than 3.3 million members in 20 countries...The Switzerland-based World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has 28 national organisations, of which the US affiliate is much the largest, and a total of 4.7 million members, mostly in industrialised countries." From, Porter and Welsh Brown, Global Environmental Politics
Sample exam questions 1 Environmental NGOs will be vital in the fight to save the global environment - demonstrate how valid this statement is by reference to specific examples. 2 Compare the approaches of at least two NGOs to deforestation - what conclusions can be drawn regarding the effectiveness of their work? 3 Environmental NGOs tend to have exaggerated the costs and minimised the benefits of nuclear power - discuss.	"We are neither left or right; we are in front" Ronnie Hawkins of Earth First!
2002 ODL Project	home \| map