Nongovernmental Solutions and the Growth of Non-Governmental Organizations
Why have environmental NGO's grown in importance over the past decade?
Environmental Catastrophe
In the Americana Encyclopedia of 1987 under "environment" the first event mentioned is the melt down of the nuclear power plant Chernobyl in 1986. This event caught the attention of the whole world and drove home the understanding that environmental problems never remain within political boundaries. Environmental choices made within states eventually affect the entire world. 1986 also marks the first scientific confirmation of the hole in the ozone layer. A threat that had been whispered about was now confirmed. By 1990 the world's governments were reacting to these new established truths. 1990 marked the meeting of the second World Climate Conference. It included the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), governments, industry and scientists, and led to the signing of the Climate Convention at the Earth Summit, June 3-14, 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The last decade also marks a time period when the whole world started feeling the effects of environmental degradation that had been building over many years. We gained the knowledge that problems are growing exponentially. Many developed an understanding that each problem would lead to another. After Rio the work of NGO's went from convincing people that there is a problem to telling people what to do about it. (Lamb 172). This new role along with a broader base of knowledge encourages NGO growth. Government's recognition of environmental problems has provided some of this knowledge. At the same time, many believe that the results of conferences such as The Earth Summit are far from favorable.
Five years is not long enough to judge Rio's full legacy, but one lesson is clear:...if the economy is to be put on a stable footing in the twenty-first century, it is unlikely to be the result of a top-down, centralized plan; the answer is more likely to lie in an eclectic mix of international agreements, sensible government policies, efficient use of private resources, and bold initiatives by grassroots organizations and local governments. In fact, Rio may have been a last hurrah for those who hope for vast "Marshall Plans" to solve world problems. National governments have generally failed to meet even the minimal financial commitments made in Rio. If the long-term viability of human society is to be assured, we all have to get involved" (Flinn chapter 1)
Global Forum
Across the street from the Earth Sumit non-governmental organizations (NGO's) from the North and South gathered at the "Global Forum" It managed to get environmental, women's groups and unions in contact with each other and "promted discussion about the link between deteriorating environmental conditions and widespread poverty". They discussed, among other things, how deforestation effects lives of local residence as much as the health of the planet and how, in order to have a lasting effect rural and urban ngo's need to work together. Agenda 21 is a document that continually refers to community and it will take NGO's and other local participation to ensure that the goals laid out in the document are worked towards. ("After Rio: Our Forests, Ourselves" by Sandra Hackman)
Technology
The growth of technology, such as the internet, over the past decade has allowed NGO's to grow in number and force. More can be created because they can now so easily be in contact with other groups. Whereas before it may not have been worth it to start up a small group, now every small group can be linked with, and strengthened by, larger organizations. One of the main technological activities of the Global Forum, a conference of NGO's that met during The Earth Summit, was computer networking to connect concerned groups. ("After Rio: Our Forests, Ourselves", Sandra Hackman)
Another changing aspect of politics encouraging NGO growth is the evolving definition of national sovereignty. Technology and environmental problems both ignore national sovereignty as it is traditionally understood. Walter B. Wriston in"Technology and Sovereignty" discusses how sovereignty often relies on a government's ability to "control certain portions of society", in other words, to present only their version of the truth. This simply is not possible with the presence of the mass media. Relationships between the government and citizens are changing in favor of the citizens. Power comes from knowledge and, more and more, the information is getting to the people. The speed at which information travels and the impact of images to hype up a cause combine to motivate the people. NGO's are nothing more than motivated people, and technology is drawing more and more of them out of the wood work. As well, "[the internet] is a social tool, encouraging intimate and worldly interaction, and inspiring a sense of connectedness across geographic and cultural borders" ( "Women's Movements On-line", Shana Penn) Goldstein suggests the possibility of a super-national identity emerging from cross cultural communication (Goldstein 416). As world view spreads beyond the state, soveriegnty decreases in importance. People today are more willing to cooperate across political lines and governments are beginning to follow their lead.
Changing role of women
More and more, women are being encouraged to participate in environmental solutions. The many roles that women fill in society are slowly becoming more broadly validated. Therefore, what women need to successfully complete these tasks are being recognized. For example, if a woman's role is to find potable water for the village, her job will be much more difficult if the water supply is contaminated. Also, because the entire society needs water to survive the entire society will benefit from improved health and reproductive care for women. At the same time traditional roles are being recognized, women are filling a broader range of roles. Increased access to education and other forms of knowledge provoke involement. Again, technology comes into play. "Information is power and using the Internet provides women entry into the mostly male preserve of telecommunications" (Penn) .
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