environmental citizenship nongovernmental organizations

ENVIRONMENTAL CITIZENSHIP

NONGOVERNMENTALORGANIZATIONS

Definition

• “private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, or undertake community development” (World Bank)

• more generally, can be applied to any non-profit organization independent from government

Characteristics

• typically value-based organizations which depend, in whole or part, on charitable donations and voluntary service

• although increasingly professionalized, principles of altruism and voluntarism persist as defining characteristics

Purpose• a variety of purposes, but generally to further the

political or social goals of their members or funders• one of the first was the International Red Cross

founded in 1863• the term NGO came into use in 1945 with the

establishment of the UN• Since 1980s with government cutbacks in social

services and negative impacts of economic globalization, have become increasingly influential in international affairs

Types of NGOs

1. Operational: to design and implement relief and/or development-related projects

• can be community based, national or international• E.g.?

2. Advocacy: to defend or promote a specific cause• try to raise awareness, acceptance, and knowledge

by lobbying, press work, and activist events• E.g.?

Environmental NGOs

• name of organization• role/purpose/mission• history• employees• location of operations• how it carries out its mission (e.g. meetings,

funding, lobbying, ground operations)• Canada’s involvement• Evaluate the organization’s effectiveness