The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) in Shaping Environmental Policies

In recent decades Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) have given a major contribution in raising many environmental issues to the forefront of society. Many scholars and analysts have stressed the potential role played by NGOs in shaping public perceptions and creating narratives and values about the environment. Plenty of studies has also shown the growing influence of NGOs’ international fora and their positive contribution to the development of an international environmental protection regime. However, some scholars have also doubt that NGOs have succeeded in forcing governments of nation-states to adopt and comply with more vigorous environmental positions. Their role in environmental policy changes and policymaking is still very much contested. This essay argues that the relative success of NGOs in international fora does not necessarily coincide with their domestic counterpart, particularly in environmental policymaking. That even though NGOs have played quite a significant role in creating awareness in environmental issues over the past few decades, at the nation-state level their influence in shaping environmental policies might not be as much as many as hoped for. They have played a huge role in environmental advocacy as well as service delivery but not so much on pushing changes in environmental policies, especially in developing countries. Hence, the essay attempts to compare the role of NGOs in international fora in encouraging changes of global environmental standards and regimes with its effort in environmental policymaking at the domestic level. It put forward the essential component of NGO’s advocacy arguing that it has a key role not only in encouraging changes in public attitudes towards environmental issues but also to help shape government environmental policies. Keywords— NGOs, environmental policies, advocacy