Das Essay untersucht die Transformierung von Umweltprotest westeuropäischer Länder seit den 1990er Jahren. Dabei wird die Entwicklung der Umweltpolitik in den Blick genommen, die sich auf EU-Ebene und internationale Ebene wie der WTO zunehmend verlagert. Dabei wird der Fragestellung nachgegangen, ob sich aufgrund dieser Herausforderung für nationale Umweltbewegungen, einen "neue", transnationale Umweltbewegung herausbildet, die gemeinsame Ziele verfolgt und auf den gleichen Normen beruht. Dazu werden Lobbystrategien, konlifktives Protestverhalten sowie offiziele Dokumente der entpsprechenden Umweltbewegungen und - Organisationen untersucht.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Ambiguity of environmental protest in Europe
The nature of professional network alliances
The Importance of the EU
The Environmental Movement and Internationalisation of Protest
Conclusion: Entangled Protest?
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay investigates whether the increase in transnational environmental activism has led to the formation of a unified "European Environmental Movement." The research questions the extent to which diverse national organizations and networks, which operate amidst a shift of environmental policy to supranational and international levels, share a common identity, strategy, and political objective.
- The influence of transnationalism on environmental protest structures.
- Differences in organizational patterns between professionalized NGOs and radical, informal networks.
- The impact of institutionalization and EU-level policy on national activist focus.
- The role of the "Anti-Globalisation Movement" in shaping the identity of environmental activism.
- The fragmentation of goals regarding neo-liberalism and social justice.
Excerpt from the Book
Ambiguity of environmental protest in Europe
To understand the patterns of transnational environmental activism it is necessary to shed light on the conditions in which environmental groups operate. First of all, the recent decades indicated that national environmental movements were determined by fragmentation. Originally emerged in the 1970s in connection to values of the New Left it became more incorporated into established political structures in the 1980s and 1990s. Professionalised and hierarchical organizations like Greenpeace challenged the post-material values of other groups and constituted the dominant actors of the movement in the political progress (Brand 1999: p. 35; p. 45). Thus, organizations like Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth (FoE) replaced traditional preservation organisations in their role when they attempted to challenge their unsystematic view of environmental issues. Finally, they engaged increasingly in lobbying activities and held non-participatory organization structures and hence undermined their initial purpose of identity (Rootes 1999: p. 155-157).
The number of transnational organisations and coalitions between them increased significantly over time, counting nearly 25 worldwide in 1996 (Murphy 2005: p. 242-243). Moreover, this development contributed to further splits in environmental movements. While these NGOs became accepted partners in the political process other groups returned to the initial nature of the environmental movements by engaging in direct confrontational action. These groups are deeply connected to the local constituency, while organisations like Greenpeace build up professional organizational structures in order to respond to complex environmental issues of national and global scope (Carter 2001: p. 141-144; Van der Heiijden 1999: p. 206-208). The new radical groups address partly the same issues but engage mainly locally by confrontational activism. Furthermore, these groups have set up informal networks in order to address International governmental organisations (Wall 1999: p. 183-186).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the research problem regarding whether a unified European environmental movement exists despite increased transnational activism.
Ambiguity of environmental protest in Europe: Examines how national movements fragmented into professionalized NGOs and radical groups, creating distinct paths of activism.
The nature of professional network alliances: Analyzes transnational cooperative activity and the values held by major European networks like Green10 and CAN E.
The Importance of the EU: Discusses the role of EU institutions and the European Environmental Bureau, showing that national contexts remain the primary focus for most activists.
The Environmental Movement and Internationalisation of Protest: Investigates the connection between radical environmentalism and the global anti-capitalist movement, exemplified by the WTO protests in Seattle.
Conclusion: Entangled Protest?: Synthesizes findings to argue that while environmental activism is transnational, the lack of a shared identity and coherent strategy precludes a unified movement.
Keywords
Transnational environmental activism, European Environmental Movement, social movements, environmental protest, fragmentation, professionalization, NGO, Anti-Globalisation Movement, sustainability, lobbying, European Union, grassroots activism, identity, WTO, political strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The essay evaluates whether the growth of transnational environmental activism has resulted in a single, unified "European Environmental Movement."
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the tension between professionalized NGOs and radical grassroots groups, the impact of EU-level policy shifts, and the ideological alignment with anti-globalization efforts.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if environmental organizations in Europe share a common identity, goal, and strategy, or if they remain deeply fragmented and issue-oriented.
What methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative examination of existing literature, organizational reports, and political analysis to compare strategic patterns and ideologies across different environmental networks.
What is covered in the main body?
The body covers the structural evolution of environmental groups, the influence of EU institutions, and the role of international events like the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle.
Which keywords best describe this paper?
Key terms include transnationalism, environmental protest, organizational fragmentation, NGO influence, and the anti-globalization movement.
How does the author define the relationship between Greenpeace and FoE?
The author suggests they embody different identities; while Greenpeace focuses on institutional reform and specific issues, FoE is more oriented toward social justice and participatory democracy.
Why does the author argue that the "European Environmental Movement" is not unified?
The author argues that organizations lack a common conception of political and social reality, maintaining separate agendas that prevent the emergence of a singular, homogenous movement.
What role does the Anti-Globalisation Movement play in the analysis?
The AGM serves as a critical case study to show how radical environmental groups interact with broader social justice movements on the global stage, further highlighting internal divisions.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Julian Ostendorf (Autor:in), 2011, Internationalisation of European Environmental Movements, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/174412
