| Environmental NGOs are the NGOs devoting themselves to the protection of the environment, natural resources and the ecosystem. Environmental NGOs have been developing rapidly since 1960s, and their power has also been increasing since then. These environmental NGOs engages in the construction of environmental regimes and the shaping of environmental ideas more and more, and their influence and legitimacy are also increasing. The evolution of ideas on environmental governance provides a excellent prospective for the studies on global environmental politics. The evolution of ideas on environmental governance can be separated into three phases, they are "idea emergence", "idea cascade" and "idea internalization". Environmental NGOs play an important role in shaping the ideas on global environmental governance. Three successful examples are "The Limits to Growth", "Sustainable Development" and "World Park".The idea of "Limits to Growth" was promoted by the Club of Rome in 1968.Its core argument is that the earth is limited, the explosive increase of population and industry would stop someday if human beings continues its current development model. The idea, which was regarded as "a Copernican revolution" stirred a hot debate,and its impact proliferated from the academic circle. The Global 2000 Report to the President: Entering the Twenty-First Century largely recognized the idea "the Limits to Growth", which marked the "tipping point" in the stage of "idea emergence". However, in the 1980s, the idea's influence was decreasing, and it wasn't eligible for the stage of "idea cascade", In late 1990s, the idea was reexamined in the context of newly developing countries' rapid development and the increasing deterioration of the environment."Sustainable Development" originated from the report World Conservation Strategy which was published by International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1980. Its essence is the integration of development and conservation, and its emphasis on intergenerational equity and intragenerational equity. On its emergence, it was recognized by some agencies in UN and was promoted rapidly.5o countries expressed their support for the report and the idea "sustainable development", which marked the "tipping point" in the stage of "idea emergence". The report Our Common Future the World Environment and Development Commission issued in 1987 assimilated and developed the idea "sustainable development", which increased its influence and started "norm internalization". In 1992, the conventions ratified in UN Environment and Development Summit assimilated "sustainable development", which marked the end of the "norm internalization".The idea "World Park" was raised by NGOs when they faced the prospect that the mines in Antarctica would be explored, which might greatly damage the environment there. The idea argued that more protection was needed and no exploration should be permitted in Antarctic. Greenpeace, The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition played an important role in promoting the idea, they lobbied and protested against "key countries". After being recognized by Australia and France, the idea entered the stage of "norm cascade".The terms in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty reflected the idea "World Park", which meant the idea was recognized and widely accepted.The evolution from "Limits to Growth", "Sustainable Development" to" World Park" reveals the different stages of human's inquiry on the relations between nature and themselves.. "Limits to Growth" is a reflection of strong anthropocentrism; "Sustainable Development" is a reflection of weak anthropocentrism; "World Park" is a reflection of eco-centrism. This is an improvement motivated by environmental NGOs. The way in which these ideas were shaped and their fate was different depending on the NGOs'power, efforts, and some other situations.However, There is no doubt that environmental NGOs played a great role in shaping the environmental ideas and it is a excellent footprint of the era of Global Governance. |
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