9 Role of Governments

and Nongovernmental
Organizations

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

•• Understand the role of governments in promoting sustainability

•• Present the role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
•• Explain Agenda 21 and the role of local governments.
•• Discuss the history, growth, and funding of nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs).
•• Expand on the role of NGOs in social development, community develop-
ment, and sustainable development.
•• Explore NGOs and business partnerships.
•• Discuss the role of NGOs and sustainable consumption.
•• Present the five types of environmental NGOs.

Chapter Overview___________________________________
This chapter presents the role of governments and NGOs in promoting sus-
tainability. We start with the role of governments in advancing sustainability
and provide some examples of legislation along with the role of the EPA.
Next, we segue into the history and the growth of NGOs and the role of
NGO funding as it relates to power. We discuss the role of NGOs in social
development, community development, and sustainable development and
present cases of partnerships between NGOs and businesses. We conclude
with a detailed discussion on a specific category of NGOs: the environmen-
tal nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs).

214
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 215

________________________________ Role of Governments

What role, if any, should governments play in promoting sustainability?
Governments worldwide are beginning to recognize the challenge of sustain-
ability, and this term is being addressed in public policy discussions. Any one
government cannot work in this area alone; it is imperative to work with
other governments in order to address the issue in a global context.
According to a GlobeScan poll of experts, the leading role in achieving sus-
tainability will be played by business (35%), followed by NGOs (30%), and
governments (24%) (Bell, 2002). Chapter 8 discussed the role of business in
advancing sustainability, and this chapter will discuss the role of govern-
ments and NGOs in advancing sustainability.
Governments need to be able to anticipate rising demand for sustainable
products and services. Governments can play a key role in aiding the transi-
tion toward more efficient, less damaging economies. Those governments
that can lead in this role would be able to set the agenda for their economies,
industries, and citizens (Peck & Gibson, 2002).
In most developed countries, like the United States and Canada, the gov-
ernment is the largest employer, the largest landowner, and the largest fleet
owner. The government is also the largest consumer of energy and has the
largest impact on the environment. It stands to reason that governments
should incorporate sustainability principles in their internal operations
(Bell, 2002).
In developing countries, the role of the government assumes even greater
significance. Within the realm of sustainability, the governments ought to
encourage companies to address the needs of the world’s entire population
(Prahalad & Hart, 2002).
According to a KPMG report, the government has four distinct roles in
addressing sustainability concerns. These roles are as follows:

1. Policy development
2. Regulation
3. Facilitation
4. Internal sustainability management

As shown in Figure 9.1, each of the policy making, regulating, facili-

tating, and internal sustainability managing roles of government has
its own characteristics and success factors. Combined, these roles have
the potential to effectively support sustainability management through
setting goals, driving change, and leading by example (“Sustainable
Insight,” 2009).
 216 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

Figure 9.1  Four Government Roles to Spur Sustainability

GOVERNMENT ROLES IN SUSTAINABILITY

POLICY DEVELOPMENT FACILITATION

Development of new policies to steer and enable sustainability innovation Cooperation with business, society and public sector in order to achieve sustainability
policy objectives
Characteristics Characteristics
• Boundaries are set by recognition of major sustainability challenges at • Boundaries are set by political paradigms and ability and willingness of busi-
global, national, regional and/or local levels ness and other actors to cooperate for change
• Used to prioritize, set goals and design coherent long-term strategies • Used to stimulate breakthroughs in transition management
• Formulate targets and determine type of government activities and • R&D, endorsing, convening roles, financial incentives, societal cost benefit
budget management
Criteria for success Criteria for success
• Focus on the most relevant and difficult issues from a long term • Align with other government sectors and agencies and with other roles in
perspective enhancing sustainability
• Define coherent and integrated strategies • Set clear criteria for government initiative and the methods used in each
• Formulate realistic goals (whose realization government is actually able phase of transition
to influence) • Pull out whenever possible to create breakthroughs in new transitions
Examples Examples
• 20% reduction in emissions, share of renewable energy use • Covenant of Mayors (>400 EU Mayors)
20% of total, overall cut of 20% in energy use by 2020 (EU) • Green New Deal (USA)
• Millennium Development Goals (UN)
REGULATION SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT WITH
All government initiatives in legislation, GOVERNMENT (CSR)
Policy Regulation Facilitation CSR
administration and enforcement The corporate social responsibility of each government
body as an economic actor
Characteristics Set goals
Drive Lead by Characteristics
• Boundaries set by (international) law change example
• Boundaries set by peer group, core values and stakeholders
• Used to protect public benefit and to correct market • Used to lead by example and manage effects of core business
failure in managing externalities • Reduce carbon footprint, green procurement, manage
• Long term response to market (as it takes time to decide supply chain
upon and implement new legislation)
Criteria for success Criteria for success
• Low administrative burden for government, business and consumers • Work principle based instead of rule based, use stakeholder dialogue and
• Sufficient (financial) incentives and controls to guarantee and enforce be transparent
new legislation • Avoid ‘greenwashing’
• Create sufficient leverage to have a real impact on core business
Examples Examples
• Emission Trading Schemes of NO2 and CO2 (European Union and EU • Governments will have to meet the goal of 100% green procurement in 2010
member states) (The Netherlands)
• Regulation of supply chain management (e.g. REACH, WEEE, EuP, • European Green Capital (Stockholm 2010, Hamburg 2011)
RoHS) • ‘Sustainable city’ pillar of Rotterdam Climate Initiative (The Netherlands)
• Environmental Impact Assessment (e.g. CEQA, The California
Environmental Quality Act)

Source: Sustainable Insight (2009).

Changing Role of Governments

Increasingly, governments are called to form partnerships ranging from the
ones with other levels of government to ones with civil society organizations
(CSOs) and the private sector. In terms of advancing sustainability, the govern-
ment can also play a significant role. The five roles are discussed as follows:

1.
Vision/Goal setter: Governments need to provide vision and strategy to
incorporate sustainability in public policy. Concepts such as natural
capitalism (discussed in Chapter 6), eco-economy (Brown, 2009), and
green economy (Milani, 2000) call for grand-scale transformations in
systems dealing with energy, waste, water, and governance. Governments
would need to develop strategies for a transition to an economy based
on sustainability principles.
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 217

2.
Leader by example: Governments can improve the environmental
performance of public procurement (Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2002), whereby public
funds are used in construction of highways and buildings, power
generation, transportation, and water and sanitation services. Green
procurement can also provide impetus to innovative and environmen-
tally friendly products. As an example, Japan used procurement of
low emission automobiles to drive innovation (Bell, 2002).

3.
Facilitator: Governments need to create “open, competitive, and
rightly framed markets” that would include pricing of goods and ser-
vices, dismantling subsidies, and taxing waste and pollution, etc.
However, as Lester Brown (2002, p. 26) pointed out, “not one country
has a strategy to build an eco-economy”.

4.
Green fiscal authority: Governments are exploring environmental
taxes and market-based instruments for ecological fiscal reform.
Though the market solutions can be more amenable to businesses for
their flexibility, these approaches might not be the best at pricing
������������
cer-
tain environmental assets such as clean water (Bell, 2002).

5. Innovator/Catalyst: The government needs to play a strategic role in

advancing innovation in all sectors of society since the advancement
of sustainability will demand changes. There is a strong need for tech-
nological and policy innovation (Bell, 2002).

The traditional role of a government is one of an authority figure that pro-

tects public interests and regulates industries. This role is changing as govern-
ments are working collaboratively with other stakeholders from companies to
CSOs. As the roles of governments change, so do their responsibilities. Indeed,
the whole future of a sustainable world can be shaped by the policy decisions
taken by governments, individually or in collective forums.

Policy Instruments
There are two basic policy instruments that can be employed by governments:
(1) direct regulation and (2) market instruments and economic/fiscal measures.

Direct Regulation

The first form of public policy on environment was direct regulation. These
approaches are also termed as command and control approaches since the
taxes are set by the regulatory agency or the government, and the companies
need to comply and pay these taxes. Though taxes are controversial and gov-
ernments have faced pushback to the idea of carbon taxes, regulation is still an
effective mechanism to ensure minimum performance from those players that
are reluctant to comply.
218 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

Market Instruments and Economic/Fiscal Measures

This category includes any set of instruments that reward innovation in

sustainability from the private sectors. These instruments can include subsi-
dies, taxes, ecolabeling schemes, and public procurement policies. The idea is
that if the private sector is given enough motivation, the sector itself would
come up with the best way to solve a problem. One such example was the
cap and trade system, wherein the cap on emissions would be set by the
regulatory agency, and companies would have an incentive to lower emis-
sions and trade the extra permits. Research does indicate that market mecha-
nisms are efficient, flexible, and more palatable to industry (Dhanda, 1999).
More detailed discussion on command and control versus market schemes
will be presented in Chapter 11.
In addition, governments can also employ new policy instruments that
expand the range of alternatives to regulation and legislation. The task of
choosing the best “mix” from this wider array of possible options is not
straightforward (Howlett & Ramesh, 1995), and research is ongoing to
assess these various alternatives. For example, Italy is experimenting with a
scheme that provides the consumer with a modest (1%) sales tax reduction
on the price of green products. France, on the other hand, has introduced
mandatory corporate sustainability reporting (Bell, 2002).

Role of the Environmental Protection Agency

In the United States, the largest regulatory organization is the EPA, one
that from the time of its inception acted as a watchdog for the environment
implementing pollution control regulations and ensured that businesses met
the legal requirements. As time progressed, the EPA’s role has changed from
pollution control to pollution prevention. This change has led to implementa-
tion of some market-based regulation such as the Acid Rain and NOx cap-
and-trade programs to reduce emissions. For the future, EPA is looking at
advances in science and technology and government regulations and promot-
ing innovative green business practices (“What Is EPA Doing?” n.d.).

Advances in Science and Technology

These advances in science and technology are important for robust environ-
mental policy. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) at the EPA
works to develop long-term solutions. In addition, this office provides techni-
cal support to the EPA regional offices and to state and local governments.

Government Regulations and Practices

Executive orders are edicts that are issued by the president. Two executive
orders have been aimed at the environment:
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 219

Executive Order (EO) 13423 sets policy and goals for federal agencies to
“conduct their environmental, transportation, and energy-related activities
under the law in support of their respective missions in an environmentally,
economically and fiscally sound, integrated, continuously improving, effi-
cient, and sustainable manner” (What Is EPA Doing?” n.d.).
EO 13514 builds upon EO 13423 “to establish an integrated strategy
towards sustainability in the Federal Government and to make reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) a priority for Federal agencies” (“What Is
EPA Doing?” n.d.).
The EPA also implements a range of programs to reduce the environmen-
tal impact of its operations. These can range from retrofitting old buildings
to the construction of newer, more energy efficient buildings. In addition, the
Sustainable Facilities Practices Branch publishes the annual reports on energy
management and conservation programs.

List of Environmental Protection

Agency Programs for Sustainability
There are numerous EPA policies and programs that have helped to shape
new ways of manufacturing and doing business (Hecht, 2009). Here are some
examples:

Supply Chain and Manufacturing

Green Suppliers Network
Lean Manufacturing
Design for the Environment
Clean Processing
Green Chemistry Program
Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program
Management and Performance
Sector Strategies Program
Performance Track
Preferential Purchasing
EnergyStar
WaterSense

In addition, the EPA provides resources for sustainable practices. Within

the category of urban local sustainability, these programs range from smart
growth and urban heat mitigation to waste composting and water resource
220 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

programs. Within the category of industrial sustainability, the programs

range from green engineering and IT to ozone alternatives and safe pesticides
(“Science and Technology: Sustainable Practices,” n.d.).
These programs aim to shape practices that go beyond controlling pollu-
tion to actually changing the strategic thinking of companies. According to
the EPA, environmental protection will be created by a vision that inspires
businesses and consumers rather than by disincentives to pollute (“What Is
EPA Doing?” n.d.).

Local Governments for Sustainability

Much of the work on sustainability has been accomplished at the local
level. One of the most comprehensive programs is Agenda 21, which calls for
involvement at the local, national, and global level. Agenda 21 articulates a
series of environmental strategies for the management of natural resources and
the monitoring and reduction of chemical and radioactive waste. It also con-
tains socioeconomic plans to improve heath care, to develop sustainable farm-
ing development and fair trade policies, and to reduce poverty (Agenda 21,
n.d.-b). Furthermore, Agenda 21 requires local governments to develop their
own “Local Agenda 21” for sustainable development. Agenda 21 is a large
document with 40 chapters. The appendix to this chapter contains Chapter 27
of Agenda 21, one that discusses the role of NGOs.
Another local association is the International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)—Local Governments for Sustainability,
comprised of over 1,200 local government members. The members of ICLEI
represent 70 countries and more than 569,885,000 people (About ICLEI,
n.d.). The programs and projects of ICLEI call for the following:

participatory, long-term, strategic planning process that address local

sustainability while protecting global common goods. This
approach links local action to internationally agreed-upon goals and
targets such as: Agenda 21, the Rio Conventions on Climate Change,
Biodiversity, and Desertification, the Habitat Agenda, the Millennium
Development Goal, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
(“Our Themes,” n.d.)

Nongovernmental Organizations_______________________
Definition
What is an NGO? The term NGO stands for nongovernmental organiza-
tion, and it includes a variety of organizations such as “private voluntary
organizations,” “civil society organizations,” and “nonprofit organization”
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 221

(McGann & Johnstone, 2006). The term NGO describes a range of groups
and organizations from watchdog activist groups and aid agencies to devel-
opment and policy organizations. Usually, NGOs are defined as organiza-
tions that pursue a public interest agenda, rather than commercial interests
(Hall-Jones, 2006).
It is believed that the first international NGO was probably the Anti-
Slavery Society, formed in 1839. However, the term NGO originated at the
end of World War II when the United Nations sought to distinguish between
private organizations and intergovernmental specialized agencies (Hall-Jones,
2006). NGOs are a complex mixture comprised of alliances and rivalries;
businesses and charities; conservatives and radicals. The funding comes from
various sources, and though NGOs are usually nonprofit organizations, there
are some that operate for profit (Hall-Jones, 2006).
NGOs originate from all over the world and have access to different
levels of resources. Some organizations focus on a single policy objective of
AIDS while others will aim at larger policy goals of poverty eradication
(Hall-Jones, 2006).

History of the Nongovernmental Organizations Movement

The first NGO was the Anti-Slavery Society followed by the Red Cross
and Caritas, a movement that arose at the end of the 19th century. Most of
the other NGO movements were founded after the two world wars and,
hence, were primarily humanitarian in nature. For example, Save the
Children was formed after World War I, and CARE was formed after World
War II (Hall-Jones, 2006). The decolonization of Africa in the 1960s led to a
new way of thinking—one that aimed at causes of poverty rather than its
consequences. The armed conflicts of the 1970s and 1980s (Vietnam, Angola,
Palestine) led the European NGOs to take on the task of mediators for infor-
mal diplomacy. Their support for locals had an impact on the demise of the
apartheid regime in South Africa and the dictatorships of Ferdinand Marcos
in the Philippines and Augusto Pinochet in Chile. In addition, in the mid-
1980s, the World Bank realized that NGOs were more effective and less cor-
rupt than the typical government channels. The food crisis in Ethiopia in
1984 spurred a new market for “humanitarian aid” (Berthoud, 2001).
In the history of the NGO movement’s growth, there have been several
milestones. One of the first milestones was the role of the solidarity move-
ment in the political transformation in Poland in the 1980s. The next was
the impact of environmental activists on the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de
Janeiro. Another milestone was the Fifty Years Is Enough campaign in 1994.
This was organized by the South Council and was aimed at the World Bank
and International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the belief that these two institu-
tions had been promoting and financing unsustainable development over-
seas that created poverty and destroyed the environment. The most recent
222 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

milestone was the organization of the labor, anti-globalization, and environ-

mental groups that protested and disturbed the Seattle World Trade
Organization (WTO) meeting in 1999 (McGann & Johnstone, 2006).

Funding
The numbers of NGO organizations have grown dramatically, and NGOs
have become a powerful player in global politics, facilitated in part by the
increasing funding by public and private grants (McGann & Johnstone,
2006). This funding comes in from all kind of sources and is redirected in
every conceivable direction. The world’s biggest NGO is the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation with an endowment of $28.8 billion. The 160 interna-
tional nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) associated with InterAction
have combined annual revenues of $2.3 billion (Aall, 2000).
There are some NGOs that are very sophisticated at wooing the media
while other unknown NGOs work tirelessly at the grassroots level. Some
NGOs are membership-based, such as Amnesty International, that refuse to
accept money from political parties, agencies, or governments whereas other
NGOs are profit-making organizations focused on lobbying for profit-driven
interests (Hall-Jones, 2006)
One trend is that NGOs are becoming dependent on governments for
funding and service contracts. For example, 70% of CARE International’s
budget ($420 million) came from government contributions in 2001, 25% of
Oxfam’s income came from EU and British government in 1998, and 46% of
Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) income came from gov-
ernment sources. Similarly, World Vision collected goods worth $55 million
from the U.S. government (Hall-Jones, 2006).

Numbers and Budgets

INGOs rose in number from 6,000 in 1990 to 26,000 in 1996 (“The Non-
Governmental Order,” 1999). At present, there are 1.5 million nonprofit
organizations in the United States and more than 1 million NGOs in India.
Along with the growth in the number of NGOs, the memberships have also
been expanding at steady rate (“The Non-Governmental Order,” 1999).
Some of the biggest NGOs in terms of size and financial strength are to be
found in the humanitarian realm. For example, Oxfam, World Vision,
CARE, and Save the Children are all strong brands that belong to extremely
large organizations with strong financial power. The biggest NGO—World
Vision—had an annual budget of $2.1 billion for 2006 (Karajkov, 2007).
Some of the other NGOs can boast of similar financial resources. Over
70% of the relief funding goes to the biggest NGOs. The biggest eight are
comprised of the following organizations (Karajkov, 2007):
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 223

1. World Vision, $2.1 billion (2006)

2. Oxfam, $528 million (2004–2005)
3. CARE, $624 million (2005)
4. Save the Children, $863 million (2006)
5. Catholic Relief Services, $694 million (2005)
6. Doctors Without Borders, $568 million (2004)
7. International Rescue Committee, $203 million (2005)
8. Mercy Corps, $185 million (2005)

Growth in Power
The real story is how these organizations have networked and impacted
world politics.
Global politics have gone through a drastic shift resulting from the
growth of nongovernmental agencies. NGOs or CSOs have moved from
being in the background to having a presence in the midst of world politics
and, as a result, are exerting their influence and power in policy making at
global scale. Some organizations such as Amnesty International and
Greenpeace have effectively become NGO brands and have helped make
NGO a household word. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, there was a
large NGO presence. While 1,400 NGO members were involved in the
official proceedings, another 17,000 NGO members staged an alternative
forum to the meeting. Encouraged by their success, a larger group gathered
in Beijing for the Fourth World Conference on Women (McGann &
Johnstone, 2006).
How have NGOs gained this global attention? There are various strate-
gies that have been employed. For example, some NGOs organize large-
scale protests, capture international headlines, and gain notoriety. The two
NGOs that were successful in organizing large-scale action around specific
themes were Amnesty International, which focuses on human rights issues,
and Greenpeace, which focuses on ecological issues (Berthoud, 2001).
There are other NGOs that have organized meetings to challenge the
legitimacy of the WTO, the G8, the World Bank, and the IMF. The effec-
tiveness of these NGOs’ efforts took the governments and other global
multilateral institutions by surprise. In response, these efforts forced the
governments to figure out ways to involve NGOs in their decision making.
Now that their place in world politics is firmly established, the majority of
NGOs have moved from street protests to a policy making role in the
boardrooms of the United Nations, WTO, World Bank, and the IMF
(McGann & Johnstone, 2006).
224 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

What are the factors that have led to the unprecedented growth of NGOs?
Research by McGann and Johnstone (2006) have isolated six interrelated
forces as follows:

1. Democratization and the civil society ideal: The emergence of civil

society and the addition of more open societies have both led to an
environment that was favorable to the proliferation of NGOs.
2. Growing demand for information, analysis, and action: The general
public is bombarded with unsystematic and unreliable information.
NGOs can collect data to make decisions, a role that is invaluable
in developing countries where such information might not readily
exist.
3. Growth of state, nonstate, and interstate actors: After World War II,
there was a global trend toward increased democratization and decen-
tralization that led to an increase in the number of nations or states
after World War II. In addition, numerous intergovernmental organi-
zations (United Nations, WTO, World Bank) were created and were
granted certain powers and functions. This led to an unprecedented
growth in the number of governmental organizations, NGOs, and
nation–states.
4. Improved communications technologies: The growth of the Internet
has led to inexpensive, instant, and largely unregulated flow of infor-
mation. In addition, the nature of the information age makes it very
difficult to restrict the inflow of information from the perspective of
authoritarian governments.
5. Globalization of NGO funding: The issue of funding is important
since many organizations work with small budgets and staffs. In
many nations such as in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, there are
no tax incentives to fund NGOs. Hence, most of the funding flows
from developed countries to developing or transitional countries.
However, foreign funding raises questions about the credibility of
an organization. Furthermore, the issues of funding, transparency,
and accountability become more complicated when NGOs cross
national borders.
6. Paralysis and poor performance of the public sector: There has been
an erosion of confidence in the government leaders and institutions.
The never-ending scandals involving public officials combined with
poor performance of policy makers have led citizens to question the
legitimacy of governments. When the institutions are considered inef-
fective and the nation–state is distrusted, the NGOs operating on a
local, grassroots level have emerged so that these deficiencies can be
addressed.
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 225

_______________ Role of Nongovernmental Organizations

Given this unprecedented growth in the numbers and financial power of
NGOs, how has the role changed or matured? What we see is that NGOs
can have a huge impact. These NGOs are unfettered, not answerable to
specific agendas, and, in many instances, can act independently.
Even though NGOs are highly diverse organizations, the one common goal
is that they are not focused on short-term targets, and, hence, they devote them-
selves to long-term issues like climate change, malaria prevention, or human
rights. In addition, public surveys state that NGOs often have public trust,
which makes them a useful proxy for societal concerns (Hall-Jones, 2006).
Next, we will discuss four important roles of NGOs. These roles are
(1) social development, (2) sustainable community development, (3) sustain-
able development, and (4) sustainable consumption.

Social Development
NGOs play an important role in global social development—work that
has helped facilitate achievements in human development as measured by the
UN Human Development Index (HDI) (n.d.).
One of the major strengths of NGOs is their ability to maintain institu-
tional independence and political neutrality. Even though NGOs need to col-
laborate with governments in numerous instances, failure to maintain
neutrality and autonomy may severely compromise the NGOs’ legitimacy.
Unfortunately, if a government insists upon political allegiance, the NGOs
encounter the dilemma of either violating the neutrality position or failing to
provide needed services to the population. Indeed, some NGOs have been
asked to leave in troubled countries due to political reasons (Asamoah, 2003).
The major advantages that NGOs bring to this role include “flexibility,
ability to innovate, grass-roots orientation, humanitarian versus commercial
goal orientation, non-profit status, dedication and commitment, and recruit-
ment philosophy” (Asamoah, 2003). The drawbacks in working with NGOs
are similar to the advantages that were previously listed. In addition, some
other disadvantages include “over-zealousness, restricted local participation,
inadequate feasibility studies, conflicts or misunderstandings with host part-
ner, inflexibility in recruitment and procedures, turf wars, inadequately
trained personnel, lack of funding to complete projects, lack of transparency,
inability to replicate results, and cultural insensitivity” (Asamoah, 2003).

Sustainable Community Development

NGOs have shown leadership in promoting sustainable community devel-
opment. Due to their particular ideology and nature, NGOs are good at
226 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

reaching out to the poor and remote communities and mobilizing these
populations. They can also empower these populations to regain control of
their lives and can work with and strengthen local organizations. In addition,
such NGOs can carry out projects more efficiently and at lower costs than
government agencies and, most importantly, promote sustainable develop-
ment (Nikkhah & Redzuan, 2010).
The five dimensions of sustainable community development are as follows:

1. Increasing local economic diversity

2. Self reliance: development of local markets, local production, local
processing, greater co-operation among local economic entities
3. Reduction in the use of energy combined with recycling and manage-
ment of waste products
4. Protection and enhancement of biological diversity and stewardship of
natural resources
5. Commitment of sustainable communities to social justice. (Bridger &
Luloff, 1999)

Since NGOs are professionally staffed organizations aimed at reduction of

human suffering and to the development of poor countries (Streeten, 1997),
they have a significant role to play in supporting women, men, and house-
holds. The roles for such NGOs include “counseling and support service,
awareness raising and advocacy, legal aid and microfinance” (Desai, 2005).
The long-term aim for these NGOs is to assist in sustainable community devel-
opment through activities such as capacity building and self-reliance (Langran,
2002). This can be done by funding projects, contributing to awareness, and
promoting the self-organization of various groups (Baccaro, 2001).
A case study in Vietnam illustrates that NGOs play an important role in
promoting sustainable community development (Hibbard & Tang, 2004).
Usually this is accomplished by providing three basic functions: (1) service
delivery (relief, welfare), (2) education, and (3) public policy advocacy
(Stromquist, 2002). The idea is that NGOs can promote sustainable com-
munity development via three functions: (1) microfinance, (2) capacity build-
ing, and (3) self-reliance. NGOs ought to develop local products and local
markets; develop social, capital, and human resources; encourage and moti-
vate people to participate in activities; and act as network liaisons between
community and systems. In this manner, the long-run goal of sustainable
community development would be achieved (Nikkhah & Redzuan, 2010).

Sustainable Development
NGOs have played a significant role in promoting sustainable develop-
ment at the international level. NGOs are going beyond their primary focus
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 227

on governments and starting to address large corporations. In this vein,

NGOs have focused attention on the social and environmental impacts of
business activity, helped in part by advances in information and communica-
tions technology. The brands of multinational corporations have also been
vulnerable to pressure from activists and from NGOs on the corporation’s
labor, environmental, or human rights record. As the downstream customers
are targeted, even the supply chain partners and suppliers are feeling the
pressure (Hall-Jones, 2006).
In response to such concerns, many corporations are embracing a stake-
holder approach that looks at the impact of business activity on customers,
employees, communities, and other interested groups. There are numerous
visible manifestations of this shift. The primary one has been an increased
attention to social and environmental affairs. Many corporations are taking
responsibility for their actions and are starting to report on the impact of
their activities. A secondary shift is more heartening: Many companies have
designed management structures that integrate sustainable development con-
cerns (Hall-Jones, 2006).
NGOs can take most of the credit for creating these trends. The question
remains as to how the business world should react to NGOs in the future.
Should companies gear themselves in preparation of attacks from hostile
critics? Should companies engage NGOs to become helpful partners?
Depending upon their philosophy, not all NGOs are willing to collaborate
with the private sector. Some of NGOs observe at a distance, and monitor,
publicize, and criticize cases where companies fail to consider its impacts
upon the community. However, other NGOs are willing to allocate some of
their resources to working along with business in order to further corporate
social responsibility (CSR) (Hall-Jones, 2006).
Agenda 21 of the United Nations has a chapter dedicated to the role of
NGOs in partnering for sustainable development. Please refer to the appen-
dix for the full text of this chapter.

Sustainable Consumption
NGOs can also play an important role as partners to business/industry
in promoting sustainable consumption. Some of the instances where this
partnership has been successful is in categories such as product develop-
ment, sustainable housing, labeling, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), green
purchasing, marine stewardship, and so on. The basic premise is, can
NGOs influence behavioral change? Specifically, there are two questions
that need to be asked: (1) How are NGOs educating households to change
their consumption behavior, and (2) how can NGOs be potential partners
to businesses in promoting sustainable consumption (Kong, Saltzmann,
Steger, & Ionescu-Somers, 2002)?
228 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

A range of projects shows that NGOs are engaging businesses to promote

sustainable consumption. Some of the interesting approaches are as follows:

Using Strategic Means to Point Out Problems

NGOs are encouraging households to exercise their power as sharehold-

ers. In case shareholder power is substantial, this can raise public awareness
and change business policies. For example, Friends of the Earth’s (FoE) Green
Paycheck Campaign tells individuals how to use their shareholder power and
screen their investments so that “money becomes a tool for change” (Kong
et al., 2002).

Assessing Environmental Impacts of Products

NGOs rank products and services based on their environmental perfor-

mance and impacts. The idea is that consumers can then pick and choose
what products or brands they would purchase. For example, many consumer
organizations have adopted a commitment to sustainability in their mission
statements, such as in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the
Netherlands, and their assessment of products reaches consumers via maga-
zines, websites, and other publications (Kong et al., 2002).

Greening the Supply of Products and Services

NGOs are developing or designing products that will minimize the envi-
ronmental impacts of consumption. The consumer is simply offered an alter-
native of more sustainable consumption, and this choice is deemed
empowering. For example, the WWF is engaging the retail sector to offer
more sustainable food products. It also cooperates with the catering sector to
design WWF Weeks for the menu and one permanent WWF dish. This cam-
paign has been successful in increasing demand for organic products in
Switzerland (Kong et al., 2002).

Focusing on Market Forces

Creating a green demand that will drive changes in supply, NGOs are
providing information through labels that would empower consumers to
make informed choices. For example, WWF has worked with the industry
to design labeling schemes to help in the launch of independent certifica-
tion bodies. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was created in 1993
to protect the world’s forest by a coalition of NGOs, businesses, and
government entities. Unilever and WWF started the Marine Stewardship
Council (MSC) to establish a certification scheme for sustainable fishing
(Kong et al., 2002).
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 229

Forming Extensive Networks of Different Stakeholders

NGOs enter into collaborations with other NGOs and businesses to high-
light issues and jointly look for solutions. For example, the Green Purchasing
Network (GPN) promotes green purchasing among consumers, businesses,
and other governmental organizations in Japan. It consists of 2,150 members
including Sony, Fuji, Toyota, Honda, Canon, and Mitsubishi among others
(Kong et al., 2002).

Business Partnerships
In the past, corporate philanthropy was the main driver for business–
NGO collaboration. The new wave of collaboration is different. The present
trend is toward strategic partnerships aimed to address internal operational
issues and the external impacts of corporate activity. Within the partnerships,
NGOs and trade unions are involved in decisions that impact core business
practices. As a result, CSR has evolved from what companies do with their
profits to looking at how companies make those profits (Bendell, 2010).
One notable trend has been that of development NGOs promoting sus-
tainable development among other companies. As an example, the British
NGO called the Fairtrade Foundation initiated a pilot project to assist
companies in developing codes of practice to guide relationships with their
suppliers. Another initiative, launched in 1998, contained a broader man-
date and came with UK government backing. The Ethical Trading Initiative
(ETI) is a network of companies, NGOs, and trade union organizations
working together in identifying and promoting good labor practices,
including monitoring and independent verification. Some of the members
include supermarket chains J. Sainsbury and Tesco, garment industry play-
ers Levi Strauss and the Pentland Group, and NGOs Oxfam and Save the
Children (Bendell, 2010).
NGOs are helping in the establishment of certification systems that would
help companies to monitor, measure, and communicate their social and
environmental best practices. As an example, the WWF, an environmental
NGO, has helped in the FSC accreditation, certification, and labeling scheme
that endorses products from properly managed forests. Rather than waiting
for time-consuming regulatory agreements, the NGO spearheaded the cre-
ation of a new organization for moving the industry toward sustainability
(Bendell, 2010).

Caveats
Not all NGO-business collaborations are always fruitful. As an exam-
ple, challenges arose in the creation of a certification scheme for banana
230 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

plantations. In the case of Chiquita’s partnership with the Rainforest

Alliance, the scheme started with the NGO certifying bananas, but over
time, this certification grew to coffee and other fruits. The critics argued
that this was a case of greenwashing since the partnership did not tackle
the most important issues in banana production (Bendell, 2007).
What can business gain from forging a relationship with an NGO? There
are four reasons for this relationship:

Credibility

There is evidence that company-generated social and environmental

reports suffer from a credibility gap. The United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) states that an active dialogue and stakeholder partner-
ship is needed.

Marketing

There has been an increased level of interest in the environmental policies

when companies work with NGOs.

Expertise and Innovation

NGOs have expertise in sustainable development issues. For example,

retail outlets worked with WWF to come up with the forest stewardship
certification.

Networks

Companies can work with NGO networks to tackle sustainability issues

in countries where their suppliers are located. Also, international NGO net-
works can help suppliers gain access to socially and environmentally progres-
sive markets (Bendell, 2010).
This partnership between opposites can be attractive. There are tangible
differences between NGOs and businesses, in resources and organization
structures, that make NGOs attractive partners for those companies that are
seeking to move toward sustainability. What is important to note is that these
differences, such as the capacity of NGOs for independent advice and action,
ought not be compromised due to any kind of partnership. The relationship
of partnerships, by itself, is a very valuable element in bringing about change.
Since NGOs bring a different perspective to the boardroom, this partnering
can be an attractive proposition (Bendell, 2010).
There have been numerous success stories that pertain to this partnership.
For example, the WWF Climate Savers Program discusses how some of the
companies are planning to cut their carbon dioxide emissions. Refer to the
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 231

WWF website for more details on these partnerships: www.worldwildlife

.org/what/globalmarkets/Climate%20Change/climatesavers2.html.

_________ Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations

ENGOs are the NGOs that work directly for the preservation of the envi-
ronment. There is a linkage between environmental protection and democ-
racy in that democracy enhances the protection of the environment
(Holden, 2002). Indeed, Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration states,
“Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all con-
cerned citizens, at the relevant level” (United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development [UNCED], 1992). This viewpoint is further
reiterated by the Johannesburg Declaration that also restates the need for
“broad-based participation in policy formulation, decision-making and
implementation at all levels” as well as the “need [for] more effective,
democratic and accountable international and multilateral institutions”
(United Nations, 2002, Principles 26, 31).

Role of Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations

The ENGOs provide for “popular participation and influence” in environ-
mental politics (Holden, 2002, p. 139). This influence can be noted by the
following two examples: (1) Greenpeace has 2.8 million supporters world-
wide (Greenpeace, 2003) and FoE has an estimated 1 million supporters and
66 member groups worldwide with 5,000 local activist groups (FoE
International, 2002, p. 3). In the UK, there are about 4.5 million people that
belong to some sort of ENGO (Connelly & Smith, 2003, p. 85).
According to the World Commission on Environment and Development
(WCED), ENGOs play “an indispensable role . . . in identifying risks, in
assessing environmental impacts and designing and implementing measures
to deal with them, and in maintaining the high degree of public and political
interest required as a basis for action” (WCED, 1987, p. 326).
ENGOs have become key players in environmental politics at all levels
from local to global. As an example, FoE can play an important role from
local planning disputes to global environmental conferences (Pricen & Finger,
1994, pp. 4–6). Hence, ENGOs are vital democratic entities for the promo-
tion of environmental sustainability.
However, ENGOs have also been questioned or criticized on two fronts.
The first criticism is on grounds of efficacy; that is to say that ENGOs have
insufficient influence to promote environmental sustainability. The second
criticism contends that ENGOs are not always democratic institutions. For
example, Greenpeace is a protest organization that aims to shape the views
of the own members rather than represent these views (Bell, 2003).
232 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

The Split: From Two Groups to Five

The environmental movement seems to have split into two groups—one
that partners with business and the other that does not. Christine McDonald,
former media manager of Conservation International (CI), discussed the
practice of ENGOs that accept corporate industrial donations without hold-
ing them accountable. She further stated that this relationship between
ENGOs and corporations has led to the system of co-optation, whereby the
result is greenwashing (McDonald, 2008).
There is an ideological distinction between the two camps of environ-
mentalists: the dark greens and the bright greens. NGOs such as Greenpeace
and FoE are dark greens in that they call for radical social change and
confront the corporations. The bright greens, on the other hand, such as CI
and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) work within the system, with
the partnership of corporations, to solve these environmental problems
(Hoffman, 2009).
Research suggests that this gap between purity and pragmatism is getting
wider. However, both the camps need to work together since the ability of
moderate ENGOs is enhanced by the presence of the radical ENGOs (Conner
& Epstein, 2007).
Andrew Hoffman used social networking tools and came up with five dif-
ferent types of ENGOs: (1) isolates, (2) mediators, (3) bridges, (4) indepen-
dents, and (5) captives. Refer to the Hoffman (2009) for a complete listing of
the five categories of ENGOs.

Isolates

The ENGOs in this group refuse to partner with corporations. They form
an ideological core that does not concern itself with the corporate sector’s
issues. Examples are Greenpeace, The Wildlife Society, FoE, and others
(Hoffman, 2009).

Mediators

The ENGOs in this group are central to the corporate network and
maintain sectoral links. These ENGOs are pragmatic and are able to influ-
ence change due to their corporate ties. For example, the only five ENGOs
that are part of the U.S. Climate Action partnership are in this group.
These are (1) EDF, (2) The Nature Conservancy, (3) Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC), (4) World Resources Institute, and (5) WWF
(Hoffman, 2009).

Bridges

The first of the hybrid groups among the previous two extremes maintains
a narrow spectrum of sectoral links. These ENGOs channel between a specific
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 233

set of corporate sector issues and the rest of the group. For example, the Center
for Clean Air Policy is a bridge focused on solving climate, air quality, and
energy problems, yet it maintains ties with oil and gas sectors (Hoffman, 2009).

Independents

The second of the hybrid group is located on the periphery of the corporate
network but maintains a wide variety of links, which gives them more auton-
omy than others. These ENGOs are good at generating innovative solutions
that involve collaboration among various sectors. An example is the River
Network, which helps freshwater protection organizations (Hoffman, 2009).

Captives

The last of the hybrid group is also on the periphery of the corporate net-
work, and their sectoral links are very limited, mostly tied to marine, fire-
arms, and beer and alcohol. These ENGOs have greater credibility with the
sectors they engage with, but this role makes them vulnerable to a small
subset of biased influence of one set of corporate interests (Hoffman, 2009).

______________________________________ Blessed Unrest

Paul Hawken (2007) described blessed unrest as a movement that is made of
citizens and organizations that are united by their shared beliefs. This move-
ment includes NGOs, nonprofit organizations, and people who call themselves
environmental activists and others who protest labor injustices or support local
farming. Hawken (2007) said, “Life is the most fundamental human right and
all of the movements within the movement are dedicated to creating the condi-
tions for life, conditions that include livelihood, food, security, peace, a stable
environment and freedom from external tyranny” (pp. 67–68).
The book Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Social Movement in History is
Restoring Grace, Justice and Beauty to the World by Paul Hawken contains
an appendix that lists concerns from climate change to child labor and green
banking to global governance. In Hawken’s estimates, this movement is com-
prised of 2 million organizations. More importantly, Blessed Unrest makes a
link between the environment to issues of social justice and culture. Hawken
(2007) said, “Sustainability, ensuring the future of life on earth, is an infinite
game, the endless expression of generosity on behalf of all” (p. 187).

_________________________________________ Conclusion
There are countless NGOs worldwide, and these organizations have played
a significant role in social development, sustainable community develop-
ment, and promoting sustainable consumption. Businesses that wish to
234 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

reach out to all their stakeholders can benefit from a productive relationship
with NGOs. In addition, there is a category of NGOs called ENGOs that
focus on environmental concerns. There are a large number of ENGOs rang-
ing from the Audubon Society to WWF.
Lastly, two of the principles of Agenda 21 are relevant to sustainability.
These principles are as follows:

1. the right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitably meet

developmental and environmental needs of the present and future
generations
2. in order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection
shall constitute an integral part of the development process and cannot
be considered in isolation from it. (Agenda 21, n.d.-a)

KEY WORDS

Agenda 21 International
nongovernmental
Blessed unrest
organizations (INGOs)
Environmental nongovernmental
Nongovernmental organizations
organizations (ENGOs)
(NGOs)
Global social development
Sustainable community
International Council for Local development
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)—
Sustainable consumption
Local Governments for
Sustainability Sustainable development

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 1. What is the role of government in advancing sustainability? Do you

think that governments can serve as leaders in this role?
  2. As a web exercise, explore your websites to find information that can be
used for sustainability within business and personal use. Is there any
information related to sustainability initiatives?
  3. When were NGOs created? What were some of the historical reasons
that led to this creation?
  4. How do NGOs attain their funding? Do some of these sources of fund-
ing pose a conflict of interest?
  5. Which NGO is the richest in the world? Has this ranking changed in
recent years? What are eight biggest NGOs discussed in the chapter?
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 235

  6. What are the six factors that contributed to the growth of NGOs?

  7. How can NGOs promote the following three areas: (1) social develop-
ment, (2) community development, and (3) sustainable consumption?
Discuss these roles in detail.

 8. Should businesses or corporations partner with NGOs? What are the
advantages or disadvantages of this relationship?

  9. What is an ENGO? What are the five types of ENGOs? Discuss the dif-
ferences between these ENGOs.

10. Research any three NGOs mentioned in the chapter. Go to the official
website of these NGOs, and discuss the role of each NGO in detail.

11. Can you think of any NGO and business partnership that has been
particularly beneficial or disturbing?

12. What is the role of Agenda 21? Can you find a local chapter of Agenda
21 in your community?

RECOMMENDED CASE STUDIES

1.
Transforming the Global Fishing Industry: The Marine Stewardship
Council at Full Sail, Product Number IMD257-PDF-ENG, Harvard
Business School Publishing.

Learning Objective: The MSC is an NGO headquartered in London and

established by WWF and Unilever in 1997 to set up a certification and
ecolabeling system for sustainable fishing. The case describes the MSC’s
initial and more recent challenges including the Tragedy of the Commons,
a wide range of less willing stakeholders, and the complexity of certifying
fisheries on sustainability criteria. It also outlines management decisions to
meet at least some of the challenges: improved transparency and engage-
ment with stakeholders, new governance structures, and certification
methodologies.

2.
PROTECTA—Promoting Civil Society in Serbia, Product Number
HKS124-PDF-ENG, Harvard Business School Publishing.

Learning Objective: This case offers students an opportunity to recount

the rise of the organization under increasingly trying personal, political, and
professional circumstances—namely war and a repressive state. These cir-
cumstances call into question some potential ethical concerns regarding man-
agement in a hostile political environment. It offers an opportunity for
students to make a decision and plot strategy for the organization’s future in
areas such as leadership transition, finances, and staffing.
236 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

www.audubon.org/
www.bsr.org/
www.care.org/
www.conservation.org/
http://crs.org/
www.csrwire.com/
www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
www.epa.gov
www.foe.org/
www.future500.org/
www.greenpeace.org/
www.interaction.org/
www.kiva.org/
www.mercycorps.org/
www.msc.org/
www.oxfam.org/
www.savethechildren.org/
www.theirc.org/
www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/res_agenda21_00.shtml
www.unep.org
www.worldvision.org/
www.wwf.org
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 237

Appendix

Table 9.1  Sustainable Development Programs

Country Sample of Sustainable Development Research Programs

Austria (individual programs) Austrian Landscape Research; Austrian Program on Technology

for Sustainable Development; PFEIL 05 Program for Research
and Development in Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and
Water Management.

Belgium (umbrella program Scientific Support Plan for a Sustainable Development Policy 1
and sub-programs) (Sustainable management of the North Sea, global change and
sustainable development, Antarctica 4, sustainable mobility,
norms for food products, Telsat 4, levers for a sustainable
development policy and supporting actions); Scientific Support
Plan for a Sustainable Development Policy 2 (Sustainable
modes of production and consumption, global change, eco-
systems and biodiversity, supporting actions and mixed actions);
Scientific Support to an Integration of Notions of Quality and
Security of the Production Environments, Processes and Goods
in a Context of Sustainable Development.

Germany (umbrella program Research on the Environment (Research on sustainable

and sub-programs) economic management, regional sustainability, research on
global change, socioecological research)

The Netherlands (umbrella Economy, Ecology and Technology (EET); Dutch Initiative for
program with structured and Sustainable Development (NIDO); Sustainable Technology
coordinated Development Project[2] HABIFORM (Expertise network –
individual programs) multiple use of space)

Sweden (individual programs) Urban and Regional Planning Infrasystems for Sustainable
Cities; The Sustainable City; Economics for Sustainable
Development; Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden;
Sustainable Food Production; Sustainable Coastal Zone;
Sustainable Management of the Mountain Region; Paths to
Sustainable Development – Behavior, Organizations,
Structures (Ways Ahead) Innovation Systems Supporting a
Sustainable Growth

UK (individual programs) Environmental Strategy Research Program Towards a

Sustainable Urban Environment EPSRC Infrastructure and
Environment Program Environment Agency Sustainable
Development R&D Program Sustainable Development
Commission Sustainable Technologies Initiative – LINK
Program

Source: Hargroves & Smith (2005).

Note: The table shows the three main program types for organizing research for sustainable development:
(1) umbrella programs, (2) subprograms, and (3) individual programs.
238 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

Table 9.2

List of Mediator Nongovernmental Soil and Water Conservation Society

Organizations (NGOs) Whitetails Unlimited
CERES Wildlife Forever
Conservation International (CI)
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) List of Captive NGOs

National Audubon Society African Wildlife Foundation

Natural Resources Bat Conservation International

Defense Council (NRDC) Defenders of Wildlife
The Nature Conservancy Delta Waterfowl Foundation
Wildlife Conservation Society Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
Wildlife Habitat Council Ducks Unlimited
World Resources Institute Environmental and Energy Study Institute
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Fauna & Flora International
Fish America Foundation
List of Bridge NGOs International Wildlife Coalition—USA
Center for Clean Air Policy Izaak Walton League of America
Rainforest Alliance Jane Goodall Institute
Scenic Hudson Land Trust Alliance
Student Conservation Association National Council for Air and Stream
Improvement
List of Independent NGOs National Wildlife Federation
American Forests Quail Unlimited RARE Sierra Club
American Rivers The Wilderness Society
Pheasants Forever Trout Unlimited
Rainforest Action Network Wildlife Trust
River Network Worldwatch Institute

Source: Data from Hoffman (2009).

Appendix A: Agenda 21 Chapter 27

Strengthening the Role of Non-Governmental Organizations: Partners for Sustainable

Development

Programme Area
Basis for action

1. Non-governmental organizations play a vital role in the shaping and implementation

of participatory democracy. Their credibility lies in the responsible and constructive
role they play in society. Formal and informal organizations, as well as grass-roots
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 239

movements, should be recognized as partners in the implementation of Agenda 21.

The nature of the independent role played by non-governmental organizations
within a society calls for real participation; therefore, independence is a major attrib-
ute of non-governmental organizations and is the precondition of real participation.
2. One of the major challenges facing the world community as it seeks to replace unsus-
tainable development patterns with environmentally sound and sustainable develop-
ment is the need to activate a sense of common purpose on behalf of all sectors of
society. The chances of forging such a sense of purpose will depend on the willing-
ness of all sectors to participate in genuine social partnership and dialogue, while
recognizing the independent roles, responsibilities and special capacities of each.
3. Non-governmental organizations, including those non-profit organizations represent-
ing groups addressed in the present section of Agenda 21, possess well-established and
diverse experience, expertise and capacity in fields which will be of particular impor-
tance to the implementation and review of environmentally sound and socially respon-
sible sustainable development, as envisaged throughout Agenda 21. The community
of non-governmental organizations, therefore, offers a global network that should be
tapped, enabled and strengthened in support of efforts to achieve these common goals.
4. To ensure that the full potential contribution of non-governmental organizations is
realized, the fullest possible communication and cooperation between international
organizations, national and local governments and non-governmental organizations
should be promoted in institutions mandated, and programmes designed to carry
out Agenda 21. Non-governmental organizations will also need to foster coopera-
tion and communication among themselves to reinforce their effectiveness as actors
in the implementation of sustainable development.

Objectives

5. Society, Governments and international bodies should develop mechanisms to allow

non-governmental organizations to play their partnership role responsibly and effec-
tively in the process of environmentally sound and sustainable development.
6. With a view to strengthening the role of non-governmental organizations as social
partners, the United Nations system and Governments should initiate a process, in
consultation with non-governmental organizations, to review formal procedures and
mechanisms for the involvement of these organizations at all levels from policy-
making and decision-making to implementation.
7. By 1995, a mutually productive dialogue should be established at the national level
between all Governments and non-governmental organizations and their self-
organized networks to recognize and strengthen their respective roles in implement-
ing environmentally sound and sustainable development.
8. Governments and international bodies should promote and allow the participation
of non-governmental organizations in the conception, establishment and evaluation
of official mechanisms and formal procedures designed to review the implementa-
tion of Agenda 21 at all levels.
240 PART III  STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND CHOICES

Activities

9. The United Nations system, including international finance and development agen-
cies, and all intergovernmental organizations and forums should, in consultation
with non-governmental organizations, take measures to:
a. Review and report on ways of enhancing existing procedures and mechanisms by
which non-governmental organizations contribute to policy design, decision-
making, implementation and evaluation at the individual agency level, in inter-
agency discussions and in United Nations conferences;
b. On the basis of subparagraph (a) above, enhance existing or, where they do not
exist, establish, mechanisms and procedures within each agency to draw on the
expertise and views of non-governmental organizations in policy and programme
design, implementation and evaluation;
c. Review levels of financial and administrative support for non-governmental
organizations and the extent and effectiveness of their involvement in project
and programme implementation, with a view to augmenting their role as social
partners;
d. Design open and effective means of achieving the participation of non-
governmental organizations in the processes established to review and evaluate
the implementation of Agenda 21 at all levels;
e. Promote and allow non-governmental organizations and their self-organized
networks to contribute to the review and evaluation of policies and programmes
designed to implement Agenda 21, including support for developing country
non-governmental organizations and their self-organized networks;
f. Take into account the findings of non-governmental review systems and evaluation
processes in relevant reports of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly, and
of all pertinent United Nations organizations and other intergovernmental organi-
zations and forums concerning implementation of Agenda 21, in accordance with
the review process for Agenda 21;
g. Provide access for non-governmental organizations to accurate and timely data
and information to promote the effectiveness of their programmes and activities
and their roles in support of sustainable development.

10. Governments should take measures to:

a. Establish or enhance an existing dialogue with non-governmental organizations
and their self-organized networks representing various sectors, which could serve
to: (i) consider the rights and responsibilities of these organizations; (ii) efficiently
channel integrated non-governmental inputs to the governmental policy develop-
ment process; and (iii) facilitate non-governmental coordination in implementing
national policies at the programme level;
b. Encourage and enable partnership and dialogue between local non-governmental
organizations and local authorities in activities aimed at sustainable development;
Chapter 9  Role of Governments and Nongovernmental Organizations 241

c. Involve non-governmental organizations in national mechanisms or procedures

established to carry out Agenda 21, making the best use of their particular
capacities, especially in the fields of education, poverty alleviation and environ-
mental protection and rehabilitation;
d. Take into account the findings of non-governmental monitoring and review
mechanisms in the design and evaluation of policies concerning the implementa-
tion of Agenda 21 at all levels;
e. Review government education systems to identify ways to include and expand
the involvement of non-governmental organizations in the field of formal and
informal education and of public awareness;
f. Make available and accessible to non-governmental organizations the data and
information necessary for their effective contribution to research and to the
design, implementation and evaluation of programmes.

Means of implementation

(a) Financing and cost evaluation

11. Depending on the outcome of review processes and the evolution of views as to
how best to build partnership and dialogue between official organizations and
groups of non-governmental organizations, relatively limited but unpredictable,
costs will be involved at the international and national levels in enhancing consulta-
tive procedures and mechanisms. Non-governmental organizations will also require
additional funding in support of their establishment of, improvement of or contri-
butions to Agenda 21 monitoring systems. These costs will be significant but cannot
be reliably estimated on the basis of existing information.

(b) Capacity-building
12. The organizations of the United Nations system and other intergovernmental
organizations and forums, bilateral programmes and the private sector, as appro-
priate, will need to provide increased financial and administrative support for non-
governmental organizations and their self-organized networks, in particular those
based in developing countries, that contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of
Agenda 21 programmes, and provide training for non-governmental organizations
(and assist them to develop their own training programmes) at the international
and regional levels to enhance their partnership role in programme design and
implementation.
13. Governments will need to promulgate or strengthen, subject to country-specific
conditions, any legislative measures necessary to enable the establishment by non-
governmental organizations of consultative groups, and to ensure the right of
non-governmental organizations to protect the public interest through legal action.

Source: UN Agenda 21, Sec III, chapter 27 accessed on [DATE/YEAR] at http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/

res_agenda21_27.shtml  United Nations Reproduced with permission.