Leonard,
I have to say that I find this broad-brush
indictment of NGOs’ role in scientific research to be rather unfair. For
example, I work closely with ACCOBAMS, one of the regional whaling regimes
under the Convention on Migratory Species. Several NGOs, including the Whale
& Dolphin Conservation Society and the Tethys Institute are the bulwark of
scientific research for the treaty instrument, and I must say that not only do
I find their work of the highest caliber scientifically, but also not driven by
pre-ordained conclusions or particular agendas. Ditto for the work of NGOs in
the context of ASCOBANS, the other
regional whaling treaty under the CMS.
In both regimes, the NGOs work very closely with the members of the parties’
scientific committees. I would generally say ditto for the NGOs that have
worked with LRTAP. Wil
Wil Burns, Co-Chair
American Society of International Law - International Environmental Law Group
1702 Arlington Blvd.
El Cerrito, CA 94530 USA
Ph: 650.281.9126
Fax: 510.217.7060
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Leonard Hirsch
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005
1:40 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED];
gep-ed@listserve1.allegheny.edu; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: NGOs and climate
change science and policy making
Neil:
From
working within the science and policy beast, I think there is a real
difference between NGO influence on
SCIENCE and on POLICY. The former is
nuanced, but generally negative
(NGOs are more harmful/problematic to
science then helpful, supportive
only when it supports them, and then
generally using simplistic and
simplified versions which alienates the
scientists) and very influential on
policy--sometimes. The information they
bring forward, the lobbying they
do, the construction of media events that
influence decision makers, the
grunt work of crafting legislation,
regulation, programs and
initiatives is done by many NGOs to great effect.
Clearly, they aren't going to make
purses out of sow's ears--ie they are
more successful with
administrations and legislators who are prone to agree
with them, but they also work (frequently
effectively) in getting those
folks to their side.
It is a
long term process where empirical studies of specific events
generally cannot get the larger
picture of the lobbying water torture that
happens.
==========================================================
The future is an act of the
imagination. (from Ziegler 1987)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leonard P. Hirsch
Smithsonian Institution
New mailing address:
1100 Jefferson Drive SW #3123
PO Box 37012
Q-3123 MRC 705
Washington, DC 20013-7012
1.202.633.4788
1.202.312.2888 fax
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>
"Neil E Harrison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 01/04/05 09:26AM
>>>
Henrik:
As the
title suggests, the book I co-edited with Gary Bryner last year
("Science and Politics in the
International Environment," Rowman and
Littlefield, 2004) looked
specifically at the relationship between
science and policy making in
international environmental issues. One of
our conclusions in the final
chapter is that NGOs have little influence
on science or policy beyond getting
the issue on the international
agenda. In only one issue (the
formation and management of a US-Mexican
biosphere reserve) were NGOs
evidently active and influential beyond
issue recognition.
It may be that scholars who look
for the influence of NGOs see more of
it (and rate it a more significant
influence on policy outcomes) than
those who look generally at the issue.
The authors of the case studies
(many of whom are not political
scientists) did not specifically seek
out the influence of NGOs but
looked holistically at the history of the
issue. The 10 cases (on issues as
varied as mad cow disease in Europe,
climate change, dioxins in the
Arctic, acid rain, global forest policy,
and watershed management) are
specifically written for use in class and
are rich in detailed data on events
and actors. To encourage student
participation and discussion they
do not draw specific conclusions on
each case. The final chapter
considers the usefulness of current
theories on science-policy
interactions and find them all wanting. Gary
and I suggest some routes for new
theoretical development.
Cheers:
Neil
Harrison
SDI/UW
-----Original
Message-----
From: Henrik Selin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 8:39 PM
To: gep-ed@listserve1.allegheny.edu
Subject: NGOs and climate change
science and policy making
Hello all,
Can
anyone recommend shorter texts (articles, book chapters etc) that
examine the roles of NGOs
specifically with respect to climate change
science and policy making, to be
used in class?
Thanks,
Henrik S.
Henrik
Selin
Assistant Professor
Department of International Relations
Boston University
154 Bay State Road
Boston, MA
02215
Phone:
(1)- 617-353-5400
Fax: (1)-617-353-9290
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web: http://www.bu.edu/ir/faculty/selin.html
