Building Civil Society through Environmental Advocacy

1
Building Civil Society through Environmental
Advocacy
2
Environmental Security for Civil Society

• The Russian constitution guarantees
  citizens rights to environmental information
  and to a healthy environment, yet the government
  is not taking steps to ensure those rights are
  being implemented- Olga Yakovleva,
• Rodnik Legal Center, Moscow
• Ensuring a local voice in development projects
• Ensuring environmental sustainability
• Ensuring livable conditions for health

3
The Civil Society Movement

• Civil Society exists even during repressive times
  of the Soviet Union
• Directions of movement
• Growth and capacity of public interest groups
• Collaboration of the public sector in assisting
  government to fulfill its duties willingness to
  collaborate
• Resistance of public sector to suppression by
  government when interests are challenged

4
Civil Society Creating Change

• Ten years ago and now
• Growth of legal and political literacy of public
  sector
• Recognition for the authority of the movement
• Environmental gains with precedent setting
  impacts

5
Economic Development Priorities of Russian
Government

• Putin says economy is first priority...
• Diminished enforcement of and weakening of
  environmental standards.
• Merging of Ministry of Environmental Protection
  Agency into the Ministry of Natural Resources,
  2000).
• Natural Resources Colony for timber.
• (In RFE only 10 timber processed locally, 2000).
• Heavy focus on Oil Extraction.
• (40 of Federal budget, 2001).
• Negotiations for import of Nuclear Waste (2001).

6
Information Exchange and MediaCounterbalancing
Governmental Trends

• Media sources distribute relevant information.
• Groups begin to collaborate on publications.
• List-serves established that link and support
  activists with regular intercommunication from
  regions regarding specific issues.
• Conferences and public hearings gather to network
  and discuss issues to find common agenda and
  support.
• Issues taken to international arena create
  pressure for change.

7
Groups attending Pacific Environment
Annual Sosnovka Conference
8
Civil Society counterbalancing
lack of enforcement trends

• Student Environmental Inspectors enforce Federal
  Environmental Law on logging and poaching
• Law suits brought up against the Russian Federal
  Government win
• Alexander Nikitin acquittal
• Enforcement of Exxon to re-inject drilling wastes
  instead of dumping into the Sea of Ohotsk
• Legislation of Category I Forests

• NGO cooperation with government bodies to
  obtain accurate customs information on export
  and trade, monitor border points to address
  illegal logging

9
Civil Society collaborating to demand highest
standards for development

• Attempting to work constructively with companies
  and local people to improve projects
• Demanding best standards of practice
• Demanding implementation of Russian law for EIA
  review process and public participation
• Evaluating economic and social benefits
• Engaging International Finance Institutions in
  public opinion of projects
• Examples
• Sakhalin off-shore oil extraction projects in
  fishery-based communities
• Transneft Angarsk-Nahodka pipeline project
  through seismically sensitive and rugged
  territories

10
Business responses implicating collaboration

• Emergence of Business and Industry NGOs
• Do not display interests of community

11
Further Challenges Public opinion recognition
National Environmental
Referendum

• August 2000environmental groups launch effort to
  gain 2 million signatures to put 3 issues to a
  national vote
• Banning importation of foreign nuclear waste
• Restoration of independent environmental
  protection agency
• Restoration of Federal Forest Service
• October 20002.5 million signatures submitted to
  election officials
• Election officials reject over 600,000
  signatures referendum blocked

12
Unprecedented EventCivic ForumNovember 2001

• Recognition of Government of Russia to listen to
  voice of civil society and demands to
• Change priorities from big business to
  repressed majority provide for the health and
  welfare of the population
• Put natural resource use in order, and
  redistribute income of large business for the
  pubic benefit
• Restore environmental protection system and
  independent federal environmental protection
  agency
• Results questionable
• NGOs feel this event is a case of the Russian
  Government greenwashing for the global stage

13
Governmental Threats to Civil Society and
Environment

• Authenticity of Documents
• Letter to Putin from the Russian Federation
  Environmental Protection Society questioned for
  authenticity of signed text
• Increased bureaucratic harassment
• Re-registration, multiple tax audits, increased
  taxes, accusations of being spies, tools of West,
  and working only to get grants
• Repayment of fines for environmental pollution

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Suggestions

• Interconnectedness between environment and
  economy
• Evaluation of economic and social benefits
• Increase in transparency of all sectors
• Maintaining flexibility to engage in different
  approaches on a case-by-case basis

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Pacific Environment
Protecting the living environment of the Pacific
Rim by strengthening democracy, supporting
grassroots activism, empowering communities, and
redefining international policies.
www.pacificenvironment.org xsoubotin_at_pacificenviro
nment.org 510-251-8800