The Role of Environmental NGOs
Russian Challenges American Lessons
Proceedings of a Workshop
Committee on Improving the Effectiveness of Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations in Russia
Office for Central Europe and Eurasia Development, Security, and Cooperation Policy and Global Affairs
National Research Council
In cooperation with the Russian Academy of Sciences
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C.
2001
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council
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WORKSHOP COMMITTEES
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL COMMITTEE
John H.Gibbons (Chair) Fellow
National Academy of Engineering
Mark E.Schaefer President
Association for Biodiversity Information
Debra Knopman Senior Engineer
RAND Corporation
RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Nikolai P.Laverov Vice President
Russian Academy of Sciences
Natalia P.Tarasova Chair,
Committee on Liaison with NGOs Russian Academy of Sciences
Yuri K.Shiyan
Foreign Relations Department Russian Academy of Sciences
STAFF
Glenn E.Schweitzer Project Director
National Research Council
A.Chelsea Sharber Program Specialist
National Research Council
CONTENTS
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Highlights of Presentations |
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Closing Remarks |
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Scientific Council on Ecological Problems and Emergency Events |
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PREFACE
In June 1999, the Presidents of the National Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Sciences agreed that a joint project on the role of environmental nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) would be of considerable interest to both Russian and American specialists in the environmental field. Staffs of the two academies subsequently agreed that an interacademy workshop on this topic would be a good first step in carrying out such a project. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been very interested in the activities of NGOs in Russia and therefore provided most of the funds required for the workshop. The National Research Council, using private funds, provided the remainder of the required financial support.
A workshop was held in Moscow in November 2000. Ten Americans and 80 Russians attended the workshop. This report includes the papers that were presented. The papers highlight many important issues concerning the role of a sampling of different types of environment NGOs in the two countries. Since there are hundreds of NGOs of many types operating in all regions of the two countries, a comprehensive overview of their activities was not feasible. However, the workshop was a good first step in identifying many of the successes of NGOs and the difficulties that they often face.
Of course the role of NGOs in Russia in contributing to environmental improvement is greatly impeded by the current economic crisis in the country. Also, environmental NGOs are much more mature in the United States with several decades of experience in influencing environmental policies at the federal, state, and local levels. Nevertheless, there are common concerns and common approaches that provided a basis for useful interactions among the specialists from the two countries.
The workshop was held shortly after the Russian Government decided to reorganize the federal structure of the country and incorporated the previously independent State Committee for Environmental Protection into the Ministry of Natural Resources. This decision was met with mixed reactions in Russia and abroad. The workshop did not address this organizational issue, which became a lively topic for informal discussions during the breaks at the workshop.
Also, prior to the workshop the Russian Academy of Sciences established a special standing panel of its Scientific Council on Ecological Problems and
Emergency Events to strengthen liaison with NGOs. This organizational step enhanced the interest of many Russian specialists in the topics that were discussed.
I would like to express my appreciation to the other members of the National Research Council Committee on Improving the Effectiveness of Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations in Russia who assisted in the selection of the western participants and reviewed the proceedings of the workshop. Also, we are indebted to the members of the organizing committee of the Russian Academy of Sciences who selected the Russian participants and made the necessary arrangements in Moscow for a successful workshop.
—John H.Gibbons