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China`s fledgling green movement taps experience of German counterpart

DW-World.de, 13 January 2010

The success of Germany`s Green Party, which turned 30 this week, hasinspired grass-roots green campaigns in China. Experts say they play arole in strengthening civil society, but their impact on politics ismodest.

China, the world`s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has in recentyears seen the emergence of thousands of grassroots groups campaigningagainst the environmental and human costs of rapid modernization andurbanization.

One of the most prominent is an organization called "Green Watershed"founded in 1996 by journalist Wang Yongchen.

It spearheaded a campaign to stop a series of dams along the Nu Riverin China`s southern province of Yunan.

Yongchen managed to enlist the support of several experts as well as afew government officials. The campaign was so successful that ChinesePresident Wen Jiabao ordered the plans for the dams to be shelved. Theproject`s impact on the environment is now being assessed.

Yongchen said China`s fledgling green movement had bolstered thecountry`s civil society.

"The Chinese environment movement has to a certain extent pushedforward China`s democratization. People are getting involved. Affectedcitizens are now fighting to have a say in the decision-makingprocess," the 55-year-old told Deutsche Welle.

Bowing to public pressure

China has seen a surge in environmental NGOs (non-governmentalorganizations) in the past 15 years ever since the government allowedthem to legally operate in 1994. Today, there are more than 3,000 inthe country. Their work on the ground has led to a growing publicawareness about the environment.

A few months ago, hundreds of residents of Panyu in China`s southerncity of Guangzho in Guangdong province protested against a plannedgarbage incinerator, saying its location posed a health andenvironmental hazard.

Local newspapers too criticized the environment policies of Panyu`sgovernment. The pressure finally forced the local government to admitthat they had failed to pay heed to citizens` concerns. Theconstruction of the incinerator was put off.

Dai Qing, a well-known environmental activist and government critic,said the ecological protests were part of the growing human rightsmovement in China.

"Whether it`s the construction of a garbage incinerator or a chemicalsfactory or water- and lead pollution - the rights of citizens arebeing strongly violated. They`re fighting for survival. With the helpof NGOs and in particular, with lawyers, they`re trying to protecttheir rights."

Minimal impact on politics

Mass protests against environmental pollution are on the rise. TheChinese government admits they`re growing by about a third yearly. In2005 alone, there were over 50,000 protests in China.

But experts say their impact is still mostly on the grassroots level -with activities such as public education and rubbish clean ups - andnot on politics.

They point out that the green movement in China is a long way off fromreplicating the successful record of the Green Party in Germany whichhas introduced ecological concerns into mainstream politics. Theparty, which evolved during the height of the Cold War, has beenelected into power twice at the federal level - the first time in1998.

"So far, there are no indications that environmental groups orpolitically-conscious citizens in China can develop in the way they`vedone in Germany," Dai Qing told Deutsche Welle. "Neither the NGOs northe citizens` groups are in a position to challenge, control or eveninfluence China`s authoritarian system."

Most environment NGOs in China can ill-afford to have a politicalagenda. Even the successful group Green Watershed led by Wang Yongchenhas focused exclusively on environmental issues and the rights ofthose affected. It has steered clear of investigating problems such ascorruption, for fear of a government reprisal.

The government tolerates and sometime even supports the NGOs providedthey vow not to focus on certain subjects or target a specificfactory.

Drawing on experience in the West

It`s not surprising then that Wang Yongchen responded cautiously tothe question of whether her organization could profit from theexperiences of Germany`s Green Party. In 2008, the journalist wasinvited to Germany and met with representatives from the Green Partyand NGOs.

"If you consider today`s situation in China, it seems to be moreimportant for us to go our own way," Wang Yongchen told DeutscheWelle. "Of course we hope that the green movement in China becomesstronger. But China has it own special characteristics. That`s why youcan`t draw a lot on the experiences of the German Greens and use itfor the Chinese green movement."

But others disagree. Dai Qing said the green movement in Germany andelsewhere in the West had already wrought direct changes in China.That included awareness about values, environmental concepts andtechnical know-how.

She pointed out that western environmental NGOs also interacted withtheir Chinese counterparts by conducting seminars and invitingspeakers and commentators from China. The Chinese green movement islargely based on the success of environment parties in the West, DaiQing said.
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Autor:inneninformation

Miao, Tian

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