Sustaining Regional Environmental NGOs in Latin America and Eastern Europe: Considering the Experience of the FARN and the REC

Abstract

Democratisation presents opportunities and threats to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Greater openness associated with democratic regimes provides opportunities for participation and influence not previously available. At the same time, increasing state capacity may threaten the continued relevance of NGOs. The article examines the Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (FARN) of Argentina and the Regional Environmental Center (REC) of eastern Europe to assess environmental support organisations in post-authoritarian contexts. The aims of the article are to identify opportunities and threats to environmental support organisations and to examine the strategies they adopt to advance their interests and achieve their goals.

Notes

The research used to analyse the Regional Environmental Centre (REC) was obtained through five interviews conducted with staff at the head office in Szentendre, Hungary, in May and June 2007. Information on the Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) draws on a semi-structured interview with a former senior official and written answers to the same questions provided by a current staff member in September 2009.

Scruggs (1999) notes that the ability of a regime to introduce reform is determined by factors as diverse as electoral rules, separation of executive and legislative accountability, ideology of the governing party, federal complexity and consensual or majoritarian political institutions.

The Treaty of Asunción states that the “economic development of the region should be accompanied by environmental preservation.” (Jacobs and Maldonado, 2005, p. 148).

On coming to power, President Nestor “Kirchner [2003] focused government policy on rebuilding Argentina's industrial base, public works and public services” indicating a desire to strengthen state capacity and move away from the adherence to the Washington Consensus (Grugel and Riggirozzi, 2007, p. 97).

A REC official argued that the US was interested in building a friendly civil society, while the EU was looking towards future enlargement (REC official, interview, 2 May 2007).

For a more detailed examination of the organisational development of REC, see O'Brien, 2010.

The NewRECs are operationally independent of REC, but have a similar organisational structure. NewRECs were established in Moldova, Russia and Ukraine in 1998, with the Caucasus REC (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia) and the central Asia REC (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) established in 2000.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Thomas O'Brien

The research on the REC was supported by a Postgraduate Overseas Research Experience scholarship from the University of Melbourne. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Political Science Association of Ireland (PSAI) Conference, Liverpool Hope University, 9–11 October 2009. The article was strengthened by comments from Petra Mäkelä and two anonymous reviewers.