environmental movements — English

Since the international, all-encompassing Environmental Movement took off in the USA in the early 1960s, it has spread to every corner of the globe. Numerous environmental movements and organisations have been founded internationally and regionally, while innumerable local bodies have been founded. Instead of supplying a long list of them here, you are advised to use your study material and this glossary to compile your own list. Starting with the high-pofile movements such as Greenpeace and ending with your own local conservancies, you will be surprised to see how long your list is. Remember that these bodies together constitute a powerful lobby group in every official body such as provincial or regional governments and also national governments and eventually on international bodies like the agencies of the United Nations (see “polarisation”). Strictly speaking, “environmental movements” refer to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). However, owing to all the pressure applied by these organisations all countries in the world now have official environmental management or control bodies. These work hand in glove with the non-governmental movements and it would be churlish to view the official bodies as separate from the non-governmental ones. In fact, the environment is probably an exceptional aspect of human concern since governmental and non-governmental bodies often work together to try and save our fragile environment.

Afrikaans Sesotho sa Leboa isiZulu

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