Climate concerns

China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has in recent years seen the emergence of thousands of grassroots groups campaigning against the environmental and human costs of rapid modernization and urbanization.

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 River in China's southern province of Yunan.

Yongchen managed to enlist the support of several experts as well as a few government officials. The campaign was so successful that Chinese President Wen Jiabao ordered the plans for the dams to be shelved. The project's impact on the environment is now being assessed.

Yongchen said China's fledgling green movement had bolstered the country's civil society.

"The Chinese environment movement has to a certain extent pushed forward China's democratization. People are getting involved. Affected citizens are now fighting to have a say in the decision-making process," the 55-year-old told Deutsche Welle.

Bowing to public pressure

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

A few months ago, hundreds of residents of Panyu in China's southern city of Guangzho in Guangdong province protested against a planned garbage incinerator, saying its location posed a health and environmental hazard.

Local newspapers too criticized the environment policies of Panyu's government. The pressure finally forced the local government to admit that they had failed to pay heed to citizens' concerns. The construction 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 rights movement in China.

"Whether it's the construction of a garbage incinerator or a chemicals factory or water- and lead pollution - the rights of citizens are being strongly violated. They're fighting for survival. With the help of NGOs and in particular, with lawyers, they're trying to protect their rights."

Minimal impact on politics

Mass protests against environmental pollution are on the rise. The Chinese government admits they're growing by about a third yearly. In 2005 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 - and not on politics.

They point out that the green movement in China is a long way off from replicating the successful record of the Green Party in Germany which has introduced ecological concerns into mainstream politics. The party, which evolved during the height of the Cold War, has been elected into power twice at the federal level - the first time in 1998.

"So far, there are no indications that environmental groups or politically-conscious citizens in China can develop in the way they've done in Germany," Dai Qing told Deutsche Welle. "Neither the NGOs nor the citizens' groups are in a position to challenge, control or even influence China's authoritarian system."

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

The government tolerates and sometime even supports the NGOs provided they vow not to focus on certain subjects or target a specific factory.

Drawing on experience in the West

It's not surprising then that Wang Yongchen responded cautiously to the question of whether her organization could profit from the experiences of Germany's Green Party. In 2008, the journalist was invited to Germany and met with representatives from the Green Party and NGOs.

"If you consider today's situation in China, it seems to be more important for us to go our own way," Wang Yongchen told Deutsche Welle. "Of course we hope that the green movement in China becomes stronger. But China has it own special characteristics. That's why you can't draw a lot on the experiences of the German Greens and use it for the Chinese green movement."

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

She pointed out that western environmental NGOs also interacted with their Chinese counterparts by conducting seminars and inviting speakers and commentators from China. The Chinese green movement is largely based on the success of environment parties in the West, Dai Qing said.

Author: Tian Miao (sp)
Editor: Rob Mudge