China's environmental protection non-government organizations (NGOs) are making significant impact on addressing the worse environmental abuses.

"Their contribution is critical, because they are operating on a grass roots level, and they attained a greater significance through the central government's emphasis on environmental protection," said Pan Yue, vice-minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).

Their voices have grown stronger and stronger and their efforts are widely recognized as both rewarding and encouraging, according to Wang Yuqing, another vice-minister of SEPA.

"Public participation is highly encouraged and should be widely enhanced, according to the State Council's decision to implement a scientific concept for development and improvement over the nation's environment last year, which is a guideline document for China's environmental protection cause," Wang said.

The recently-released survey conducted by the All-China Environment Federation (ACEF) a leading NGO, showed that the number of environmental protection NGOs grew to 2,768 by the end of 2005 in China. Despite this progress, they still suffer from a shortage of funds.

Positive Influence

"As a witness of the development of the environmental protection NGOs, I have been deeply moved by their fruitful achievements since the first ones began, such as the Friends of Nature, which was founded by Liang Congjie in 1994," said Wang.

One particular moment showing the NGO's dedication came when Wang visited the United Kingdom several years ago.

He was invited to a department engaged in foreign aid of the British Foreign Office, and learned about a letter Liang Congjie wrote to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, calling for a ban on Europe's massive trading of fur from the endangered Tibet Antelope in China.

Green Earth Volunteers, an NGO established by female journalist Wang Yongchen, is another case the vice-minister cited.

Green Earth Volunteers called for many NGOs to join hands to conserve the nature of the Nujiang River in Yunnan Province for the past three years.

They submitted a proposal to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

"I have been to the river many times making in-depth researches and investigations, and have set up some 30 reading rooms in elementary schools along the river," Wang said, "I am proud of doing my bit to help the river."

Another of the vice-minister's examples was the devotion of ACEF to help some 3,000 victims of environmental pollution assert their legal rights within only one year.

Problems Ahead

The younger generation plays a vital role in the NGOs' campaigns.

About 80 percent of the NGO environmentalists are below 30 years old and 70 percent below 40, according to the survey by ACEF.

However, their energy and enthusiasm have been hindered by the lack of fund-raising channels and their relative lack of influence.

Findings revealed that 76.1 percent of the NGOs do not have stable funding sources. The total funds of the surveyed NGOs collected amounted to 2.98 billion yuan (US$372 million) last year.

However, 22.5 percent of the NGOs could not raise any funds, and the funds raised by 81.5 percent of them was less than 50,000 yuan (US$6,242) each last year. These conditions have plunged them into hard times.

More than 95 percent of the NGOs say they do the work solely for environmental protection rather than profit. A total of 60 percent do not have offices, and 53.2 percent have not yet launched a website.

"I can see some of them disappearing soon," Wang Yuqing said.

The survey also said NGOs now feel the pinch of the social environment, and aim to enhance their social profile.

"Besides the lack of funds, the social identity is also important to NGOs' sustainable development," Wang Yongchen stressed.

"We (NGOs) need a sound social climate, solid legal environment and effective management for healthy growth," noted Li Hengyuan, secretary-general of the ACEF.

And still only a little more than 20 percent are correctly registered in related administrations, the survey said.

"This leads to difficulty in transparent management and supervision by us," said Hu Jianlin, an official of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which is responsible for administrating NGOs.

NGOs around the world receive considerable funds from their governments, according to Wang Ming, director of the NGO Research Institute of Tsinghua University.

"About 20-30 percent of NGOs in the world gain funds from their government. In Germany, 60-70 percent of the funds of NGOs come from the government. In Germany, Britain, and some Northern Europe countries, governments launch bidding to inject capital to NGOs to encourage their activities and exercise efficient assessment and management on them," he explained.

Currently, six NGOs are under SEPA in China. "More are encouraged to work with SEPA," Wang Yuqing said.

A total of 11 environmental protection NGOs in China have been granted exemption from taxation or enjoy favorable taxation policies. SEPA has proposed that the State Administration of Taxation consider more favorable policies to environmental protection NGOs, according to Wang Yuqing.

(China Daily May 8, 2006)