Norms, Interests and Environmental NGOs: The Limits of Cosmopolitanism

Environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) play important roles in international politics, appearing to be motivated by a cosmopolitanism which transcends the nation state and presents challenges to international organisations. The role of ENGOs and the norms they advance in the development of international institutions of the environment is subjected to critical scrutiny. Rather than transforming such institutions, ENGOs operate within arenas which are structured by those institutions. Moreover, ENGOs cannot escape the web of national and regional interests. The ENGO with the greatest claim to cosmopolitanism (Greenpeace) on the most global issue (climate change) frequently supports some interests while weakening the claims of others. ENGOs and the norms they stand for can reconstruct interests, but a complete understanding still requires consideration of interests.