Prior to the year 2000, ecodependent NGOs in Ecuador were thriving. Lewis in Chapter Five of Ecuador's Environmental Revolutions discusses how these organizations grew in number during the neoliberal boom in Ecuador. However, in 2000 a series of events occurred which led to the decline of ecodependent organizations. Transnational funding declined significantly due to the financial crisis/dollarization and the terror attacks in the United States. The U.S. was a large transnational funder and after the terrorist attacks financially supporting environmentalism was not a priority. In addition to these crises, two major projects in Ecuador that were being funded by transnational funders were concluding.
After NGOs lost funding they had to adjust. Many ecodependent groups had to shut down because they were so reliant on foreign funding. With very limited foreign funding some remaining groups switched their agenda to match what specific ecoimperialist groups with funding wanted. The money from transnational funders was so scarce after these events that NGOs would continually switch their agendas after periods of time to follow the “trends” of what goals had the most funding. Similar to this strategy, some NGOs dealt with the decline in funding by completing specific projects ecoimperialists are working on. While these NGOs may be successful at completing a project it is debatable whether they are aiding an environmental movement. Some NGOs would even take on projects such as completing an environmental impact statement for an oil company. If an ecodependent organization did not shut down, switch agendas, or take on projects, another strategy was to perform services for a fee.
NGOs due to their funding source follow an international agenda, not national. Groups that do not rely on international funding, such as ecoresisters are able to devise their own nationally oriented agenda. Having more control over their agenda and not having to jump from project to project for funding allowed ecoresisters to develop “real [environmental] movements” even at a time with decreased foreign funding. In the “organizational bust” movement from 2000 - 2006 decentralization created opportunities for environmentalism at the local level. Local-level environmental groups in some areas during this time were more successful than the national level groups. One local environmental group that was extremely successful was DECOIN. DECOIN was formed to prevent mining in the Ecuadorian community called Intag. DECOIN was successful because it created a small movement within the community. It focused not on just small projects but saw the bigger picture. DECOIN created alternative jobs to mining, educated the community, and collaborated with other groups. DECOIN took into account the perspective of the community which is essential to creating a lasting environmental movement.
In 2005, a political crisis in Ecuador unintentionally created the platform for an environmental political movement. In response to the crisis, the first National Environmental Assembly (ANA) was held bringing together varying types of environmental organizations and individuals. The ANA developed a declaration and ideas from the multiple perspectives of the group. In addition to the ANA developing, ecoentrepreneurs also emerged. Ecoentrepreneurs addressed local environmental issues and did not rely on foreign funding. They sought to improve an individual's quality of life with sustainable, innovate solutions.
Throughout Ecuador’s Environmental Revolutions, funding for environmental organizations is discussed. In Chapter Three, I viewed Ecodependents as the most effective environmental group and in Chapter 4 I felt that they were the organization with the best communication style. However, Chapter Six caused me to reevaluate why I selected ecodependents as the most effective. The decline in transnational funding starting in 2000 revealed how reliant on transnational funders ecodependent organizations are. The lack of involvement on a local level, inability to set an independent agenda, and reliance on foreign funds show that ecodependents do not have a sustainable movement. Ecoresisters may have radical tactics but those organizations that focus on the community perspective such as DECOIN are able to achieve their goals. Environmental education is the key to success for lasting and successful environmental movements. The North American Association for Environmental Education states that environmental education allows individuals to make informed decisions and exist in harmony with nature. DECOIN by predicting the need for jobs and explaining to the community the long term negative impacts of mining was able to shift the perspective of the community.
However, it is important to consider the role of the state. In this chapter, ecoresisters appear to be the most effective and sustainable organizations/individuals but the state itself was very weak and decentralized. If the state was not weak during this time, I question how effective ecoresister organizations would have been, especially because they typically do not cooperate with the state. Ecoentrepreneurs would most likely still be successful, but just like ecoresisters, they have more opportunities with a weakened state that is easier to influence.
Works Cited: “About EE and Why It Matters.” NAAEE, North American Association for Environmental Education, 26 Oct. 2017, naaee.org/about-us/about-ee-and-why-it-matters.