Environmental Heroes of the Pacific Rim: How Grassroots Movements in Russia and China are Making a Difference David Gordon, Executive Director Sibyl Diver, Russia Program Daniela Salaverry and Wen Bo, China Program
www.pacificenvironment.org
Activism can generate hope because in itself it constitutes an alternative and turns away from the corruption at the center to face the wild possibilities and the heroes at the edges or at your side. - Rebecca Solnit, author of Hope in the Dark
Building partnerships, Building a movement
Grassroots support More than 10 years of direct support $350,000 for over 20 groups in 2006 Support to key leaders across 9 time zones Networking, i.e. Sosnovka coalition
Russia Environmental Heroes
Protecting a salmon sanctuary Providing small grants Olga Chernyagina Kamchatka League of Independent Experts
Bringing community voices to big oil Connecting with int’l networks Dimitry Lisitsyn Sakhalin Environmental Watch
Forming non-traditional alliances for Baikal Supporting regional collaborations Marina Rikhmanova Baikal Environmental Wave
Olga Chernyagina, Kamchatka League of Independent Experts Protecting a Salmon Sanctuary
…It is essential to continue coordinated public efforts to protect Kamchatka’s wild nature. It is widely thought that individuals should leave such complex problems to the experts. But the reality is that government and experts will not succeed in the majority of cases because—out of ignorance—their activities oppose the principles of sustainable development. This means that increased public education work is critical, both among the population at-large as well as among decision-makers at all levels… -O.A. Chernyagina
Protecting a Salmon Sanctuary
Engaging Local Communities on Resource Extraction
Protecting a Salmon Sanctuary Community Education & Monitoring – Small Grants
Protecting a Salmon Sanctuary
Creating Protected Territories
New York Times
Dimitry Lisitsyn, Sakhalin Environmental Watch Bringing community voices to Big Oil
“What do you think about oil and gas development on Sakhalin?� -Dimitry Lisitsyn, as overheard talking to clerks and and owners of local shop.
Bringing community voices to Big Oil
Monitoring Shell Oil pipeline construction
Pipeline Construction across the Tikhaya salmon spawning river.
Bringing community voices to Big Oil
Connecting local people with international networks
Nivkh community road block: “Oil men: remember whose land you are working on.�
Sakhalin Islanders raise a red flag over the entry point to Shell's Sakhalin II Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) plant. International protests at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Marina Rikhvanova, Baikal Environmental Wave Forming non-traditional alliances for Baikal
“I saw the uniqueness of the lake, and it was obvious that it needed to be protected. I had a moral problem, because although we knew that all this beauty could die, as scientists we were just studying an doing nothing to change the situation.� - M. Rikhvanova, on why she chose to co-found the NGO Baikal Environmental Wave (Conde Nast Traveler magazine ).
Photo: Boyd Norton
Photo: Baikal Explorer
Forming non-traditional alliances for Baikal Organizing public meetings
Forming non-traditional alliances for Baikal Regional networks & victory
Russia Environmental Heroes
Protecting a salmon sanctuary Providing small grants Olga Chernyagina Kamchatka League of Independent Experts
Bringing community voices to big oil Linking with int’l networks Dimitry Lisitsyn Sakhalin Environmental Watch
Forming non-traditional alliances for Baikal Supporting regional collaborations Marina Rikhmanova Baikal Environmental Wave
China ’s s Environmental Heroes
Daniela Salaverry Women’s Building
China 中国 Population: 1.3 billion GDP: $8.2 trillion Economic Growth: 9.2%
The State of China’s Environment 300 Million People Lack Access to Clean Drinking Water China is home to 17 of the world’s most polluted cities Major deforestation has resulted in growing deserts and loss of biodiversity
China’s Emerging Environmental Movement
Where we work
Our partners are working across China on critical environmental issues, including endangered species trade, marine conservation and water pollution.
Harbin, Heilongjiang: Green Longjiang
Hefei, Anhui: Green Anhui
Wenzhou, Zhejiang: Green Eyes
Fang Minghe of Green Eyes
Zhou Xiang & Feng Yuanbo of Green Anhui
Zhang Yadong & Lu Yingying of Green Longjiang
Thank you! 谢谢！
For more information, please visit our website: www.pacificenvironment.org
How can you help? Learn about a community abroad Voice your opinion Conserve energy at home Donate to Pacific Environment Contact us! dkgordon@pacificenvironment.org dsalaverry@pacificenvironment.org sdiver@pacificenvironment.org wenbo2@yahoo.com Tel: 415-399-8850 www.pacificenvironment.org