International Conference “Local Institution Building for the Environment: Perspectives from East and West” Gorizia (Italy), 9-10 September 2004
De-institutionalising Environmentalism The Shift From Civil Institutions To a Fake State Institutionalisation Jean-Paul Bozonnet CIDSP-PACTE - Institute of Political Studies - GRENOBLE
Environmentalism institutionalisation is nowadays a commonplace…
…Activists have turned into experts, teachers or politicians . …Social movements become lobbies or Green parties. …Activists and leaders have been well surveyed for their position about institutionalisation,
But what about opinions, attitudes and practices of simple
members, sympathizers, and ordinary people on institutionalisation?
Some large international surveys as EVS, ISSP and ESS give us an answer. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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I – About the concept of institution Theories, hypothesis, method 3
1 - What institution is not Before defining institution, we must rule out common meanings :
Institution is not necessarily part of the State For instance : Greenpeace or CRII-RAD in France But State is generally made of institutions
Institutions are not necessarily organisations "Altermondialists" are frequently organisations rejecting any established practices, claiming permanent innovation. …conversely, individual practices can be nowadays institutional norms : not throw litter for instance.
Institutionalisation differs from rationalisation Traditional societies are very institutionalised, but little rational. Activities of Green associations may be little institutionalised, but very rational, i.e. appropriated to their purposes.
At last, institutions can be immaterial : languages, De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004 4 ideologies.
2 - The concept of institution in classic sociology and anthropology
The 19th century meaning of institution is "all that invented by men in opposition to nature" (Littré)
Anthropologists uses a close meaning: all the mediation with nature, nature i.e. techniques, symbols, social structures are institutions with social norms (Leroi-Gourhan, Gehlen).
Durkheim: institutions are long-lasting, constraining, and integrating collective facts, facts the only object possible for sociology. Malinovski: each institution (family, companies, techniques, language, State-apparatus,…) is an organ used for a function as subsistence, reproduction, security, communication, integration,… Parsons connects macro-social institutions to individual free working, by the concepts of status and role. role De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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3 - Contesting institution: individualism
At the end of 20th century, many sociologists contest global explanations of Parsons, at the benefit of individuals. They find institutions on the move, move instable, instable often dysfunctional. dysfunctional
Freezing social interactions, institutions are accused to lead to: Alienation: Alienation means sometimes contradict finalities and more generally "instituted" oppresses individuals. That is the reason for Lourau & Lapassade will rehabilitate "instituting". Perverse effects, especially inside public policies, policies but also firms. firms There are many applications in environmental field.
Giddens considers institution as a construct of stabilized social relations, relations both conditions and results of individual action. Goffman shows that, as totalitarians institutions are, individuals always challenge, bend, and modify even a little them.
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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4 – De-institutionalisation Traditional societies have long-lasting unchanged socio-technique
system… …which generate durable and legitimate institutions, with hard constraints and absolute respect for individuals. Conversely, modernity have drastically changed socio-technique system,
which is nowadays constantly unsettled… … needing relentless adaptation for institutions… … continuous modifying, and reflexivity (Giddens)… …So the institutions' challenging and their sociological deconstruction are perfectly fitting to advanced modernity. But some sociologists do not agree with this happy view.
They worry about loss of legitimacy, challenging of the rules and citizens' withdrawal of public debate, in short de-institutionalisation. institutionalisation
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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5 - Hypothesis Environmentalism institutionalisation is not a one-to-one
process, but shows different trends. First trend: State institutionalisation. institutionalisation Original bubbling ecology is integrating political system as well as an input (Green parties) that an output (experts or teachers in public policies). Second trend: civil society de-institutionalisation. institutionalisation Organisations' members give up participation and donations, and membership is waning.
Third trend: State institutionalisation may be a fake. Activists' disengagement comes with increasing rejection of environmental taxes and laws. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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6 - Method Demonstration is based on several large
international surveys:
1) - European Values Survey (EVS) of 1990 and 1999.
2) - International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) of 1993 and 2000.
3) - European Social Survey, (ESS) of 2003.
Exploiting surveys and calculations have been carried out by the author. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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II - De-institutionalisation inside civil society : environmental disengagement - Fall of environmental membership - Increasing rejection of individual sacrifice - And yet persistent concern about environment 10
1 - Associative commitment on the wane In Occident, there is a widespread fall of
ecologist associations' membership during the nineties (Bozonnet, 2003) This trend is verified in EVS surveys of 1990 and 1999… …and ISSP surveys of 1993 and 2000
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 1 – Environmental membership in 1990 and 1999 EVS 50%
44%
45%
Percentage of environmental membership in European countries
40% 35%
28%
30%
EVS-1990
25%
EVS-1999
20%
14% 15% 12%11% 13% 11%
15%
ia er I c m an elan y (E d xW es t) Be lg iu m D en m ar k Sw ed N e et he n rla nd s
9% 9% 7% 7% 5% 3%
us tr
G
A
om gd
d
U
ni te
d
K in
an
ly
Fi nl
Ita
Sp
Po rtu
ga
l
0%
ai n
2% 1%
5%
4% 6% 6% 3% 4% 2% 3%3% 2% 4% 4% 2%
Ire la nd Fr an ce
10%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 2 – Environmental membership in 1993 and 2000 ISSP 20% 18%
Percentage of environmental membership in some world countries
16% 14% 12%
ISSP-2000
8% 6% 2%
2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 2%
11%
10%
ISSP-1993
10%
4%
17% 17% 16%
4% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3%
6% 6% 5% 5%
8%
7% 7%
N
et h
er
la
nd s ew -Z ea la nd
SA U
G
N
d
K in er gd m om an y (E xRF A ) Ca na da
Ire la nd ni te U
a en i
Sl ov
ic bl
)
Re pu
A D
Cz ec h
(E xR
ai n
G
er m an y
Sp
ia ss Ru
Ja pa n
0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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There is a fall of environmental membership
during the nineties…
…everywhere in different continents, …as well in countries with strong associative tradition (Sweden) as countries without this one (Russia) …The fall is dramatically severe in USA : - 16%
Exceptions to explain: Spain, Austria, Netherlands, United-Kingdom, Canada.
The following table provides some explanations…
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 3 - Relationship of members to their organisations (ESS 2003) 25%
22% 20%
20%
Registration
17%
Money contribution 15%
Active participation
12%
12%
13%
14%
10% 10%
8%
9% 9% 7% 8%
H un
ga r Po y la Po n d rt ug S l al ov en ia G re ec e Sp ai Fi n nl an d It al y Is ra e Ir l el an Fr d an ce U N ni or te w d ay K in gd G om er m an Sw y ed Be en lg i D um en m ar A k Lu ust ri xe a m b N et our he g rl an ds
6% 6% 6% 6% 6% 5% 5% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4% 3% 3% 5% 4% 5% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 1%1%1% 1% 0% 0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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ESS survey gives more reliable results because of its strict methological requirements It shows that several countries have high contribution percentage, but much lower participation percentage, especially Netherlands, United-Kingdom, Austria and more generally Nordic countries. Interviewees can consider they belong to organisations only by the fact of their donation: that is a possible explanation for the exceptional membership of some countries.
In conclusion High membership of some countries as Germany, Netherlands, Austria, and Nordic countries consists mainly in money contribution (due to environmental organisations’ campaign?) However participation and voluntary work remain not important. Increasing membership likely hides a shift from active participation to a plain money donation, without social relations.
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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2 – Ageing membership The rate of environmental young membership
is almost everywhere drastically decreasing
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Table 1 - Evolution of 18-29 years among environmental membership Countries Austria Belgium Canada Denmark Germany (Ex-West) Finland France Ireland Italy Netherlands New-Zealand Portugal Spain Sweden United-Kingdom USA
Evolution EVS 1990-1999
Evolution ISSP 19932000
17% -14% -38% -61% 146% -70% 7% -42% -36% -
-69% -31% 30% -22% -33%
-58% -5% -17% 29% -
-71% -33%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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This evolution confirms a substantial and widespread regression of participation among young people.
It explains that organisations mainly consist of ageing people, people which persists in registering and participation (Bozonnet, 2003).
Exceptions as Austria or United Kingdom are justified by the fact that registering consist essentially in donations. Exception as Ireland is likely due to the skyrocketing economic growth, and therefore increasing donations.
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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3 - Increasing rejection of individual sacrifice…
Citizens are less and less inclined to give
personal money for environment protection.
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 4 - Agreement to give a part of one's income to prevent environmental pollution, and GDP evolution EVS 1990 EVS 1999 % GDP evolution 1990-1999
90% 80% 70% 60% 50%
60% 49%
53%
46%
40%
77% 67%
58% 55%
57%
69%
53%
49%
55%
34%
30% 20%
84% 79% 82% 79%
82% 75%
69% 68% 65% 58%
67% 61%
83%
20%
22%
24%
29%
28%
24%
20%
18%
15%
14%
11%
13%
10%
k Sw ed en Fi nl an d Ir el an d
en m
ar
m D
lg
iu
s Be
l
er la nd
et h
tu ga N
in
Po r
Sp a
ly It a
Fr U ni an te ce dK in G gd er om m an y (R FA ) A us tr ia
0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Why this increasing refusal ? Is economic crisis the reason? But all these European countries have a positive evolution of GrossDomesticProduct growth during the period …and Sweden stay at stable level of 21% despite a weak increase of GDP (+11.3%) …while refusal skyrockets from 17% to 43% in Portugal despite a high GDP growth of 26%! A glance at ISSP results enlarges the
possible explanations. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 5 - Agreement to cut one's standard of living to protect the environment 70% 61%
60% 50% 50%
47%
40% 30%
24%
ISSP 2000
48%
45%44% 42% 35%
ISSP 1993
57%
60%
45% 35% 27%
43% 41%
36% 30%29%
45%
40% 37%
42%
39%
29%
27%
20% 10%
in Sp a
Ge rm
an y Ge - We st rm an yEa Gr st ea tB rit Un ai ite n d St ate s Ir e Ne land th Cz erla nd ec s h Re pu bl ic Sl ov en ia Ru ss Ne ia w Ze al an d Ca na da Ja pa n
0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Fewer and fewer citizens agree to cut their
standard of life to protect the environment
…in every part of the world (Europe, Japan, USA)… …except in Ireland and Czech Republic: likely due to economic growth during the nineties. And the result is only a levelling up to the standards of other countries. The reason is no more economic crisis than for the increasing refusal to give money.
At last there is a increasing global rejection of
individual sacrifice for the environment, visible through the refusal of money donation, or standard life cutting.
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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4 - …And yet persistent concern about environment Is the refusal due to better satisfaction from
an hypothetic environmental improving?
An indicator of ISSP surveys allows to answer this question
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 6 – Agreement with the fact that we worry too much about the future of the environment and not enough about prices and jobs today 60%
55% 54% 50%
50% 40% 28%
30%
44%45% 41% 40% 41%39% 39% 38% 37% 36% 33% 32% 31% 30%
ISSP 1993 ISSP 2000 30% 29% 27% 21%
33% 25%
29% 24%
20% 10%
Ge rm
Ir e la
nd Sl ov en an ia y (e Un x E as ite t) d Cz St ate ec h Re s pu Gr bl ic ea tB rit ai Ge n rm Sp an ain y (e xW Ne es w t Ze ) a Ne lan d th er la nd s Ja pa n Ca na da Ru ss ia
0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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The answer: there is no improving of
satisfaction about environment protection.
In almost every country, the concern for environment is equal or higher from 1993 to 2003.
In short, Everywhere, refusal of individual sacrifice is increasing. This evolution is not due to economic crisis, neither to environmental satisfaction. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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5 - An explicative hypothesis Actually, giving money or cutting one’s life standard in order
to protect the environment consists in sacrificing one’s individual interest at the benefit of common good. That is the same type of practice that association
participation. All these practices are possible only with a high level of
social link, this one embedded in institutions of civil society. And decline of individual sacrificing is also the sign of de-
institutionalisation of civil society. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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III - State de-institutionalisation: welfare desire and constraints refusal Transferring the environmental burden to State Rejection of environmental taxes Individual choice rather than public laws. "Big mother"
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1 – Transferring environmental burden to State Has citizens' withdrawal given way to public policies? In other words, de-institutionalisation in civil society would be made up for State institutionalisation?
Some well-known facts support this idea:
Environmental activists become experts or ecological educators, Environmental movements convert into lobbies, Environmental problems made the headlines of medias Green parties make alliances and enter governments,… …that leads to substantial environmental legislation
So, opinion could think that environmental problems are nowadays taken in account by public powers. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 7 – Government should reduce pollution with no cost for people 100% 84% 85%
90%
EVS 1990
80%
77%
EVS 1999
70%
64%
60%
51%
50% 40% 30% 20%
30% 29%
67% 57%
74%
70%
58%
60%
76%
91% 81% 78%
75%
63% 63% 63% 61%
43% 36% s
23% 19%
10%
Po rtu ga l
Ita ly
Sp ai n
Fr an ce
A us tri a Be lg iu m
Ire la nd
Sw ed en G er Fi m nl an an y d (E xW U es ni t) ted -K in gd om
ar k
D en m
N et he r
la nd s
0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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In a majority of European countries, the most part of citizens
(60% to 80%) think that environmental protection is the duty of State, and that it would be no cost for themselves.
Only 3 exceptions: Netherlands (23%), Denmark (30%), Sweden (43%).
Moreover, in each country (except Portugal), there is an
increasing % of people eager to passing off environmental responsibilities onto government.
That is a strong confirmation of the citizens’ aspiration to give up
the environmental burden, …to transfer it onto the State, …and, in addition, to require this public help should be free of charge. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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2 - Increasing rejection of costs
Effectively, the table below shows that the majority
of population, disagree with taxes increasing to reduce the pollution, in every European country (except The Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden).
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 8 – Agreement or not for taxes increasing to prevent environmental pollution 90% 80%
77% 77%
EVS 1990
70%
EVS 1999
65% 55% 56% 57% 50% 48% 44% 43% 37%
52% 54%
60%
49% 51% 50% 40% 44% 39% 39% 40% 30% 30%
68% 68%
69% 65%
50% 55%
20% 10%
Ge rm
an y
Be lg
(E xW es t) Ir e la nd Au st r ia Fr an ce Ita ly Fi nl an d Sp ain Po Un rtu ite g dKi al ng Ne do m th er la nd De s nm ar Sw k ed en
iu m
0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Moreover, this rejection of taxes is significantly
increasing during the nineties, (except in Belgium), reaching a proportion exceeding 50% in 1999.
This rejection cannot be imputed to the economic
crisis,
…neither to mistrust in bureaucracy …neither to judgment on politic colour of government
(Formulation of the question: "I would agree to an increase in taxes if the extra money is used to prevent environmental pollution"
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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3 – Increasing rejection of kingly constraints Another question asked interviewees if, in
order to protect environment, they prefer: Government let ordinary people decide for themselves,
even they don’t always do the right thing,
…or government should pass laws,
even it interferes with people’s rights to make their own decisions.
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Chart 9 – Individual choice or public laws to protect environment 40% 35%
ISSP 1993
30%
ISSP 2000
25% 20% 15%
31% 23%
21% 14% 12% 13%11% 12% 11% 10%
16%16% 15%
35%
34% 30%
30% 25%
20% 19% 17% 17% 15%
20%
21% 18%
10% 5%
Ire U ni la ted nd -K in gd om
U SA
Ja pa N n et he rla nd N s ew -Z ea la nd
Ca na da
Ru ss ia G er Sl m ov an en y ia (E xW Cz es t) ec h R ep ub lic
G er m an y
Sp ai n (E xEa st)
0%
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Whatever the country, the most part of public
opinion (≈ 80%) regards as necessary, that State should pass laws to protect the environment.
Thus, there is a massive approbation for public intervention in the field of environment. The reason? Environmental practices are efforts to the benefit of public good… …free-ride have to be avoided… …only State laws can provide this assurance to the actors (Uusitalo, 1990)
Nevertheless, this approbation is everywhere
decreasing, (except in Ireland and Japan). De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Conversely, individual choice is almost everywhere
raising, mainly in Netherlands (+63%) and USA (+62%). This evolution means: …a worsening of State legitimacy …a increasing of individualism, (= claim for individual liberties)
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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Conclusions: “Big mother” 1- Environmental worries stay heavy in public opinions. 2 – Nonetheless, citizens are progressively withdrawing from
green organisations, and more and more refusing donations, or cutting their own standard of life for environment.
That can be considered as a de-institutionalisation inside civil society.
3 – In the same time, more and more citizens appeal to State
to finance and carry out environmental protection, and above all, to hand over the workload.
That is a weighty drift for State institutionalisation. De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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4 – Yet, to let State carry out the job, the most part of citizens, reject
any taxes rise. 5 – Moreover, an increasing part of them refuses that State passes
laws to protect environment, and wish individuals decide for themselves, even they don’t always do the right thing. 6 -Thus, the shift of environmental burden to State is not a true
institutionalisation, but a fake: State, is more and more challenging by individual claims, and has no longer legitimacy. It comes down to a “Mother State” (Schneider, 2002), maternal by welfare but unable of enforcing laws. So far, in advanced societies, State could have increasing difficulties to
make laws and enforce them in matters of environment.
De-institutionalising Environmentalism – Jean-Paul Bozonnet – Gorizia (Italie) – September 2004
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