The role of NGOs in policy-making towards the environment

Abstract

Non-governmental organisations are the voice of this civil society and they have a vital role in policy-making. Both local and international environmental NGOs are setup by volunteers who care about the environment and believe that generations should leave an adequate world to the future ones through a sustainable development. The policy-making process has changed over time to allow stakeholders participate and contribute to better policies. There should be a balance between development and the preservation and conservation of the environment. The study is divided in three parts. The first part involves the study of how the policies are drafted and the method in which the policy-making process has changed. The second part involves the study of how international NGOs are setup and their role in policy-making. The third part will show the analysis of how local NGOs operate vis-a-vis current procedures and their role in policy-making. The study concludes that though local NGOs need more help from authorities due to the European policy procedures, they have achieved a status here in Malta which is very important. Their role is vital as these organisations are watchdogs over who neglects our environment.