https://zionlights.substack.com/p/is-it-time-to-defund-these-ngos
Is it time to defund these NGOs? A new verdict questions the future of “green” and “peaceful” activism
Over the years I have been involved with a multitude of charities and voluntary organisations. I completed an internship with War on Want, volunteered for several years at my local Oxfam bookshop, and campaigned for Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Amnesty International, and numerous other organisations, both large and small.
These organisations are typically regarded as the “good guys,” their impeccable branding leading us to believe they are firmly on “our” side, battling the forces of injustice. But just as my experiences taught me otherwise, people are generally becoming increasingly aware that some of these groups – particularly within the environmental sector – have often caused more harm than good to the causes they claim to serve. Several have been implicated in dubious activities, including accepting funding from Russia to lobby against domestic energy production. But still, they remain financially afloat. So why are people still donating money to them?
Since these organisations are classified as charitable or not-for-profit, they often heavily rely on public donations for funding. But they also lack transparency regarding the origins of their funding, so we don’t know the identity of everyone who has contributed, funded and worked with them. This is concerning, since they are so influential, successfully shaping public opinion, lobbying politicians, and crafting environmental discourse.
If a major corporation were this secretive about its funding and partnerships, these same organisations would be the first to accuse them of questionable practices and shady dealings.
Instead, they get away with all manner of bad behaviour. Allow me to share a more personal example, closer to home, involving a man named Jim. Years ago, he wrote this hit piece about me for Friends of the Earth Australia, and he has relentlessly hounded me ever since. After I blocked him across my social media platforms, he created a Substack account purely for the purpose of continuing his attacks.
Rather than engaging in a reasoned debate about nuclear technology (which I have always been open to), his approach is personal and vindictive. He questions my credentials as a Science Communicator (I hold an MSc), labels me a fraud, and attempts to harass me into responding. His tactics centre on calling me a liar. When I reached out to Friends of the Earth about this, they responded with a generic statement about not tolerating bullying, but the issue was never addressed, and the posts remain live.
Why am I such a threat to Jim, and why does an organisation that claims to fight bullies allow such behaviour to persist?
The answer becomes clear when you recognise that these organisations don’t actually stand for the values they claim to uphold.
Read my post about the four central beliefs of traditional environmentalists:
Confessions of a former hippy
The answer is simple: these groups have one thing in common: they follow an ideology that has nothing to do with protecting the Earth. Despite their strong branding and marketing, what they truly share is the ability to hoodwink and greenwash.
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Lack of transparency and accountability
Unlike government agencies, which are accountable to elected officials and the public, NGOs often operate with minimal oversight and independence. Since many NGOs are private entities with charitable status, they are not held to the same standards as public institutions. This lack of regulation has led to numerous cases of financial mismanagement and corruption, the extent of which is not fully known. I have only touched upon some of what we know here.
So, yes, we do need to “defund” NGOs – but as they rely on public donations and lack transparency about their larger funding sources, it’s not as simple as that. Clearly, new rules are needed to ensure accountability and transparency over received funding. But when it comes to public donations, it’s up to individuals to highlight the harm these organisations are causing, and show donors how the actions of these groups often contradict their stated missions.
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