COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL NGOS IN CHINA: A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF GREENPEACE EAST ASIA

Abstract

Environmental NGOs are playing an increasing important role in protecting and improving the environment in China. To understand how do IENGOs use communication to achieve their goals given the social-political climate of China, this thesis analyzes the communication strategies and the development of international environmental NGOs(IENGOs) in China. After the introduction part, the second chapter reviews the previous studies and finds that international and Chinese scholars have covered Environmental NGOs’ marketing and environmental communication, however the study about IENGOs’s communication strategies on marketing and environmental affairs in the specific context in China is rare and scattered. Chapter 3 and 4 look at the key elements of communication which are the background, mechanisms, objectives, mediums and audience. In the analysis, Greenpeace East Asia(GPEA) is used as an example to interpret these elements in IENGOs’ communication. Chapter 5 is a case study of GPEA’s campaign against Asia Pulp & Paper’s deforestation in Yunnan province. This case study is to illustrate how does the communication strategies be applied to a practical event. Chapter 6 uses a SWOT analysis to elaborate on how the non-profit, international and environmental characteristics influence the development of IENGOs in China and some recommendations for the future development of IENGOs are made.