E.W. van der Veen, Department of Social Sciences

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

This study explores the relationship between a particular group of young people, those who are members of environment organizations, known as ‘young environmentalists’, and a particular group of adults, those holding high level positions in institutions where their capacity for involvement in influential decision-making is great. In basic terms, this study is about the connection between individuals and the greater establishment; whether a person can influence decisions that are made by others, who are found in commonly recognized positions of authority, such as governments, but which affect that person directly and indirectly. The young people of this study have developed a concern about a particular issue, the natural environment, for a number of reasons. As the environment is unable to speak out as can a human being, these young people have become part of a movement of spokespeople for the environment. They wish to articulate their concern in a way that provides them with the capacity to make changes in the processes of society, those processes which they judge to be impinging upon the continued survival of the natural environment.

Realizing changes to the way society operates, whether in institutional structures or the attitudes of the general public, can be a difficult process, often involving a struggle for those seeking changes. This raises certain questions with regard to the young environmentalists. How deeply concerned are these young people? Do they have a strong enough commitment so that their energy and effort will be sustained over time? What degree of change are they seeking, and to what extent will they go to realize changes? To what degree are the decision-makers acting as facilitators or inhibitors, whether consciously or not, to the realization of the young peoples’ desired changes? This study will attempt to provide answers to some of these questions and other related matters.

The term ‘environment’ in this study refers to the natural environment, to the plant and animal life, to the air and atmosphere, and to water in its various forms. The term is not used to refer to the home or work or study environment. There is a high level of awareness amongst the general public of the threats to the environment in today’s world. According to many reputable scientists, the problems have become so severe that the very existence of the planet is at risk, let alone the future generations of human beings that are to potentially inhabit the earth. The purpose of this study is not to dispute or confirm such findings. The fact is that many members of society are concerned enough to take action to stop the perceived destruction.

Since the time when the threat of destruction facing the environment became known, for several decades now, there have been individuals trying to combat the destruction by gathering themselves into groups to work collectively. The term non-government organization (NGO) is a common expression used to refer to such special interest groups. They comprise groups at the grass roots level through to the international arena. The task of some NGOs is to influence the decisions being made by those people with influence and power in the public and private sectors. In certain organizations, a very high proportion of members are young people, although these groups are not officially known as non-governmental youth organizations. These young people have been a major influence in directing attention to these problems. With regard to the environment, they are often at the forefront of campaigns dealing with, for example, pollution and the destruction of the tropical rainforests, expressing their deep concern for the future of the environment. However, are those who are actively performing actions, in whatever form, actually improving the situation? The study sets out to find whether young people, members of environment NGOs, are having some say in decisions and, in doing so, whether they are helping the environment in their own eyes and the eyes of the decision-makers.

At the time this study was undertaken, major issues of concern to environment organizations in Australia and Canada were the broad category of wilderness and other ecological areas, such as forests, coasts, deserts and associated wildlife. Forests, and the accompanying logging, was of particular concern, and, to a lesser extent, the extraction of other natural resources by mining. Such industries were the targets of environment organizations’ campaigns and corresponding actions. It is for these reasons that industries of forestry and mining were of interest to this study. During the period the study was undertaken, these issues have changed. More attention is now being given to the land in general, such as land degradation due to salination and erosion caused by practices of agriculture and/or forestry for instance, or the issues encompassed in urbanization, such as air and water pollution. This is especially true in the case of Australia, but also in Canada. By selecting the issues of forestry and mining within the broad category of the natural environment, the researcher is not providing a value judgement as to the significance of these issues in relation to the environment. The decision was solely based on the fact that they were central to the campaigns organized by a large majority of environment organizations, large and small, ‘mainstream’ and ‘radical’. Perhaps if the study was undertaken at a different time, the issues chosen would be different as the environment groups would be tackling new and different issues.

The following cliche is common: ‘youth is the future’. A corollary of this is that young people will inherit the earth and all its problems. Many of the problems in the world today, such as the degradation of the environment, require long-term solutions and may take generations to solve. Decisions made currently concerning these problems affect the future of the youth of today. Do those in the upper echelons of government and business, those that make policy decisions that affect people for many years to come (many affect future generations) consider this cliche and its implications? At times, there is a lack of consultation with those who will be affected by these decisions. A case in point are young people who feel they are rarely asked for their opinions or ideas since they are usually considered to lack the wisdom or knowledge to tackle such monumental issues. It is believed that youth non-government organizations have the potential to present the voice of youth to those who make decisions which affect young people and the environment.

The following are the objectives of the research:

• To determine the attitudes decision-makers have towards youth, members of environmental groups, and vice versa;

• To explore the relationship between young members of environmental groups and those persons and institutions that are traditionally thought to have power, and its effect upon the youth and the groups’ attempt to further their aims;

• To uncover what young people are seeking to accomplish through their involvement in the environment movement, and then trying to determine whether they have been successful;

• To arrive at recommendations designed to change and enhance the means of contact and communication between young people and decision-makers; and,

• To discover means and avenues whereby youth environmental groups can have more influence on the decision-making processes of governments and business.

The following major research questions are addressed:

• What, if any, are the interactions between youth, members of environmental organizations, and decision-makers?

• How do they view each other’s efforts to establish a relationship?

• What consideration and treatment do these youth receive from decision-makers and corresponding institutions of society?

• To what extent do the young people and decision-makers share similar concerns and priorities about the world’s future and environment?

• What changes are youth seeking based on their concerns for the environment? Are youth concerns being incorporated into the policies of these political and economic institutions?

In addition, the following subsidiary research questions will be considered:

• What is the role of youth and youth groups in relation to the government and business sectors?

• What are the current avenues for influencing traditional decision-making institutions, such as the State and business?

• What attitudes do youth have towards the traditional establishment and how do they see their place in the structure of society?

• What effect do these young people have on general youth policy?

A comparative analysis will be performed based on the research conducted in Australia and Canada using the above objectives and research questions, determining what similarities and differences exist in the situations of the two countries. The aspects of the situations which prove to be more conducive and beneficial to an effective means of influence of the young people involved in the environmental movement upon decision-making processes will be investigated and will form part of the recommendations of the research.

Thirty young people were interviewed in the state of Victoria and in the province of British Columbia. From Australian and Canadian government indicators and from other research, the age range 15/16 to 24/25 were chosen to designate the age category of the subjects. These lower and upper age limits were selected because they incorporate persons in their late teens and early twenties. This age group would include students, and waged or unwaged young people.

The following table summarizes the sample of young people interviewed:

The other relevant grouping of people in this study are those referred to as ‘decision-makers’ with particular responsibilities. This designates a particular category of people judged by others to have a certain capacity of decision-making power. These people will commonly be either influential individuals or be in influential positions, or persons commanding some degree of authority or control - in essence, persons having power. By this, it is meant that they either make decisions or have input into decisions that have significant ramifications, such as affecting large numbers of people or economic matters. Thirty decision-makers were interviewed in Victoria and British Columbia.

The following table is a summary of the sample of decision-makers interviewed:

The bulk of the data collected for the study consisted of recorded interview tapes and respective transcripts. Secondary sources included researcher participation and observation, and review of written material. As with all qualitative research, acquiring knowledge in the form of statistics and its corresponding interpretations were of a secondary consideration. More importantly, the incentive of interpretive research is to discover meanings, beliefs, values and attitudes of people, possibly developing patterns of difference and similarity. In this study, two methods of data analysis presented themselves. Firstly, statistical analysis was performed to expose any themes that were recurrent amongst the respondents. As well, statistics were calculated for descriptive purposes, that is, to identify the makeup of the samples, such as age, gender, and socio-economic background. Due to the number of respondents and the nature of the samples, this method does not allow for generalizations of populations. Secondly, all the responses from respondents were explored to determine whether there were similar profiles of responses between some respondents.

In this study, youth being the target of investigation, a deeper understanding was sought of the impact of the crisis in the natural environment on youth and, correspondingly, the impact of youth who are reacting to this crisis. It is difficult to formulate generalizations with any population category, youth being no exception. Yet from other research in environmental sociology, distinctions have been made about the types of individuals involved in the environmental movement. From this, the construction of a typology is one of the principal goals of the research, a typology of young people and one of decision-makers.

A typology is constructed from the information provided by the persons being investigated and the accounts they provide of their experiences. From the respondent’s language used in the interviews and the corresponding observations, everyday concepts were determined. This information was then reinterpreted into the language of the sociologist, more technical concepts, partly based on previous research where equivalence of terms could be found relating to sometimes taken-for-granted knowledge. Based on the concepts of the research and identified themes, and analysis of the accumulated data, the interviews were grouped within each respondent type according to exhibited similarities in the themes. The following themes were identified as they relate to both young people and the decision-makers, and which were based on the themes used for discussion in the interviews as well as on those which emerged during the interviews: the view of the status of young people, the concern and commitment towards the environment, the view of the environment movement and its tactics, the perception of the concept of power, and the views of society and change on a societal and individual level.

The following briefly outlines the seven youth types and four decision-maker types which have arisen from the findings of the study.

The level of commitment towards the environment was the most crucial indicator and distinguisher of each type. The commitment level ranged from a deep faith and respect for the environment to a sense of stewardship, to a socially acceptable concern for nature to a fleeting/shallow interest based on joining the ‘bandwagon’. A differentiating factor was the relative importance placed on human beings and other living (eg. animals and plants) or non-living entities (eg. minerals or rocks), considering the continued existence of each element in the biosphere and the role of each element. The lengths to which a person would go in order to protect the environment, the actions the person would undertake, as well as, the level of priority the issue maintained in the person’s life in day to day matters as well as in more substantial and long term considerations was of relevance. The lifestyle of the young person, the behaviour they followed was important.

These young people do not have the environment as a central concern although they do acknowledge the importance of it and are aware of problems when this issue is probed. The environment is not a primary focus in their lives; it does not affect them directly. What distinguishes this type from the other types is the view that the environment is a broad concern, an issue which is ‘out there’ as opposed to something that is close to them. It is perceived in a very abstract sense, lacking concrete ties to day-to-day experiences. Because of this, their concern remains superficial to a large degree. The expression ‘Self-Seeking Operator’ was chosen to describe this type because it refers to the idea that this young person is seeking out opportunities to benefit their own circumstances firstly rather than those which would benefit the environment.

This type describes a group of young people who are on a journey of personal exploration and development and who have a genuine concern for the environment. From the content of the interviews, there were inconsistencies and contradictions in their views, except for this underlying theme of learning about the new and the unknown. Their level of commitment is deeper than that of the Self-Seeking Operator type; it is less superficial since they are concerned, inspired and excited by the environment, although it is debatable as to how long this enthusiasm will remain. The perception of this type is of being apolitical, that is, of not being interested in and of not seeing the political aspects of issues, such as the economic consequences. The interest is in the environment and not the wider political perspectives or broader societal picture. However, the link between what a person does and the effect of the action on the environment is noticed. The environment is equated with what can be seen, such as the wilderness, animals and trees, things that can be directly seen as affecting someone. The involvement of this type is described as one’s small contribution to the environment, so that one can say one is helping and making a difference.

There are two sub-types lying on a spectrum, from initial explorer to more advanced explorer. Perhaps, ironically, the younger the age the more likely a young person is to be found amongst the advanced explorers. The initial explorer is slightly older, having developed a self-identity, but s/he is now at a stage where forays into the issue of the environment are being made. This sub-type is apolitical and most accepting of the current social system. The degree of acceptance wanes as one moves through to the advanced explorer stage. The advanced explorer has acquired a greater knowledge of the environment since the curriculum in their school has an environmental component, while the initial explorer may or may not have experienced such teaching.

The view shared in common towards the environment is the desire to return to a more simple way of life, where everyone lives in harmony with nature. The environment is viewed as all encompassing. It is what guides them outside of daily activities. There is a need to get back to basics or to live more simply, either physically by living with the land, or spiritually where one feels part of the earth and senses the interconnectedness. Living in harmony with the natural environment, where all living creatures are respected is desired. There is an attempt to adopt a lifestyle which treads lightly on the earth and at the same gives one freedom of expression. It is possible to infer from members of this type that a particular creativity exists in them which is better expressed in ways other than the more common verbal form, for example in music, writing and painting.

These young people are referred to as the ‘Socially Responsible’ as they feel it is their duty to work for the betterment of the environment. Their upbringing has instilled in them a sense of responsibility to society. By being involved it provides a sense of purpose which is something that drives them. It is a duty one must perform, a duty to help others. The Christian ethic or belief is common for many, explicitly and implicitly articulated. This type are activists but not out of some deep love for the environment, although this is evident to a certain degree. Rather, there exists a responsibility to take care of the environment which cannot stand up for itself in the way a human can speak out. It can be inferred that the focus is much more on the survival of humans within the greater biosphere, than on other creatures. The environment is to be conserved for future generations and to be enjoyed by themselves in the future. It is as if this type are the stewards of the environment. The responsibility begins with the individual, the responsibility to inform oneself and then to take action.

This type have made the moral decision to devote the rest of their lives to safeguarding the environment, in their personal and professional lives. Their feelings towards the environment are internalized and translated into a spiritual devotion. In effect, this type have nominated themselves as crusaders of the environment for future generations. The environment is not simply the trees and animals, but encompasses all forms of living and non-living entities, such as rocks; in essence the complete biosphere. The earth is the mother; the ecosystem is life for all. There is an awe of the earth and a great respect for it from which this type derives their immense personal empowerment. The term ‘Spiritualist’ was chosen because the word spiritual pertains to sacred things, which in this case referred to the environment. There exists a devotion to the environment, similar to the devotion to a religious doctrine or figure.

Although this type is as concerned as the Spiritualist about the state of the environment, there is a fundamental difference; non-humans are valued above humans. The term ‘sacrificial’ is used to refer to this type because there is a willingness to surrender humans for the survival of the rest of the planet and the multitude of other creatures. Human beings are regarded as not occupying any special status or place within the environment. Instead, other life forms and their survival are viewed above that of the human species. Outside appearances belie their degree of ‘radicalness’ as it is very ordinary but their views might be considered very extreme by the majority of the members of society. It is of no concern how others view them because of their particular belief of the environment.

These young people are referred to as the ‘Peaceful Revolutionaries’ because they seek a complete overthrow of the current system. The environment is but one aspect, although a significant one, in their quest for a new social system in which social justice is paramount. A true democratic society is sought where all have an input into decisions, and where marginalized groups no longer exist. The revolution is to be popular with the mass public, and to be non-violent. There is a tendency towards a humanist view, that is, a focus on humans and their interrelationships. Other creatures on the earth must be protected, but the first call is usually to help fellow human beings.

No one theme stands out as being the distinguishing characteristic of each decision-maker type. Rather, the picture painted of each type is based on an amalgamation of the different views on each theme where one theme is prominent in each type.

This type have had a traditional and conservative upbringing, some in a rural or country setting. The notion of work is very important, a work ethic where if you work hard enough you will get what you want and deserve, and this is the basis for their understanding of society and their position within it. It is the nature of homo sapiens that the fittest survive. The way views are expressed is often in the negative which sets them quite apart from the other types. They are very much against many of the changes that have occurred in the treatment of different groups of people in society, and the environment, desiring a return to more traditional ways; hence, the use of the expression ‘Traditionalist’. There is an optimism about the status of the environment, believing the problems are exaggerated and that it can be managed through technology and human ingenuity. The environment is seen in terms of resources, its economic value, this representing an essentially conservationist viewpoint as opposed to a preservationist viewpoint. The environmental aspects of a situation are considered but these are secondary to economic factors.

This type is quite optimistic in nature. The quality which distinguishes them from the other types is how they have accepted and adapted to the alterations that have taken place within society due to environmental and other factors, whether in individual or institutional terms. Hence, the expression the ‘Adaptable’. This type is able to adapt successfully to the changed circumstances in which they find themselves. They themselves are not the initiators of the changes but they have resolved to deal with them and to ‘get on with it’ insofar as their professional and personal lives are concerned. By reasoning why changes have occurred, it has been decided to accept them and to work with the changes instead of opposing them. For this type, the environment is a broad concern, not something brought down to a personal or local level. There is a recognition that significant problems exist in the environment, population growth being identified as the major threat. Although more needs to be done about the problems, much is being done and there exists a confidence in that things will get done.

The characteristic that is common to this group of decision-makers is their pessimism. Worries are expressed about the state of society and the future, feeling the situation will get much worse before it gets better if it ever will. It is believed that their children’s future will be difficult with the problems of today being further augmented by current practices. Issues of concern range from the economic, such as unemployment and debt, to social justice, such as the status of youth and other minority groups. The environment in general is not a concern to all, although each person does identify individual problems about which they are concerned. The focus in these concerns is on the life of humans, and much less so on other aspects of the natural environment, such as animals. It is possible that their worries arise out of a concern for their children.

This type has some experience in the political arena, either directly, such as being a political appointee or an elected official, or more indirectly, such as being a government bureaucrat and/or being a member of a political party. This is a decision-maker with various concerns about societal issues, such as the distribution of wealth, marginalized groups in society, and the environment. From these social justice concerns, action is taken in order to attempt to rectify the problems seen as requiring attention, seeking change in the functioning of society. This then leads them in a political direction in some form. This type comprise individuals who are knowledgeable about political processes and about how to achieve change using such processes. It is because of these characteristics that the expression the Social Change Seeker is used. The environment is considered very important, not just in terms of resources and conservation, but in terms of the need for a healthy environment for the existence of life. There is an optimism about the state of the environment as appropriate action is seen to be taking place where needed. However, this does not mean that there has not been or there is not a concern.

The preliminary assumptions of the perceptions’ adults in the general community have towards youth in general, and vice-versa, based on mutual knowledge and reviews of literature, were not particularly positive or realistic. The findings of this study show that young people feel that adults to not respect them or accord them equal status to adults. They consider themselves as a marginalized population group similar to many other sectors in society. They also do not hold decision-makers in high regard, questioning the activities of traditional institutions in their societies. They may respect the person as an individual but they are disrespectful of the decisions such a person makes in the course of their professional duties. As for the decision-makers, they do not view young people as negatively as youth perceive although it is questionable whether the decision-makers actions reflect their words. They believe that youth do not respect them and in this they have made a correct judgement.

It can be concluded that the interactions between young environmentalists and decision-makers is very limited. Efforts to establish some form of dialogue by both sides are minimal with few instances of actual interaction. The young people are suspicious of decision-makers’ efforts when the latter undertake such actions, while decision-makers argue that the young people must make the effort since they lack the time for such activities. The outcomes of such instances have been both beneficial and detrimental to the parties involved, regardless of whether the situation was a sit down meeting (negotiational) or a demonstration (confrontational). These limited interactions subsequently form the basis for the respondent’s opinion of the other party and, hence, can be biased and distorted. Stereotypical representations were common to both groups of respondents. Although it can be said that those young people active in the environment movement are a minority, numerous surveys reveal that young people are concerned about the environment and, therefore, the voice of young environmentalists is to be taken seriously.

It is the opinion of the researcher after analysis of the findings and review of suitable literature, that more and different mechanisms for input into decision-making processes are needed, not the standard or conventional consultative means. In order for dialogue to be realized between young people and decision-makers, both sides must attempt contact in different ways. Youth need to be incorporated into societal institutions as women, indigenous peoples and persons with different ethnicity are becoming so. It is advisable that youth be incorporated into the decision-making process from the initiation of the process, and that there must be more coordination of the involvement of young people throughout the process. Existing programs should be further expanded, and new initiatives developed, such as youth councils staffed and by youth. Examples from other countries are potential resources in this area.

All actors in society need to be informed in order to participate in decision-making processes. It should not be assumed that decision-makers have by virtue of their position a greater knowledge of the matter at hand, and young people should be aware of this. Although there have been many complaints from the decision-makers and the young people about the education system albeit with different reasons, the system must equip youth with the basic knowledge of the economic, political, legal, social and cultural institutions. As well, the skills required of persons to be involved in such processes should be incorporated into an education curricula.

Young people should be accorded the respect that any other citizen in society receives, being treated as equals. People should be detracted from using label or stereotypes when referring to groupings within society. Linked to this is that people must attempt to be less judgemental of other’s actions. A recognition of differences in upbringing between the two groups of respondents, that is, possible generational differences must be recognized and tolerated. (Generational differences which arose from the two typologies were in terms of basic values, outlook for the future, solutions to environmental problems, the extent of environmental destruction, and youth’s role in society.) The ‘catch 22’ position young people are faced with must be acknowledged and measures taken to rectify this. Decision-makers and adults must be more encouraging of youth involvement in all spheres of society. There should be an acknowledgment of the contribution young people, even those under the age when legally considered an adult, are making to society. In the majority of situations, activities must be youth-driven to give young people the sense of ownership to the actions undertaken, otherwise there is a great potential for youth to leave the process.

Arnstein (1969) has developed a model of participation reflecting the degrees of decision-making power permitted to the participants in the planning and management of services. The ‘Ladder of Citizen Participation’, ranging from lowest to highest levels are: 1) manipulation, 2) therapy, 3) informing, 4) consultation, 5) placation, 6) partnership, 7) delegated power, 8) citizen control. 1-2 are non-participation, 3-5 are degrees of tokenism, and 6-8 are degrees of citizen power. It is advisable that the last three forms of participation, partnership, delegated power and citizen control, be adopted as principles and implemented in fora where decisions affect the polity. There are sufficient numbers of young people, as evident in this study and other youth research, who desire to become part of decision-making processes in matters that interest and concern them directly and indirectly.

Pearl (1978) has identified needs of youth in order for the rest of society to value its youth. These include, the need for security, a sense of usefulness and competence, hope and excitement. As well, young people need a sense of understanding about their world. The failure of other segments of society to demystify political, economic, social and cultural life produces youth having no ownership of any part of their existence. He argued that currently, there is little recognition of the societal need for youth and yet society has many unmet needs, such as the care of the elderly and children, and the reparation of the environment. Youth should be allowed to participate in planning projects, program development and evaluation. For example, student participation can provide meaning and direction to education. If we are to value youth, society must offer youth opportunities to meaningfully participate in life. "We must not assume that youth are incapable of acting on their own or contributing to the problem-solving process. We must acknowledge their abilities, value their inputs, and encourage their active participation in all aspects of society" (1978:19). It is a waste of human potential and a loss to the community if efforts are not made by all sectors of society to undertake such action.

To conclude, a list of practical recommendations are offered.

• In any consultation forum, young people should be included as a legitimate stakeholder and their participation should be facilitated by the organizers of the fora, with consideration of the timing, location and transport;

• Youth representation should be included as a standard procedure and as part of the terms of reference for committees;

• Young people need to organize themselves so that they may collectively present the views of their constituency but they should be given the resources from the private and public sectors in the form of funds and a place to meet, in order to undertake such action;

• Decision-makers should take it upon themselves to become mentors for young people by implementing programs where youth play a part;

• Governments and businesses must become more user friendly, accessible, accountable and responsible to the community of which they form a part;

• More fora and public meetings should be organized by the various organizations so that young people can become informed and have direct input;

• In all sectors of society, young people, whether student, waged or unwaged worker, should be invited to perform tasks which utilize and enhance their skills; and,

• Research to be conducted on youth related topics should include a large proportion of youth researchers; students should consider undertaking the establishment of Public Interest Research Groups in their educational institutions.