Friends of Nature and Public Interest Environmental Litigation

Abstract

This note looks at the work of the national non-governmental environmental protection organization Friends of Nature (FON). It first explains the organization’s environmental law and policy activities and then focuses on a current water pollution case as an example of the kinds of legal work in which it engages. It concludes by addressing the issues that are still prevalent around standing to sue by public interest environmental organizations. FON was founded in 1994 and is the earliest national non-governmental environmental protection organization in China. Its activities include public environmental protection activities, environmental education, law reform and public interest litigation. The strategic goals of FON include nurturing, and supporting ‘green-minded’ citizens and promoting more self-organized environmental activities. The public environmental protection activity programs including zero-waste events, ‘Blue Sky Lab’, ‘Low-Carbon Family’ and river protection. ‘Blue Sky Lab’ was initiated by FON as an innovative platform for free public participation in detecting air pollution and developing haze solutions, involving scientists and other professionals, volunteers and members of the general community. This program has conducted various activities, such as