Funding the Furies: Public cash going to the green lobby

Ever wondered where lobby groups get their funds?

Maritime lobby groups representing the shipowning communities tend to get their funds from members who pay annual fees, often with larger owners paying more due to having a large fleet and larger vested interests. The International Chamber of Shipping gets its funds from the national associations, striving to give a single voice to ship-owners, though there have been times when this is at odds to the sector specific associations like Intertanko, Intercargo, Interferry. Bimco is another industry association that is a mix of shipowners.

But what about the green lobby groups (their proper title is non-government organisations, NGOs)?

While they get their funds from green foundations, and wealthy philanthropists, they also get a significant amount of cash from the European Union and national governments. They are effectively funded by tax-payers money to lobby the hands that feed them. As an example, in 2016 Transport and Environment received € 978,114 from governments (28,2% of its total income) and €1.9m from private foundations. A special agency in the European Union allocates funds and for 2016 and 2017 has issued grants to 32 non-government organisations that lobby and promote various green agendas.

Here’s the eight NGO’s that lobby green maritime issues and how much they have received from the public purse

 NGO Shipbreaking Platform €328,000

WWF European Policy Programme (includes marine conservation and environment)

€1,243,000

Transport and Environment

€975,000

Seas at Risk

€800,000

Friends of the Earth Europe

€1,400,000

Carbon Disclosure Project

€1,000,000

Coalition Clean Baltic

 €729,345

The list of all 32 environmental lobby groups funded by the EU under its LIFE platform can be found here

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