The role of NGO’S in fighting environmental problems. Ma Jun and the creation of blue map app

Abstract

My thesis is going to underline the figure of Ma Jun, a Chinese environmentalist and journalist that founded the non profit Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) in 2006 and later the creation of the “Blue map app”, an app which aim is to denunce the pollution problems by sending on social networks photos or texts. The chapters of my thesis could be read from a chronological point of view. In fact, the first chapter is going to introduce what NGOs are, specially Chinese NGOs, by providing an overview of political factors under which they were formed, taking into account the differences between the Chinese and foreign ones and giving an explanation of their classifications. The second chapter is going to represent the core chapter of my thesis, starting with a description of who Ma Jun is and continuing with the description of the reason why he wanted to create the IPE and consequently the blue map app, also adding explanatory images of how to use the database and the app themselves. In this chapter will be analysed the most important consequences of Ma Jun activities, such as the case of apple and his relationship with the political power. The final chapter is going to sum up the present and future goals of Ma Jun and why his contribution in fighting environmental problems lets him one of the most influent person in the world.