ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews key milestones in the modern environmental movement and the role of communication networks in some different protest movements. It provides the emergence of the anti-nuclear movement in the Pacific region as a consequence of 50 years of nuclear testing. The chapter explores the significance of diversity, network and agency in the broader context of global social movements and regional alliances. Successful social movements require the participation of ordinary people. These movements gain momentum at ground level relying on the resources of trusted social networks. Participatory communication provides an important platform for local communities to share knowledge and create awareness about local environmental issues through their own unique perspectives. The Chipko Movement in India was ground-breaking in the history of the environmental protest movement. In Bougainville, conflict ensued between landowners and mine operators as a result of pollution from mine tailings to the surrounding environment and its impact on the islanders' traditional way of life.
