Environmental governance in the People’s Republic of China: the political economy of growth, collective action and policy developments – introductory perspectives

摘要

The special issue is introduced here by considering the state of the environment and environmental governance in the PRC. While significant, substantial developments in legislation and policymaking remain insufficient to tackle the degradation of the environment and the increasing saliency of environmental issues in Chinese politics. Tremendous challenges remain in the areas of natural resources governance, environmental health, and transition paths in agriculture and urban development. They need to be addressed by an even stronger commitment of the Chinese leadership, accompanied by significant reforms in the areas of environmental litigation, the transparency of local government decision-making, and the capacity of the self-organisation of Chinese citizens in mobilising on environmental issues.