Environmental Policies of China Regardinng Governance
Environmental Policies of China Regardinng Governance
Environmental Policies of China Regardinng Governance
MAWILE IS 32 -
INTRODUCTION
China’s rapid growth in development mostly in the area of economics, has been growing
rapidly for the last years1 and the country owe its growth mostly on eastern side of the
country and mostly on the industrial aspect meanwhile not so much on the agricultural
sector of China seeing that industrialization was booming from 1990 to present times 2.
Due to the growing economy, the domino effect on the people coming onto globalization
and urbanisation of the country is on of the factors that contributed to the nearing
pressure for the environment to keep up with the said development. The increase of the
demand in car ownership, the growing need for consumer goods such as mobile
phones, televisions, personal computers, and energy use contribute to the overall
building pressure to the environment. In the pursuit of growth, the question whether the
country is developing policies that protect their environment and how efficiently they
manage governing their environmental concerns are still questionable for the fact that
they are still in transition in adjusting policies that benefit the government and the
people alike also the fact that it is ever changing and fluid to change for the national
1
Economic and industrial growth percentages in China, 1996–2004. Source: World Bank data.
2
Morrison, Wayne. 5 February 2018. China’s Economic Rise: History, Trends, Challenges, and Implications for the
United States. fas.org
BODY
China, known officially as the People’s Republic of China, is a country in East Asia and
one of the biggest countries in the world geographically and also in terms of population.
fourth-largest country by total area. As of the 6th of January, the current population of
equivalent to 18.41% of the total world population3. Economically, China has been doing
well over the course of the years from 1990-2016 based on the annual percentage GDP
growth and also the world’s second largest economy by nominal GDP4 and purchasing
power parity.
When it comes to the law-making process of China, the Standing Committee of the
Central Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, usually known as the
Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) is the de facto top decision-making body that
officiates discussions for policy and make decisions on major issues that involves the
country. Xi Jinping, president and the head of state, including 7 others 5, are part of the
CPC Politburo Standing Committee and are incharge of different areas in the decision
making-process.
Like all policies that are just starting, it as not fully implemented and much appreciated
as it was for the fact that care for the environment was not yet highlighted during the
3
"World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision". ESA.UN.org (custom data acquired via website).
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.
4
"GDP, PPP (current international $)". World Bank
5
Cheng, Li. 26 October 2017.China’s new Politburo and Politburo Standing Committee. Brooking.edu
early years. It was only then around the 1970s that the Chinese government took full
action and all seriousness to its government protection as the pollution control was
country and on 1998 when China experienced tremendous flooding, it eventually led to
today as the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, is a department of the State Council
of the People’s Republic of China. The creation of this department signified the state of
the country’s concern in taking care of the environment, specifically their own. Due to
the globalization pull that made China into a superpower cost a toll on their
environment. Coal burning has the most disastrous health hazard of any source of the
Although many policies and the growth of the economy was steadily increasing, it
cannot be denied that China was still one of the most heavily polluted country in the
world despite the policies imposed on the people. What was the purpose of
implementing those policies if they have weak enforcements? Authorities have very
limited powers and it is not enough for it to be strongly enforced to the individuals. Aside
from punishment and implementation, the policy needs also the idea of giving
unification of ideology on the protection of the environment. The downside also to these
is that, even the government is contradicting its policies for the sake of development.
6
Wong, Edward. 17 August 2016. Coal Burning Causes the Most Air Pollution Deaths in China, Study Finds. nytimes.com
7
Xiangcong, Ma. 21 February 2002. China's environmental governance. chinasdialogue.net
Land appropriation, pollution, excessive mining and the failure to carry out
environmental impact assessments: much of this happens due to a failure to act on the
participation.
As stated earlier, environmental concern was not given that much attention and the first
Green Culture (presently known as Friends of Nature), created on 1994 focused solely
on the environment protection. As of 2001, over 2,000 NGOs are now taking part and
has millions of participants in their challenge for a better environment. In paving way to
this progress, it is not without challenges. Various NGOs have undergone issues that is
concerning and although by seeking the aid of the government, it was still shrugged off
to the side by individuals concerned seeing that the organizations were not that
CONCLUSION
8
Wu Chenguang. 13 July 2002. China's Environmental NGOs. china.org.cn
To wrap the issue on China’s Environmental governance, it is made clear that the
implementation process is still long overdue and as shown it is still on its early stages
and definitely needs a much more wide scope of reviews and observations. One point in
which that legislation should be more involved in the process so that there is a
corresponding follow-up to the progress so that laws made for environmental protection
will not only be focused on the environment and natural resources but also the
implementation of respect and the building of boundaries from the other aspects of the