Recalibrating China’s environmental policy: The next 10 years

• Published in: Biological conservation Vol. 166; pp. 287 - 292
• Main Authors: Grumbine, R. Edward, Xu, Jianchu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adaptive capacity; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; China; China environmental policy; Climate change; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Degradation; Economics; Ecosystem degradation; Ecosystems; energy; environmental policy; Food security; Foods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; leadership; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Policies; surveys; Synecology; urban planning; Urbanization; Water quality; Asia; China; China, People's Rep; Urbanization; Food security; Adaptive capacity; China environmental policy; Ecosystem degradation; Environmental policy; Adaptability; Environmental factor; Degradation; Ecosystem; Food supply; Anthropogenic factor; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0006-3207; 1873-2917
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2013.08.007

•With economic growth slowing and environmental degradation unchecked, China’s leaders face critical policy problems.•Domestic stressors – ecosystem degradation; food; energy; water; urbanization and climate change – are driving changes.•Measured against adaptive capacity standards, the government is weak at solving complex, cross-cutting problems.•Along with environmental reforms, China must address issues of fundamental governance and institutional capacity.•China can make progress by placing environmental and social concerns on par with economic growth. Just after its once-a-decade leadership transition, China faces the cumulative consequences of the 30-year drive to grow its economy with scant attention paid to mounting ecological and social costs. A survey of six main stressors in China – ecosystem degradation, food security, energy, water, urbanization and climate change – reveals that domestic environmental policies are inadequate and need to be reformed. China’s ecosystems remain subject to widespread degradation and food insecurity is increasing. There are growing conflicts over water quality and quantity, and energy demand is rising rapidly. Urbanization is set to power future growth in China, yet sustainable urban planning cannot proceed without fundamental environmental and social policy reforms. Climate change is already negatively impacting China and is projected to grow in strength. China’s new leaders must act soon to recalibrate environmental policies across all these sectors. In addition, they must address the lack of interdisciplinary problem-framing and gaps between central government policy and local level implementation. While many sectoral solutions are already in progress, over the next decade and beyond, institutional reform across the country’s social–ecological systems will be key to solving China’s environmental problems.