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Local Nuances of Authoritarian Environmentalism: A Legislative Study on Household Solid Waste Sorting in China

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  • Hao Wang

    (Shen Junru Law School, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310000, China)

  • Chengxu Jiang

    (Guanghua Law School, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China)

Abstract

Faced with an unprecedented increase in the amount of solid waste, China aims to tighten its waste management regulation. Corresponding local policy experiments are encouraged. This study explores China’s authoritarian environmentalism through an examination of local legislations on Household Solid Waste (HSW) sorting. We present a full picture of relevant local legislation from five key dimensions: local legislative outputs, local standards of HSW classifications, reward and penalty provisions, the use of the social credit system and duties imposed on local governments. We then compare policy-making models based on the experience of Shanghai and Guangzhou. We find China’s HSW sorting policy has been dominated by the central state. The local lawmaking process is generally non-transparent and non-participative. When attempting to mobilize the public, local policymakers emphasize educating the public about “how to” instead of “why to sort wastes”. Also, while the central waste management policies are generally undermined locally, some sub-national governments do demonstrate a strong commitment to push the national policy through. Multiple factors account for this pattern. Though civic engagement did emerge in certain localities where civil society was relatively active, authoritarian environmentalism will continue to prevail in China in the near future.

Suggested Citation

  • Hao Wang & Chengxu Jiang, 2020. "Local Nuances of Authoritarian Environmentalism: A Legislative Study on Household Solid Waste Sorting in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:6:p:2522-:d:336093
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mark Beeson, 2018. "Coming to Terms with the Authoritarian Alternative: The Implications and Motivations of China's Environmental Policies," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(1), pages 34-46, January.
    2. Yi Du & Xiaoyan Wang & Daniele Brombal & Angela Moriggi & Andrew Sharpley & Shujiang Pang, 2018. "Changes in Environmental Awareness and Its Connection to Local Environmental Management in Water Conservation Zones: The Case of Beijing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-24, June.
    3. Hunt Allcott & Todd Rogers, 2014. "The Short-Run and Long-Run Effects of Behavioral Interventions: Experimental Evidence from Energy Conservation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(10), pages 3003-3037, October.
    4. Feiyu Chen & Hong Chen & Xinru Huang & Ruyin Long & Hui Lu & Ting Yue, 2017. "Public Response to the Regulation Policy of Urban Household Waste: Evidence from a Survey of Jiangsu Province in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-23, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yanmin He & Hideki Kitagawa & YeeKeong Choy & Xin Kou & Peii Tsai, 2020. "What Affects Chinese Households’ Behavior in Sorting Solid Waste? A Case Study from Shanghai, Shenyang, and Chengdu," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-21, October.
    2. Kun Shi & Yi Zhou & Zhen Zhang, 2021. "Mapping the Research Trends of Household Waste Recycling: A Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, May.
    3. Xiao Chen & Xingping Wang, 2022. "From “Land-Oriented” to “Human-Oriented”: Research on Evolution Features of China’s Industrial Park Planning Standards," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-21, April.
    4. Di Chen & Yue Wang & Yang Wen & Honglin Du & Xue Tan & Lei Shi & Zhong Ma, 2021. "Does Environmental Policy Help Green Industry? Evidence from China’s Promotion of Municipal Solid Waste Sorting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-15, March.
    5. Hang Yin & Yixiong Huang & Kuiming Wang, 2021. "How Do Environmental Concerns and Governance Performance Affect Public Environmental Participation: A Case Study of Waste Sorting in Urban China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-16, September.
    6. Pei Lin Yu & Norafida Ab Ghafar & Mastura Adam & Hong Ching Goh, 2022. "Understanding the Human Dimensions of Recycling and Source Separation Practices at the Household Level: An Evidence in Perak, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-25, June.

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