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Collaborative Environmental Governance, Inter-Agency Cooperation and Local Water Sustainability in China

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  • Chen Huang

    (College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Tao Chen

    (College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Hongtao Yi

    (John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University, 1810 College Rd., Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Xiaolin Xu

    (College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Shiying Chen

    (College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Wenna Chen

    (Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

Administrative fragmentation among government agencies has posed a significant challenge to environmental governance. However, few studies have theoretically examined and empirically measured how local governments in China address this with collaborative approaches. Informed by the ecology of games framework (EGF), this paper examined the status of inter-agency water governance in Dongguan City: the pilot city of aquatic ecologically friendly city of China. The research question we seek to address is: What are the main characteristics of the water governance network in local China? With empirical data collected via survey questionnaires and semi-structured in-depth interviews following the EGF, we find that local agencies have realized the need for cooperation in water resource management. However, they were not substantially familiar with each other in the local policy network, failing to reach their full potential in collaboration. Social network analysis was used to analyze the collaborative network. We found that the network has a weak to moderate density, allowing for collective action problems and leading to insufficient cooperative governance. The network has presented central actors with strong bridging capital to control information and resource flows. We also find strong bonding capital among some policy actors as shown in high reciprocity, clustering coefficient and transitivity. To strengthen the effectiveness of local water governance, efforts should be made to establish a functional department and extend the boundary of collaborative network.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen Huang & Tao Chen & Hongtao Yi & Xiaolin Xu & Shiying Chen & Wenna Chen, 2017. "Collaborative Environmental Governance, Inter-Agency Cooperation and Local Water Sustainability in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:12:p:2305-:d:122596
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Mateusz Naramski & Adam R. Szromek, 2019. "Configuring a Trust-based Inter-organizational Cooperation Network for Post-industrial Tourist Organizations on a Tourist Route," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Hongtao Yi & Chen Huang & Tao Chen & Xiaolin Xu & Weixing Liu, 2019. "Multilevel Environmental Governance: Vertical and Horizontal Influences in Local Policy Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-13, April.
    4. Qidong Huang & Jiajun Xu, 2019. "Rethinking Environmental Bureaucracies in River Chiefs System (RCS) in China: A Critical Literature Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Can Cui & Hongtao Yi, 2020. "What Drives the Performance of Collaboration Networks: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Local Water Governance in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-16, March.
    6. Hsieh, Chu-Chien & Yen, Liang-Kung, 2023. "Examining the cross-sector impact of NGOs' roles on forest-certification policy: An empirical study in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    7. Soyoung Kim & Woo-Je Kim & Richard Clark Feiock, 2021. "An Item Response Theory Model of Inter-Regional Collaboration for Transportation Planning in the United States," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-15, September.

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