Public participation modes in China's environmental impact assessment process: An analytical framework based on participation extent and conflict level

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) serves as a gatekeeper to prevent environmental pollution, and public participation is a legal requirement in the EIA process that ensures people's awareness of activities that may jeopardize the environment. Recently, with the elevated awareness of environmental protection and increasing environmental sensitivity, EIA has evolved as a means for the public to show their attitudes towards environmental issues. More frequently, public protests against not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) facilities have become a significant challenge in the government's decision-making process. Government officials and EIA practitioners continue to look for a more effective way of public participation and aim to establish a platform that can involve related stakeholders. However, current research on public participation is limited to individual case studies or lacks a systematic approach to analysing diversified modes of public participation, which may differentiate levels of acceptance by the government in the EIA process and consequently lead to different effects. Therefore, from the perspectives of the participation extent and conflict level, this paper aims to establish an integrated framework to categorize different public participation patterns in EIA practices and to analyse their characteristics, such as preferences and the action logic arising from different stakeholders, including the government and public. The paper concludes that collaborative public participation is a possible way to strengthen the effectiveness of public involvement within the Chinese context.     

Evolutionary game analysis of stakeholders' decision-making behaviours in construction and demolition waste management

Continuing industrial development has created large quantities of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, which has led to severe environmental and social problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the decision-making behaviours of stakeholders involved in C&D waste management. Based on evolutionary game theory, stakeholder decision-making behaviours in C&D waste management were analysed, and their influencing factors were identified, including government supervision costs, public participation costs, government penalties, government incentives, government supervisory intensity, probability of contractors conducting illegal dumping, probability of public participation, and probability of illegal dumping being detected. The results also revealed how government penalties and incentives impacted the decision-making behaviours of the contractors and public. Penalties and incentives can effectively reduce illegal C&D waste dumping behaviours, while excessive penalties and incentives have limitations in controlling illegal dumping. The model proposed in this research provides an experimental simulation platform to determine the appropriate values for government penalties and incentives for C&D waste management based on stakeholder decision-making behaviours. In addition, the research results for the stable strategy point of a three-party evolutionary game model demonstrated the importance of public participation in C&D waste management. These results may inform research hypotheses for future empirical studies and provide a simple model for developing appropriate government penalties and incentives in practice.     

How does environmental pollution erode political trust in China? A multilevel analysis

The impacts of environmental pollution extend beyond the issue of health. Using Chinese survey and administrative data, this study sheds new light on the political costs of environmental pollution. We show that citizens' trust in government officials declines significantly with higher levels of measured pollution, perceptions of increased pollution, and a greater degree of willingness to support environmental protection. Political trust is particularly low when measured as well as perceived pollution are severe. However, the effect of greater willingness to support environmental protection on the erosion of political trust is independent of measured pollution. Our findings suggest that there is a tipping point at which legitimacy acquired primarily through economic achievements could be undermined by environmental degradation, which is a byproduct of economic achievements. It is imperative for the Chinese government to achieve a balance between fast-paced growth and environmental sustainability, to pay attention to the potential political consequences of environmental issues, and to permit more public dialogues and deliberations on the topic of environmental governance.     

公布空气质量报告 市民更加关注环境

南京市环境监测中心站在全国率先开展空气质量周报,之后又开展了空气质量日报,向市民公布空气质量状况,使环境监测成果走向社会,服务于百姓,增强了全社会的环境保护意识,提高了市民关心环境,保护环境的自觉性,并推动了空气污染防治工作,促进了环境监测工作,体现了     

环境监测市场化若干问题的思考

在环境监测市场化内涵辨析的基础上,界定了环境监测市场化包括非公共服务属性的环境监测使市场起决定性作用和公共服务属性的环境监测引入市场机制两层涵义,分析了环境监测市场化中政府与市场的职责和定位,提出了建立健全环境监测市场机制需要重点研究的若干问题。     

美国核电厂辐射环境监测与信息公开及其借鉴

综述了美国核电厂辐射环境监测管理体系和环境信息公开制度及法制化管理模式,对比分析了我国辐射环境监测与信息发布实际开展情况及存在问题,提出需借鉴美国核管理委员会(NRC,以下简称NRC)的管理经验,进一步完善我国辐射环境监测标准体系,建立辐射环境监测数据公开制度,加强公众参与制度建设,明确核电厂辐射环境监测管理边界等建议。     

Ethical implications of democratic theory for U.S. public participation in environmental impact assessment

Traditional mechanisms for public participation in environmental impact assessment under U.S. federal law have been criticized as ineffective and unable to resolve conflict. As these mechanisms are modified and new approaches developed, we argue that participation should be designed and evaluated not only on practical grounds of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, but also on ethical grounds based on democratic ideals. In this paper, we review and synthesize modern democratic theory to develop and justify four ethical principles for public participation: equal opportunity to participate, equal access to information, genuine deliberation, and shared commitment. We then explore several tensions that are inherent in applying these ethical principles to public participation in EIA. We next examine traditional NEPA processes and newer collaborative approaches in light of these principles. Finally, we explore the circumstances that argue for more in-depth participatory processes. While improved EIA participatory processes do not guarantee improved outcomes in environmental management, processes informed by these four ethical principles derived from democratic theory may lead to increased public engagement and satisfaction with government agency decisions.     

基于信息资源规划的流域水环境数据中心设计与实践

由于跨界和跨部门等原因导致的流域水环境数据信息标准不一,无法有效共享、综合利用等问题,是目前水环境信息使用过程中的主要问题之一.基于信息资源规划理论,充分调研水环境监测管理、政府规划与决策、科学技术研究和社会公众使用等对水环境监测信息的需求,以太湖流域为例,分析与水环境相关各种数据资源,研究流域水环境信息的数据体系及数据库体系,设计并建立流域水环境数据中心,初步完成太湖流域水环境数据的管理、分析及共享服务平台设计,为流域水环境监测信息综合管理做出了示范.     

Environmental Degradation and Environmental Threats in China

The article presents a review of environmental degradation and its threats in China. Air pollution, water pollution, deforestation, soil degradation, sand depositing in dams, decaying urban infrastructure, and more and more hazards such as floods, landslides and soil erosion are major consequences of environmental degradation and are making tremendous loss both in life and property. Through investigation, the author found that poor air quality in the large cities; water pollution in the downstream of many rivers; the multiple problems of many mining areas; lack of access to fresh water; decaying sewage systems; and the disastrous impact of these environmental degradations on public health and agricultural products in many provinces is rather serious. Relationship of environmental degradation and natural hazards is close; more attention should be put in environmental degradation that may surpass economy progress if the trend continues. It is therefore imperative that Chinese government undertake a series of prudent actions now that will enable to be in the best possible position when the current environmental crisis ultimately passes.     

关于环境监测社会化的调查与思考

环境监测社会化在我国还处于探索阶段,社会化的根本目的是有序引入社会力量共同参与,提供更多、更好的监测服务。为此,环境监测社会化应坚持政府主导、社会参与的总体格局,引导环保监测机构重点强化环境监测网络运行管理、技术标准研发制定、监督性或执法性监测、环境质量预报预警及污染事故应急监测、监测数据质量控制及汇总分析等职能,同时因地制宜地确定环境监测社会化区域策略,严格规范社会检测的行为,确保监测市场有序开放、公平竞争、风险可控。     

Environmental accident and its treatment in a developing country: a case study on China

Along with their rapid progress, developing countries have had to deal with more environmental problems, which have been a cause for concern among policy makers and the public in general. This study cites two accidents that happened in China in 2006 that caused serious environmental problems in nearby communities and discusses the problems these accidents created and the resulting disputes among the concerned people. Pollution-causing accidents not only pose threats to the health of the victims but also give rise to environmental disputes that jeopardise national security and social stability. Conflicts normally ensue following a pollution-causing accident, which are more likely to happen within a development zone or industrial park. Few environmental conflicts in the past decades were resolved through litigation. Nevertheless, there are lapses in the regulatory system, which have to be addressed to ensure that the public's rights and interests are protected. Currently, reports on pollution-causing accidents are difficult to obtain and are often released very late. A majority of industrial firms operate without environmental clearance, thus highlighting the government's inefficiency in environmental management. It is about time that the Chinese government takes seriously the use of the Environmental Impact Assessment.     

猛进水库水环境问题研究

猛进水库是五家渠地区的主要水源地,也是乌鲁木齐市重要的淡水鱼供应基地.近年来,猛进水库水质呈不断恶化的趋势,水质为劣V类,为此,猛进水库水质恶化问题已经成为各级政府及公众十分关注的问题.本文选用新疆水环境监测中心多年对猛进水库水质监测及调查的资料,对猛进水库水质现状进行分析评价,运用季节性肯达尔(Kendall)检验等方法,分析了猛进水库水质变化趋势及影响猛进水库水质的主要污染源,提出了进一步保护猛进水库水质的建议,为改善其水环境质量提供依据.     

Empowerment through emotional connection and capacity building: Public participation through environmental non-governmental organizations

Environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO) plays an important role in promoting public participation in environmental governance. By semi-structural interviews and participant observations, this paper examines a local ENGO in China to explore how the organization can mobilize and organize the local public to participate in environmental governance. The research finds that mobilizing public participation in local environmental governance is a continuous process in which ENGO needs to continuously enable, empower and emotionally invest in the public. Through emotion construction and capacity building, environmental organizations have been empowering the public to participate and play a major role in local environmental governance. Mobilizing public participation in environmental governance can promote the improvement of local environmental problems, but mobilizing and organizing public participation requires sufficient political opportunity space, sufficient funds, and a culture of public participation.     

Theory and practice to integrating health in environmental assessment: Synthesis of an experience with stakeholders to deliver a national HIA guideline

Private or public developers, including local authorities and government agencies, have limited operational guidance to include case-relevant health information in environmental reports. In Italy, the absence of technical indications prompted the Ministry of Health to construct a new model of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for health integration in Environmental Assessment (EA) processes. A coordinating committee set within an inter-institutional working group was assisted by public and private key stakeholders to deliver guidance on HIA. The three research stages of framing, production and delivery were carried out to: (1) frame the context for HIA guidance implementation; (2) produce the operational guideline and tools; (3) train and disclose the guideline to final users. The guideline and the operational procedures were informed by core criteria to achieve a health standard in environmental reporting. The procedures guide the user to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the population health based on the broad determinants. The environmental reporting integrates health through functional components, divided into levels and supported by related flowcharts and checklists. HIA knowledge and skills were provided to facilitate the guideline utilization within the health departments. The guideline embedded the existing EA national legacy, normative and technical. The entire decisional cycle, from strategic planning to project development was covered in the guideline including the screen of proposals. The experience triggered the definition of an environmental health collaborative platform under the Ministry of Health coordination to fill gaps in competence building, sector operational tools development, methodologies harmonization on the national territory.     

The impact of government preferences and environmental regulations on green development of China's marine economy

Green development is the fundamental way for high-quality development of marine economy. Achievement of green development goals of marine economy depends on the local government's decision-making preferences and reasonable marine-related environmental regulatory instruments. Based on 2007–2016 panel data of China's coastal provinces, this paper adopts the differential GMM(Gaussian Mixture Model) model to empirically analyze the impact of government preferences and environmental regulations on green development of marine economy. The results indicate that: lag exists in the promotion of environmental regulation on green development of marine economy.The impact of government preferences varies, in which, industrial preferences have a negative effect on green development of marine economy,while environmental preferences have a positive effect.The joint action of industrial preference and environmental preference inhibits green development of marine economy, while that of environmental preference and environmental regulation plays a promotion role. Different government preferences indicate different impacts in different regions. Environmental preference promotes the green development of marine economy in the Bohai Bay region, while industrial preference suppresses it. Both industrial preference and environmental preference in the Yangtze River Delta region have promotion effect, while only environmental preference in the Pan-Pearl River Delta region does so. Therefore, the government should establish a more complete official examination system, improve the marine environmental regulation system, and formulate differentiated green development policies for marine economy.     

浅谈基层单位环境监测专项经费的管理

随着环境监测事业的不断发展,中央财政对环保监测事业经费投入大幅上升,资金安排规模逐年加大,加强环境监测项目经费管理显得尤其重要.文章提出如何科学地编制环境监测项目支出预算,并深入分析了环境监测项目管理存在的问题,进一步提出了加强项目支出预算的管理途径地方法.     

新版《环境空气质量标准》热点污染物PM2.5监控策略的思考与建议

随着工业化和城市化进程的加速,大气气溶胶污染日趋严重,由气溶胶细粒子PM2.5污染造成的能见度恶化事件越来越多,中国东部地区灰霾天气迅速增加.灰霾天气的本质是细粒子气溶胶污染,与光化学污染相关联,形成灰霾天气的气溶胶组成非常复杂.近年来由于灰霾天气日趋严重引发的环境效应问题,以及气溶胶辐射强迫引发的气候效应问题,已引起科学界、政府部门和社会公众的广泛关注,成为热门话题.在此背景下,国家出台了新版《环境空气质量标准》(GB 3095-2012),增设PM2.5浓度限值,对环境监测、环境管理和环境评价提出了新的要求.通过分析中国大气污染背景、国际组织和其他国家的PM2.5标准,及近期热点问题,提出在环境监测、环境管理和环境评价过程中实施新标准,监控PM2.5的策略.     

持续提升环境社会检测数据质量工作探讨

分析了我国社会环境检测机构发展现状,指出由于政府监管体系尚不完善、环境监测服务市场低价竞争、社会环境检测机构缺乏社会责任意识以及环境监测专业技术人员缺乏等因素,环境社会检测数据质量无法得到保证。提出,进一步完善政府监督管理制度、健全环境监测行业自律约束机制、提升环境监测人员能力水平、规范信息公开范围4方面的社会环境检测机构监管工作建议,从而持续提升环境社会检测数据质量。     

日本环境监测市场化运作模式的参考价值及启示

目前中国在环境监测市场化发展方面仍处于探索阶段,在政策体系、法律体系和监管制度等方面还存在许多问题,国际上一些发达国家在环境监测的市场化发展方面已有诸多成功经验,可供中国参考。研究主要以日本环境监测市场化运行模式为例,分析日本成功经验,并对中国环境监测市场化发展提出针对性建议,以供相关政府部门参考和借鉴。     

完善环境影响评价公众参与的初步研究

环境影响评价制度是我国的一项基本环境保护法律制度,是环境管理体系的重要组成部分,完善公众参与体系有利于解决当前环境影响评价中公众参与存在的问题。在总结国内外公众参与发展进程的基础上,对完善公众参与体系进行了初步研究,提出了完善公众参与体系的内涵要点,提高公众参与体系研究力度,建立公众参与学相关内容。