Huang, Ganlin. "PM2.5 Opened a Door to Public Participation Addressing Environmental Challenges in China." Environmental Pollution 197 (2014): 313-15. China has long been regarded as a centralized society where the public has little influence on decision- making. Such a top-down management scheme is perceived as a major obstacle to address complicated environment issues. This paper reviews key incidents in the campaign chronologically. Here we identify information technology, public awareness of air quality's health im- pacts and the fact air quality affects everyone as public goods as the major factors promoting public participation. This case demonstrates that public participation can happen in a centralized, top-down society such as China.
Where do the authors work, and what are their areas of expertise? Note any other publications by the authors with relevance to the 6Cities project.
Ganlin Huang: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Center for Human-Environment System Sustainability, Beijing Normal University
What are the main findings or arguments presented in the article or report?
The author argues that even in a centralized society like China, public participation in environmental matters is still possible. The author provides a list of key events which Chinese people expressed their concern regarding air pollution which eventually motivated government to act. In addition, the author analyzed key limitation of public participation and hoped in the future people in China can have better environmental citizenship which would lead to more effective public participation.
Describe at least three ways that the argument is supported.
Use the facts: In the second section of this article, the author listed a series of key incidents between 2008 and 2013 involving citizen participation regarding air pollution matter, which eventually leads to enforcement of government policy.
Argue for both sides(Making neutral judgments): The author made it clear that even in a centralized society, public participation is possible. In order to be more reliable and true to the truth, the author also points out some limitations of current public communication processes, such as a lack of direct and open communication, participation still remained at a early stage, etc.
Quote other similar research: In the beginning of the article, the author quoted researches by Moser and Estrom, Reichel and fromming which stated that top-down management is a major obstacle to respond to ecological and environmental problems. And the author eventually refutes the argument.
What three (or more) quotes capture the message of the article or report?
"The recent public campaign in China to urge creation of a nationwide PM2.5 monitoring network and mitigation plan provides an unprecedented case of how the public participated and influenced policy-making in a centralized society. "
"The case of PM2.5 illustrates public participation can happen in a centralized society. Will it open a door for future participation on other issues? Or is it a successful but isolated case? Among the three contributing factors, information technology is likely to hold for other issues. The widespread use of the internet, smartphones, and social websites will increase in the future. "
"It took over ten years and many education programs for people to understand how air quality impacts health (Liu and Liu, 2013). It may take time and resources to reach out, educate and raise awareness in communities about environmental problems. But good knowledge about the issue is prerequisite to effective participation. "
What were the methods, tools and/or data used to produce the claims or arguments made in the article or report?
The report provided several key incidents supporting the argument that public participation can influence decision making by the authorities. No other illustrative methods besides listing facts are used to produce claims or arguments made.
How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report?
The report does not discuss health equity issues.
Where has this article or report been referenced or discussed? (In some journals, you can see this in a sidebar.)
National Center for Biology Information; Beijing Normal University The Center for Human-Environment System Sustainability;
Can you learn anything from the article or report’s bibliography that tells us something about how the article or report was produced?
What three points, details or references from the text did you follow up on to advance your understanding of how air pollution science has been produced and used in governance and education in different settings?
Article 2
Full citation and abstract?
Wang, Hua, and David Bernell. "Environmental Disclosure in China: An Examiniation of the Green Securities Policy." Journal of Environment & Development 22, no. 4 (2013): 339-69. Accessed November 9, 2015. doi:10.1177/1070496513506905.
In 2008, China launched the Green Securities Policy to increase sustainability practices among companies listed on Chinese stock markets. An integral component of the policy is the environmental disclosure regulation, which directs publicly traded Chinese companies in 14 highly polluting industries to report required environmental information. This research explores the Green Securities Policy in two ways. First, it determines the compliance level with environmental disclosure requirements from 2008 to 2010 by companies covered under the Green Securities Policy. The findings indicate that about 60% of listed companies report the required environmental information at some level. Second, the research examines the dynamics underlying environmental disclosure by Chinese listed companies through the lens of ecological modernization theory. While China’s ecological modernization has created an increasingly favorable environment for environmental disclosure regulation, the research highlights problems that have impeded the progress of environmental dis- closure by listed companies.
Where do the authors work, and what are their areas of expertise? Note any other publications by the authors with relevance to the 6Cities project.
Hua Wang: Shuangxi, Shuangzhushan, Hangzhou, China
David Bernell: School of Public Policy, Oregon State University
What are the main findings or arguments presented in the article or report?
In recent years, environmental pressures have prompted Chinese government make and enforce related policies, and one of which is environmental disclosure regulations under Green Securities Policy. The authors have found out that despite slight increase in disclosure over time, the level of disclosure has remained still since the act is in effect.
Describe at least three ways that the argument is supported.
Data visualization: In order to illustrate whether disclosure requirements have influence on corporate performances, the authors provided data visualization of ratio of state-controlled companies in highly polluted industry. A decrease trends is depicted.
Analysis of possible factors: An analysis of ecological modernization in China was provided by the author and the following four aspects are discussed in detail: political dynamics, economic actors and market dynamics, civil society and media, and international integration.
Comparison with prior years: The authors support their argument that disclosure requirements may not be effective by providing levels of environmental disclosure of sample companies from 2008 to 2010, showing that despite slight increase in the level of disclosure, the overall level of disclosure remains still.
What three (or more) quotes capture the message of the article or report?
"Despite a modest increase over time, the environmental disclosure level has remained similar over the few years the regulation has been in effect, with roughly 60% of the companies reporting from 2008 to 2010. "
"It finds that China’s experience does indeed correspond to the expectations of EMT, undergoing a process of ecological modernization that is creating a political, business, and social environment increasingly receptive to addressing environmental issues, including environmental disclosure by listed companies."
"One of these initiatives is the Green Securities Policy, released in 2008, which embodies a goal of making transparent, and ideally mitigating, the financial and environmental risks associated with publicly traded Chinese companies in the 14 industries it classifies as “highly polluting industries.”
What were the methods, tools and/or data used to produce the claims or arguments made in the article or report?
No other tools except for visualizing data were used to produce the claims. However, the authors produced data relating to number of listed companies trading A shares in Chinese stock markets, ratio of state-controlled listed companies in highly polluting industries, and levels of environmental disclosure of sample companies.
How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report?
The report does not discuss health equity issues.
Where has this article or report been referenced or discussed? (In some journals, you can see this in a sidebar.)
Oregon State University, Sustainability Policy: Hastening the Transition to a Cleaner Economy
Can you learn anything from the article or report’s bibliography that tells us something about how the article or report was produced?
What three points, details or references from the text did you follow up on to advance your understanding of how air pollution science has been produced and used in governance and education in different settings?
- Full citation and abstract?
Huang, Ganlin. "PM2.5 Opened a Door to Public Participation Addressing Environmental Challenges in China." Environmental Pollution 197 (2014): 313-15.China has long been regarded as a centralized society where the public has little influence on decision- making. Such a top-down management scheme is perceived as a major obstacle to address complicated environment issues. This paper reviews key incidents in the campaign chronologically. Here we identify information technology, public awareness of air quality's health im- pacts and the fact air quality affects everyone as public goods as the major factors promoting public participation. This case demonstrates that public participation can happen in a centralized, top-down society such as China.
- Where do the authors work, and what are their areas of expertise? Note any other publications by the authors with relevance to the 6Cities project.
Ganlin Huang: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Center for Human-Environment System Sustainability, Beijing Normal University- What are the main findings or arguments presented in the article or report?
The author argues that even in a centralized society like China, public participation in environmental matters is still possible. The author provides a list of key events which Chinese people expressed their concern regarding air pollution which eventually motivated government to act. In addition, the author analyzed key limitation of public participation and hoped in the future people in China can have better environmental citizenship which would lead to more effective public participation.- Describe at least three ways that the argument is supported.
- Use the facts: In the second section of this article, the author listed a series of key incidents between 2008 and 2013 involving citizen participation regarding air pollution matter, which eventually leads to enforcement of government policy.
- Argue for both sides(Making neutral judgments): The author made it clear that even in a centralized society, public participation is possible. In order to be more reliable and true to the truth, the author also points out some limitations of current public communication processes, such as a lack of direct and open communication, participation still remained at a early stage, etc.
- Quote other similar research: In the beginning of the article, the author quoted researches by Moser and Estrom, Reichel and fromming which stated that top-down management is a major obstacle to respond to ecological and environmental problems. And the author eventually refutes the argument.
- What three (or more) quotes capture the message of the article or report?
- "The recent public campaign in China to urge creation of a nationwide PM2.5 monitoring network and mitigation plan provides an unprecedented case of how the public participated and influenced policy-making in a centralized society. "
- "The case of PM2.5 illustrates public participation can happen in a centralized society. Will it open a door for future participation on other issues? Or is it a successful but isolated case? Among the three contributing factors, information technology is likely to hold for other issues. The widespread use of the internet, smartphones, and social websites will increase in the future. "
- "It took over ten years and many education programs for people to understand how air quality impacts health (Liu and Liu, 2013). It may take time and resources to reach out, educate and raise awareness in communities about environmental problems. But good knowledge about the issue is prerequisite to effective participation. "
- What were the methods, tools and/or data used to produce the claims or arguments made in the article or report?
The report provided several key incidents supporting the argument that public participation can influence decision making by the authorities. No other illustrative methods besides listing facts are used to produce claims or arguments made.- How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report?
The report does not discuss health equity issues.- Where has this article or report been referenced or discussed? (In some journals, you can see this in a sidebar.)
National Center for Biology Information; Beijing Normal University The Center for Human-Environment System Sustainability;Article 2
Wang, Hua, and David Bernell. "Environmental Disclosure in China: An Examiniation of the Green Securities Policy." Journal of Environment & Development 22, no. 4 (2013): 339-69. Accessed November 9, 2015. doi:10.1177/1070496513506905.
In 2008, China launched the Green Securities Policy to increase sustainability practices among companies listed on Chinese stock markets. An integral component of the policy is the environmental disclosure regulation, which directs publicly traded Chinese companies in 14 highly polluting industries to report required environmental information. This research explores the Green Securities Policy in two ways. First, it determines the compliance level with environmental disclosure requirements from 2008 to 2010 by companies covered under the Green Securities Policy. The findings indicate that about 60% of listed companies report the required environmental information at some level. Second, the research examines the dynamics underlying environmental disclosure by Chinese listed companies through the lens of ecological modernization theory. While China’s ecological modernization has created an increasingly favorable environment for environmental disclosure regulation, the research highlights problems that have impeded the progress of environmental dis- closure by listed companies.
Hua Wang: Shuangxi, Shuangzhushan, Hangzhou, China
David Bernell: School of Public Policy, Oregon State University
In recent years, environmental pressures have prompted Chinese government make and enforce related policies, and one of which is environmental disclosure regulations under Green Securities Policy. The authors have found out that despite slight increase in disclosure over time, the level of disclosure has remained still since the act is in effect.
No other tools except for visualizing data were used to produce the claims. However, the authors produced data relating to number of listed companies trading A shares in Chinese stock markets, ratio of state-controlled listed companies in highly polluting industries, and levels of environmental disclosure of sample companies.
The report does not discuss health equity issues.
Oregon State University, Sustainability Policy: Hastening the Transition to a Cleaner Economy