China Goes Green: Coercive Environmentalism for a Troubled Planet

by Yifei Li, Judith Shapiro

What does it mean for the future of the planet when one of the world’s most durable authoritarian governance systems pursues “ecological civilization”? Despite its staggering pollution and colossal appetite for resources, China exemplifies a model of state-led environmentalism which concentrates decisive political, economic, and epistemic power under centralized leadership. On the face of it, China seems to embody hope for a radical new approach to environmental governance.  

In this thought-provoking book, Yifei Li and Judith Shapiro probe the concrete mechanisms of China’s coercive environmentalism to show how ‘going green’ helps the state to further other agendas such as citizen surveillance and geopolitical influence. Through top-down initiatives, regulations, and campaigns to mitigate pollution and environmental degradation, the Chinese authorities also promote control over the behavior of individuals and enterprises, pacification of borderlands, and expansion of Chinese power and influence along the Belt and Road and even into the global commons. Given the limited time that remains to mitigate climate change and protect millions of species from extinction, we need to consider whether a green authoritarianism can show us the way. This book explores both its promises and risks.

Genres: China, Environment, Nonfiction, Climate Change, Politics

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 28, 2020

Reviews

[Augusto Alves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! It was refreshing to read a more critically driven appraisal of China’s response to environmental challenges.

It might not be the most technical or precise study into the specific practices of Green authoritarianism, but it’s warnings concerning the long term consequences of such an approach are thought-provoking.

[Joe Tristram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, very readable. Fully referenced and up to date (perhaps the references to 'the 2020 pandemic' are China-centric) this scholarly book manages also to be an easy read with many anecdotes and even some funnies. The authors ask and answer the question 'does the planet need an authoritarian approach to environmental management' with a clear 'yes', and also a clear 'no' to its being done the way China does it now. Massive unwieldy top down unresponsive state programmes to reorganise our world to prevent further catastrophe are likely to make things worse. They do believe these efforts need to be massive and state based, but fully integrated with non state actors and with all of us fully engaged. It's a big ask.

[Tallulah Thangathurai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be an interesting perspective which challenged my own understanding of China’s environmental policies in the 21st century.