China and the Environment by Daniele Brombal
Kangle Zhang, Kimmo Nuotio, Wenhua Shan, Normative Readings of the Belt and Road Initiative: Road to New Paradigms, Springer, pp. 129-145, 2018
Geography Notebooks (GN), vol. 1, pp. 123-136, 2018
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) highlights the role of large infrastructures in promoting soci... more The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) highlights the role of large infrastructures in promoting socioeconomic progress. Environmental and social planning will play a pivotal role to ensure that the BRI is tuned with the protection of nature and societal needs. This paper appraises environmental and social safeguards employed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), one of BRI' s key actors. Results show that their rationale, scope, and function are aligned with international practice. Their efficacy however may be jeopardized by the limited capacity of the Bank to oversee the screening and assessment of impacts. More importantly, AIIB' s safeguards endorse an obsolete conceptualization of sustainability, centred on the mitigation of impacts, rather than on the transformation of socioeconomic development patterns. Keywords: environmental and social planning; Belt and Road Initiative; multilateral development banks; Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Parole chiave: pianificazione ambientale e sociale; Iniziativa della cintura e della strada; banche multilaterali di sviluppo; Banca asiatica di investimento per le infra-strutture.
Sustainability 2018, 10, 2087, 2018
This paper aims at investigating the change over time in the environmental awareness in rural Chi... more This paper aims at investigating the change over time in the environmental awareness in rural Chinese communities and its correlation with environmental management measures implemented at the local level. We identify three main components of awareness, namely: perception, behavior, and attitude toward environmental management measures. Data were collected from two surveys in three villages in northern China in 2006 and 2015 that interviewed 125 and 129 respondents, respectively, and were analyzed employing an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. The results discussed in the paper show that environmental awareness increased between 2006-2015, and was mainly manifested in better environmental behavior and understanding of environmental status due an improvement in rural infrastructure and a greater amount of information provided to rural residents about the environment. Place of residence had a considerable influence on respondents' environmental awareness: residents in eco-villages had a higher environmental awareness than those living in common agricultural villages. This appears to indicate a positive nexus between the comprehensiveness of environmental management measures implemented locally, and environmental awareness. Also, the universality of environment issues reduced the importance of socioeconomic and demographic factors in determining the degree of environmental awareness. However, more attention should be paid to villagers' external behavior and inner feelings, such as their attitude to governmental management policies. These findings yield important policy implications that are relevant to the promotion of environmental awareness in China's rural communities, and the adoption of more effective environmental management measures.
MONDE CHINOIS 56, 2018
In the last decade the concept of ecological civilisation (shengtai wenming, 生态文明) has become com... more In the last decade the concept of ecological civilisation (shengtai wenming, 生态文明) has become common currency in China's debate on sustainable urbanization. Conceptually, ecological civilisation calls for a renewed harmony between human and nature and for the embracement of a new development model, one that does not entail the disruption of the natural environment in favour of economic growth. However, the extent to which ecological civilisation can reshape the norms of urban development is still debated upon. In order to shed light on this issue, we conducted a systematic review of 24 assessment systems inspired to ecological civilisation. The review shows a novel emphasis on the social dimension of sustainability, whereby 'soft' themes informed by humans relations with their living environment complement traditional categories of social sustainability−welfare, education, labour. Assessment systems inspired to ecological civilization also appear to reflect a stronger nexus between knowledge and policy, by focusing on issues such as environmental and ecological awareness, and public participation. The adoption of ecological civilization does therefore appear to be consistent with the establishment of a more comprehensive notion of urban sustainability. The extent to which such norms will be translated into practice will depend upon wider institutional and political processes governing China's urban development and therefore needs to be further ascertained.
Since the 1990s China has witnessed an urbanization process with no parallel in history. It is no... more Since the 1990s China has witnessed an urbanization process with no parallel in history. It is no overestimation to say that the country's future will be largely shaped by it. To many respects, Chinese urbanization is stretching to the very limit the capacities of the environment to sustain development. On the other hand, it is portrayed as a crucial driver for innovation. This paper aims at shedding light over China's urbanization potential to bring about transformative change for sustainability. It does so by analyzing the political discourse and official objectives of urbanization. Results show that sustainability has taken roots in Beijing's approach to urbanization. However, its narrative and objectives remain anchored to the same conventional ideas of incremental development , which to this day has inspired post-reform China's path to modernization. The potential for transformative change in China's urbanization appears therefore limited. Sommario 1 Introduzione.-1.1 Sostenibilità e trasformazione.-1.2 La rilevanza dell'urbanizzazione cinese.-1.3 Obiettivi, metodologia e struttura del lavoro.-2. Coordinate dell'urbanizzazione cinese nel periodo post-riforme.-3. Il discorso politico: analisi del 'Piano nazionale per l'urbanizzazione di nuovo tipo (2014-2020)' .-3.1 Contesto della formulazione e contenuti generali.-3.2 Cornice politico-ideologica.-3.3 Sostenibilità urbana.-4. Obiettivi dell'urbanizzazione: analisi degli indicatori in uso.-5. Conclusioni.
This paper introduces a participatory framework for Sustainability Assessment (SA) for urban Inte... more This paper introduces a participatory framework for Sustainability Assessment (SA) for urban Integrated Watershed Management (IWM). The framework is applied to the Lihu Lake Basin (Wuxi City), where between 2002 and 2012 an IWM program was implemented, coordinating water environmental management measures with urban planning. The framework for SA introduced in this paper is based on a Multi-Criteria-Decision-Analysis (MCDA) approach integrating criteria of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Local stakeholders were engaged in focus group discussions (FGDs) to validate and weigh criteria and attributes employed in the SA framework. Results of the model application indicate that the programme implemented in the Lihu Basin yielded positive results in enhancing environmental conditions, providing more sustainable avenues of environmental management funding, and fostering economic growth. Despite efforts put forward by local authorities, performance of social indicators was comparatively worse, due to relocation policies, increase in housing prices, and scarce public participation. Results show that decision makers pursued viability, rather than comprehensive sustainability.
This paper aims at appraising the current progress of China’s contaminated sites environmental ma... more This paper aims at appraising the current progress of China’s contaminated sites environmental management system, identifying its bottlenecks and individuating areas for lesson drawing based on the relevant EU experience. The paper provides an overview of policies, laws, standards, administrative functions, and management processes relevant to China’s contaminated sites environmental management. Based on its current development status, the following shortcomings can be individuated in the Chinese case: (a) inadequate monitoring system; (b) incomplete legislation; (c) overlapping of competencies in sites administration; (d) lack of a dedicated funding scheme. Similar challenges have been characterising also the development of the management system for contaminated sites in EU Member States. Based on the experience matured in the EU in tackling such challenges, the final section of the paper puts forward recommendations targeted on the Chinese case. Proposed recommendations are discussed against the broader background of China’s institutional and policy environment.
In recent years, China has launched ambitious measures to tackle water pollution. As political co... more In recent years, China has launched ambitious measures to tackle water pollution. As political commitment and public investment soared, Chinese environmental scientists and practitioners have engaged in a substantial debate on the reorganization of the country's water management system. Domestic discussion has largely revolved around best practices adopted abroad, particularly in the European Union (EU), where the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has introduced an integrated management model based on the core concept of unity of the water cycle. This paper seeks to contribute to this debate, by appraising the regulatory, administrative, monitoring, and public participation dimensions of China's water environmental management. Related progress and constraints are discussed in the evolving context of Chinese environmental policies, against the background of the relevant EU experience. Regulatory and administrative coordination and integration, and the adoption of a watershed-based management model, appear at present as essential prerequisites to overcome the fragmentation of China's water environmental management. Despite recent efforts in this direction, institutional rationalization is still hampered by the persistence of conflicting interests and attributions among government bodies concurring to law making and implementation.
In recent years, China's government authorities have devoted increasing attention to the role of ... more In recent years, China's government authorities have devoted increasing attention to the role of public participation processes in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The capacity of these processes to influence decision-making remains widely debated. This paper aims at appraising the institutional rationale informing the implementation of public participation in China's EIA, benchmarking it against three conceptualisations: (1) Normative, based on objectives of empowerment and democratisation; (2) Substantive, where participation is pursued mainly to improve quality of decisions; (3) Instrumental, seeking participation as an instrument to legitimise decision-making processes. The appraisal is carried out by means of a new integrated index (Public Participation Index, PPI), which is applied to a case study representative of latest advancements in EIA public participation practices in China, namely the “New Beijing Airport Project”. Located 46 km south of downtown Beijing, the project was approved in 2014 and it is currently under construction. Results of the PPI application to this case study indicate that, despite progress made in recent years, the implementation of public participation in Chinese EIA still largely responds to an instrumental rationale, with limited capacity for the public to affect decisions.
Papers by Daniele Brombal
Normative Readings of the Belt and Road Initiative
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been hailed by many as a game changer in the field of econ... more The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been hailed by many as a game changer in the field of economy, capable to sustain growth in the Eurasian region. Many observers however are concerned about the environmental and social costs of the initiative. To what extent the BRI will pursue a development in tune with the environment and the needs of affected communities will largely depend upon the capacity of concerned actors to carry out integrated and inclusive environmental and social planning. A major role will be played by financial institutions funding the initiative. This chapter seeks to appraise the rationale, scope, legitimacy, and decision-making implications of environmental and social policies applicable to BRI projects. To pursue this aim, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is taken as a case representative of current progress and challenges ahead. Findings indicate that AIIB’s environmental and social safeguards may constitute a tool to promote social inclusion and environmental protection within BRI projects. However, their effectiveness will depend from the Bank’s political commitment towards sustainability and its capacity to foster institutional change in client countries.
China’s New Silk Road, 2018
Tool for collaborative reflection on social-ecological transformations
This document introduces the outcomes of the first Cansiglio forest study retreat on the Belt and... more This document introduces the outcomes of the first Cansiglio forest study retreat on the Belt and Road Initiative and Socio-Ecology, held in Vallorch (Italy) between September 16 and 18, 2019. The retreat was funded and organized by the Marco Polo Centre (MaP) for Global Europe-Asia Connections, hosted by the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University Venice.
Since the 1990s China has witnessed an urbanization process with no parallel in history. It is no... more Since the 1990s China has witnessed an urbanization process with no parallel in history. It is no overestimation to say that the country's future will be largely shaped by it. To many respects, Chinese urbanization is stretching to the very limit the capacities of the environment to sustain development. On the other hand, it is portrayed as a crucial driver for innovation. This paper aims at shedding light over China's urbanization potential to bring about transformative change for sustainability. It does so by analyzing the political discourse and official objectives of urbanization. Results show that sustainability has taken roots in Beijing's approach to urbanization. However, its narrative and objectives remain anchored to the same conventional ideas of incremental development , which to this day has inspired post-reform China's path to modernization. The potential for transformative change in China's urbanization appears therefore limited. Sommario 1 Introdu...
The influence of the rural health security schemes on health utilization and household impoverish... more The influence of the rural health security schemes on health utilization and household impoverishment in rural China: data from a household survey of western and central China
Geography Notebooks, 2018
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) highlights the role of large infrastructures in promoting soci... more The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) highlights the role of large infrastructures in promoting socioeconomic progress. Environmental and social planning will play a pivotal role to ensure that the BRI is tuned with the protection of nature and societal needs. This paper appraises environmental and social safeguards employed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), one of BRI’s key actors. Results show that their rationale, scope, and function are aligned with international practice. Their efficacy however may be jeopardized by the limited capacity of the Bank to oversee the screening and assessment of impacts. More importantly, AIIB’s safeguards endorse an obsolete conceptualization of sustainability, centred on the mitigation of impacts, rather than on the transformation of socioeconomic development patterns.
Gli anni di Hu Jintao e Wen Jiabao saranno ricordati per l’attenzione posta dalle autorità cinesi... more Gli anni di Hu Jintao e Wen Jiabao saranno ricordati per l’attenzione posta dalle autorità cinesi a temi di rilevanza sociale. Un’ attenzione interpretabile quale risposta alle crescenti tensioni in seno alla società cinese, caratterizzata da squilibri in grado di minare stabilità sociale e legittimità del regime1. La rilevanza attribuita da Pechino allo sviluppo sociale è andata intrecciandosi al coinvolgimento nel processo di formulazione delle politiche di elementi esterni alla burocrazia e all’istituzione di canali attraverso cui critiche e suggerimenti dei comuni cittadini possano essere veicolati alle autorità. Larga parte delle analisi dedicate a politiche sociali e relative dinamiche Stato-società nella Cina continentale si muovono entro una cornice teorica che individua un nesso causale fra maggiore sviluppo economico e complessità sociale da un lato, e maggiore propensione da parte dello Stato a rispondere positivamente alle sollecitazioni sociali dall’altro2. Il dibattito...
150 Years of Oriental Studies at Ca’ Foscari, 2018
Chinese studies have historically been shaped by change in political, social, and scientific inst... more Chinese studies have historically been shaped by change in political, social, and scientific institutions. Since the ’80s, China’s emergence into the world stage and change in scientific paradigms have spurred debate about the epistemological foundations of the field. Sinologists have been confronted with the need of identifying pathways to ensure that the knowledge they produce is relevant for science and society. The engagement with theoretical and empirical approaches employed by different disciplines, most notably the social sciences, has been a key element to their endeavours. This paper contributes to this on-going reflection, by benchmarking recent changes in Chinese studies at Ca’ Foscari University against global trends of evolution in area studies. Results show that the field has now multi-disciplinary features and has initiated a transition towards inter-disciplinarity. By endorsing the holistic approach to knowledge informing this transition, scholars in the field may st...
Uploads
China and the Environment by Daniele Brombal
Papers by Daniele Brombal