China Goes Green: Coercive Environmentalism for a Troubled Planet / Edition 1

by Yifei Li, Judith Shapiro

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781509543113
Publisher:	Polity Press
Publication date:	09/28/2020
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Yifei Li is Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at NYU Shanghai, and Global Network Assistant Professor at NYU.

Judith Shapiro is Professor and Director of the Masters in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development at American University.

Table of Contents

Map vi

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction: The Rise of Authoritarian Environmentalism 1

1 Asserting "Green" Control: The State and its-Subjects 35

2 "Green" China Pacifies its Borders 76

3 The State on the "Green" Belt and Road 115

4 Global China Goes "Green" 149

5 Environmental Authoritarianism on a Troubled Planet 185

References 206

Index 241