A Comparative Perspective on "Public Participation" in Environmental Protection in the United States and China

Abstract

Increasingly, severe pollution in China is drawing more and more attention in recent years. We are seeing rampant incidents of pollution, such as the Beijing smog, due to heavy industrialization. It is in everyone’s interest to develop environmental management approaches especially those related to laws and to their use for pollution reduction. Since technology, along with the desire for rapid economic growth, is occurring at a rapid pace, China has been very active in addressing pollution by means of legislation and management. But still much has to be done. As long as pollution is primarily considered as something that the government alone should manage, the basic motivation and incentives for public participation in environmental management will remain lacking in China. It is also necessary to recognize that the government (by means of administration), at times, is not the sole and only effective player when “government failure” occurs in environmental battle. Better legal constructions of environmental protection in China will help ensure that non-administrative powers can be brought to bear on pollution. This dissertation compares and analyzes “public participation” in environmental protection in China and the U.S. It showcases the effectiveness and importance of public participation in the U.S. This dissertation concludes by proposing measures to strengthen public participation in environmental protection in China.