TY - CONF

T1 - Luring the elephants back?

AU - Delman, Jørgen

PY - 2017/5/28

Y1 - 2017/5/28

N2 - This paper asks how local green development is stimulated through new governance instruments in Hangzhou. The paper argues that the eco-civilization framework has become an overarching concept for green or sustainable development, i.e. to restore order and balance to the Chinese ecology to safeguard future generations. The paper updates previous work on eco-civilization construction and governance innovations in Hangzhou. The local field is increasingly politicized in response to central policies, and the room for local maneuvering is becoming increasingly regulated. Generally, the Party and state system seems to be taking more control of itself as an organization and of its agents to promote green development. The local green regulations are becoming increasingly specific and more and more measurable, and a new public management system with performance reviews and results management procedures based on key performance indicators and with assessments by the public are meant to improve policy implementation, also in the environmental field. It is observed how the city authorities respond to central and popular pressure by opening up to these through external participation and assessment. This approach is seen as a key instrument to stimulate policy compliance and enhance government transparency and public accountability. However, the system of implementation still needs improvement, especially with regard to evidence based assessments of progress, compliance and effectiveness in the eco-civilization field. The available evidence does however indicate that this approach has had some effect on narrowing the implementation gap in environmental politics.

AB - This paper asks how local green development is stimulated through new governance instruments in Hangzhou. The paper argues that the eco-civilization framework has become an overarching concept for green or sustainable development, i.e. to restore order and balance to the Chinese ecology to safeguard future generations. The paper updates previous work on eco-civilization construction and governance innovations in Hangzhou. The local field is increasingly politicized in response to central policies, and the room for local maneuvering is becoming increasingly regulated. Generally, the Party and state system seems to be taking more control of itself as an organization and of its agents to promote green development. The local green regulations are becoming increasingly specific and more and more measurable, and a new public management system with performance reviews and results management procedures based on key performance indicators and with assessments by the public are meant to improve policy implementation, also in the environmental field. It is observed how the city authorities respond to central and popular pressure by opening up to these through external participation and assessment. This approach is seen as a key instrument to stimulate policy compliance and enhance government transparency and public accountability. However, the system of implementation still needs improvement, especially with regard to evidence based assessments of progress, compliance and effectiveness in the eco-civilization field. The available evidence does however indicate that this approach has had some effect on narrowing the implementation gap in environmental politics.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - China

KW - Eco-civilization

KW - green development

KW - red line for ecological protection

KW - urban green governance

KW - performance reviews

KW - Hangzhou

M3 - Paper

Y2 - 27 May 2017 through 29 May 2017

ER -