Li, Na --- "Improving Environmental Protection in China: The Role of Green GDP in Encouraging Local Government Heads to Implement Environmental Law" [2011] ELECD 318; in Paddock, Lee; Qun, Du; Kotzé, J. Louis; Markell, L. David; Markowitz, J. Kenneth; Zaelke, Durwood (eds), "Compliance and Enforcement in Environmental Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Compliance and Enforcement in Environmental Law

Editor(s): Paddock, Lee; Qun, Du; Kotzé, J. Louis; Markell, L. David; Markowitz, J. Kenneth; Zaelke, Durwood

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781848448315

Section: Chapter 14

Section Title: Improving Environmental Protection in China: The Role of Green GDP in Encouraging Local Government Heads to Implement Environmental Law

Author(s): Li, Na

Number of pages: 10

Extract:

14. Improving Environmental Protection in
China: The Role of Green GDP in
Encouraging Local Government Heads
to Implement Environmental Law
Na Li*

1. INTRODUCTION

China has been experiencing extraordinary economic growth, industrialization,
and urbanization, but its environmental problems have become widespread and
serious. Since the passage of the Law of Environmental Protection in 1986, China
has built quite a comprehensive legal system for environmental protection. Yet
the implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation lags behind,
and the quality of water, air, and land is degrading while the management of
environmental resources continues to deteriorate. Under China's present regime,
local governmental heads are key persons in the implementation of environmental
laws and therefore largely decide whether China's attempts to protect the
environment will be a failure or success.
"Local governmental heads" are leaders of large and medium-sized cities.
They are very powerful in planning and administrating their cities' economic and
social development, as well as environmental protection. In China's Party-led
politics, such heads' assignment and promotion are largely driven by political
achievements. Recognized and remarkable achievements in their work are the
main assessments to their promotion and thus become their orientation and
objective to pursue. Recognizing achievements in "Green GDP" could provide
the necessary incentives for local governmental heads to place greater emphasis
on environmental protection.




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370 Role of Local Government

2. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS' ENVIRONMENTAL CONDUCT
AND THE LIMITS OF LAW IN ADDRESSING CHINA'S
ENVIRONMENT AL PROBLEMS

As China has stepped up the pace ...