China's Environmental Civilian Activism

Abstract

In the Policy Forum “China's Road to Sustainability” (2 April, p. [50][1]), J. Liu Overlooks an important cultural force. China's worsening environmental conditions have catalyzed a spirit of environmental civilian activism. For example, in 2003, a consortium proposed erecting 13 dams on the Nujiang River. China's environmental nongovernmental organizations and scholars launched a protest campaign through the Internet and newspapers. The critics argued that as reservoirs behind the dams filled up, flooding and landslides would imperil habitats. In response, Premier Wen Jiabao suspended the dam project pending an environmental review in 2004 ([ 1 ][2]). The landmark of environmental civilian activism occurred in Xiamen City in 2007. The local government supported construction of a $1.4-billion paraxylene plant near the center of the city. Information about the environmental impact of this project was not made available to the local residents. The people of Xiamen City were outraged when—through cell phone messages and the Internet—they learned of the plant's environmental risks. A phone text message was circulated among Xiamen citizens in late May calling for a “collective walk” (demonstration). On 1 June 2007, more than 1000 citizens gathered in front of the municipal building to protest. The demonstration forced the local government to cancel the largest industrial project in the history of Xiamen ([ 2 ][3]). ![Figure][4] Protests. Chinese citizens protest against the planned Guangzhou trash incinerator in 2009. Their banners read, “Oppose the trash incinerator.” CREDIT: AP PHOTO The burgeoning middle class has become the driver of environmental civilian activism. For example, operation of the Likeng trash incinerator in Guangzhou City started in 2005 without any protest, although local farmers worried about health risk ([ 3 ][5]). In contrast, the proposed Panyu trash incinerator in Guangzhou City in 2009 triggered protests that were led by the middle class ([ 4 ][6]), who used science-based evidence to openly challenge prevailing notions formulated by the authorities. (In earlier years, standard practice was to obey Beijing-based experts in environmental protection.) In addition, the self-organized middle class forced the local government to open discussion by Internet. By seizing the opportunity for an open discussion, the newly empowered locals took to the streets to protect their environmental rights ([ 4 ][6]). Recent years have witnessed an impressive growth in environmental protests in China. The number of petitions and mass public protests related to environmental issues has increased by 30% per year in the past few years, although the number of petitions lodged with the Chinese government has dropped ([ 5 ][7]). The current environmental civilian activism movements have several common characteristics: (i) They are confined to one specific geographical space. (ii) Their goal is protecting the environment, rather than political rights or commercial interests. (iii) They focus on a specific pollutant, rather than general environmental degradation. The local nature of the movement enables the organization of a large number of citizens with little effort in a very short time. Given more open social and political conditions and the increasing size of the middle class in China, environmental civilian activism will certainly be a key driver in China's transition to sustainability. 1. [↵][8]1. R. Stone , Science 319, 1604 (2008). [OpenUrl][9][Abstract/FREE Full Text][10] 2. [↵][11]1. F. Zeng, 2. Z. Jiang , “Annual figures: Xiamen citizen in PX protest,” Southern People Weekly Magazine (18 January 2008); [www.infzm.com/content/4640][12] (in Chinese). 3. [↵][13]1. J. Chen , “Some farmers near Likeng trash incinerator died of cancer,” China News Weekly (4 December 2009); reproduced at (in Chinese). 4. [↵][14]1. M. Moore , “China's middle-class rise up in environmental protest,” Telegraph (23 November 2009); [www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/6636631/Chinas-middleclass-rise-up-in-environmental-protest.html][15]. 5. [↵][16]1. S. Zhou , “Creating environmental supervision and environmental law enforcement to cope with new task and new challenges” (Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China, 2008); [www.mep.gov.cn/info/ldjh/200804/t20080425_121679.htm][17] (in Chinese). 6. The views expressed in this paper are the author's own and not necessarily those of QIBEBT-CAS, GIG-CAS. I thank B. Jong for comments and linguistic support. 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