Enacting a low-carbon economy: Policies and distrust between government employees and enterprises in China

Abstract

Within a low-carbon economy networks, governments and enterprises inevitably experience some level of distrust because of the complexity and uncertainty of policies. This study employs a questionnaire survey in China and finds a high level of distrust between government employees and enterprise managers when low carbon policies are enacted. However, the survey results also indicate a low frequency of communication on low carbon policy and that government employees and enterprise managers frame each other negatively. Furthermore, according to the result of a linear structural relations model, the frequency of communication and the ways in which government employees and enterprise managers frame each other are negatively correlated with the level of distrust. Therefore, an open policy process, co-working, and information sharing could all be effective ways to decrease the level of distrust. Moreover, specific low-carbon policies need to be established especially specific low-carbon standards for products, so as to reduce enterprises' distrust in low carbon policies.