Justice and injustice under authoritarian environmentalism: Investigating tensions between forestland property rights and environmental conservation in China

Abstract

This study investigates how forestland property rights, established under the Chinese Collective Forest Tenure Reform (CFTR) from 2003, were affected by the emergence of the “Ecological Civilization” discourse in the 2010s. It does so through the lens of environmental justice. Case studies were conducted in four counties in Fujian and Yunnan provinces. The results show outright injustice in the Fujian cases which originate from the government's authoritarian approach to Ecological Civilization, including severe restrictions on timber harvest, lack of recognition of decentralized forestland property rights, and only limited compensation for people affected. Those who heavily invested in forestry activities encountered the most unjust treatment. Meanwhile, despite a similar authoritarian policy in Yunnan, injustice in these cases were less salient because restrictions on timber harvest (for the sake of conserving natural forests) already existed there before the introduction of CFTR, thus deterring private actors from investing in forestry. The results highlight the necessity of upholding justice of distribution, participation, and recognition for all engaged actors, particularly when environmental conservation is prioritized and needs to be sustained.