Theory and Practice of Transboundary Environmental Governance: The Case Study of Tainan Environment Alliance in Taiwan

Abstract

Environmental issues are transboundary in nature and carry the traits of public affairs. Enforcement and consolidation of environmental protection rely on collaborative efforts from different sectors in order to exercise a synergistic effect. In Taiwan, the Tainan Environment Alliance started in 2007 and is a cross-sector collaborative model consisting of the environmental protection authority, the prosecutors’ office, the police department, and environmental protection groups that looks up to itself as an effective and successful environmental reporting entity that helps eradicate and prevent crimes against the environment. Methodologically, document analysis and participant observation are adopted in this study in order to get first-hand information and valuable publications on the cross-sector promotion of environmental policies in this particular case. The case study, on the other hand, is done by means of in-depth interviews and phone interviews with members of the Taiwan Environment Alliance, including the environmental protection authority, the prosecutors’ office, the police department, and the private sector, over the long term through purposive sampling taking on the qualitative research approach. Results of the study show that besides the collaborative relationship between government agencies and non-governmental organizations, to effectively address environmental protection issues, it also relies on a “dynamic” partnership network and the key lies in how to consolidate environmental issues at the individual cognitive level and to accordingly form a collective force.