Environmental governance in China: taking policy instruments seriously

The Chinese authorities have traditionally responded slowly and indecisively to threats to the ecosystem. The pace may be accelerating and a sense of urgency may be beginning to crystallize, a pattern that may be charted properly only if the tools relied upon by the government for this purpose are dissected rigorously. Such an exercise reveals that the approach pursued has been excessively narrow, generally overlooking a wide range of contextual factors. Methodological vehicles designed to capture and manage their impact in business settings may serve as a possible model in seeking conceptual refinement, but they may need to be adjusted to reflect public sector dynamics and specific socio-political conditions.