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Accuracy of Environmental Monitoring in China: Exploring the Influence of Institutional, Political and Ideological Factors

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  • Daniele Brombal

    (Department of Asian and North African Studies, University Ca’ Foscari Venice, 30123 Venice, Italy)

Abstract

Environmental monitoring data are essential to informing decision-making processes relevant to the management of the environment. Their accuracy is therefore of extreme importance. The credibility of Chinese environmental data has been long questioned by domestic and foreign observers. This paper explores the potential impact of institutional, political, and ideological factors on the accuracy of China’s environmental monitoring data. It contends that the bureaucratic incentive system, conflicting agency goals, particular interests, and ideological structures constitute potential sources of bias in processes of environmental monitoring in China. The current leadership has acknowledged the issue, implementing new measures to strengthen administrative coordination and reinforce the oversight of the central government over local authorities. However, the failure to address the deeper political roots of the problem and the ambivalence over the desirability of public participation to enhance transparency might jeopardize Beijing’s strive for environmental data accuracy.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniele Brombal, 2017. "Accuracy of Environmental Monitoring in China: Exploring the Influence of Institutional, Political and Ideological Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:3:p:324-:d:91267
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ryo Fujikura & Shinji Kaneko & Hirofumi Nakayama & Naoya Sawazu, 2006. "Coverage and reliability of Chinese statistics regarding sulfur dioxide emissions during the late 1990s," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 7(4), pages 415-434, December.
    2. ZhongXiang Zhang, 2014. "Programs, Prices and Policies Towards Energy Conservation and Environmental Quality in China," CCEP Working Papers 1407, Centre for Climate & Energy Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Shiyi Chen & Xiaoxiao Ding & Pingyi Lou & Hong Song, 2022. "New evidence of moral hazard: Environmental liability insurance and firms' environmental performance," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 89(3), pages 581-613, September.
    3. Świstak, Marek, 2021. "Centralne planowanie i lokalne wykonanie: wyzwania wielopoziomowego systemu implementacji polityki ochrony środowiska naturalnego w Chinach," Studia z Polityki Publicznej / Public Policy Studies, Warsaw School of Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Zheng Wang, 2021. "Blame the Foreigners? Exports and Sulfur Dioxide Emissions in China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(2), pages 279-309, October.
    5. Dong Yan & Paolo Davide Farah & Ivana Gaskova & Carlo Vittorio Giabardo, 2020. "Evaluating China’s Environmental Management and Risks Avoidance Policies and Regulations on Offshore Methane Hydrate Extraction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.
    6. Mehran Idris Khan & Yen-Chiang Chang, 2018. "Environmental Challenges and Current Practices in China—A Thorough Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Chris K. Y. Lo & Christopher S. Tang & Yi Zhou, 2022. "Do polluting firms suffer long term? Can government use data‐driven inspection policies to catch polluters?," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(12), pages 4351-4363, December.
    8. Matthew A. Cole & David J. Maddison & Liyun Zhang, 2020. "Testing the emission reduction claims of CDM projects using the Benford’s Law," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 160(3), pages 407-426, June.

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