The China Environment Yearbook: State of Change: Environmental Governance and Citizens' Rights, Volume 5

With the annual publication of the China Environment Yearbook by Friends of Nature, Chinas environmental situation is revealed through the eyes of civil society. In this fifth volume, key issues affecting Chinas environment in the year 2009 are explored through five main themes: Public Policy, Litigation, Pollution and Health, Consumption, and Ecological Protection. The year 2009 began with the global financial crisis and ended with the frustration of the climate change conference in Copenhagen. In this context, issues surrounding citizens rights and the states responsibility are discussed by environmentalists, scholars, lawyers, and journalists. Other topics covered in the China Environment Yearbook, Volume 5 include green growth from the financial stimulus package, resource development in western regions, protests against waste incineration power plants, water consumption in Beijing, pollution related lawsuits, giant panda protection, and several alarming environmental and health related incidents, including toxic wastewater in Yancheng and elevated blood lead levels in children. Contents......Page 6 List of Figures and Tables......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Contributors......Page 14 Preface......Page 18 Introduction......Page 22 Volume Overview......Page 26 Highlights of 2009: The State’s Responsibility and Citizens’ Rights......Page 28 Part I Public Policy......Page 50 Green Growth Impacts of China’s Financial Stimulus Package......Page 52 Calls for a Low-Carbon Economy: NPC Motions and CPPCC Proposals in 2009......Page 68 Progress in Environmental Information Transparency......Page 80 Regulations on Environmental Impact Assessment for Plans: Breakthroughs and Limitations......Page 92 China’s Role in International Climate Change Negotiations......Page 102 Part II Litigation......Page 114 Public Interest Litigation against Illegal Construction of Two Hydropower Stations on the Jinsha River......Page 116 Environmental Public Interest Litigation: Seven Experimental Case Studies......Page 128 Pollution Related Lawsuits Encounter Many Difficulties......Page 142 The Case of Yancheng Water Pollution: Problems in Judicature......Page 152 Part III Pollution and Health......Page 160 Alarming Environment and Health Incidents of 2009......Page 162 Environmental Crisis in Rapidly Developing Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi......Page 172 Hidden Environmental Troubles of Resource Development in China’s Western Regions......Page 184 New Pollution in Rural Areas: The “Home Appliances to the Countryside” Program......Page 198 Part IV Consumption......Page 206 2009: A Waste Crisis at a Crossroads......Page 208 Promoting Sustainable Consumption......Page 218 Extravagant Water Consumption in Beijing’s New Bathhouses......Page 228 Restricted Use of Plastic Shopping Bags: The Way Out......Page 236 Part V Ecological Protection......Page 246 Organizational Transformations at Nature Reserves: An Analysis of Tourism Development in Jilin’s Changbai Mountain......Page 248 Conservation Agreements: Incorporating Government-led and Community-based Initiatives......Page 264 Biodiversity in the Context of Climate Change......Page 272 Crafting a Successful Vision for Wild Giant Panda Protection......Page 282 Part VI Appendix......Page 292 Annual Indexes: Environmental Changes in China......Page 294 Terminological Glossary......Page 306 Index......Page 308 In this fifth volume of the China Environment Yearbook by Friends of Nature, key issues affecting China’s environment in the year 2009 are explored through five main themes: Public Policy, Litigation, Pollution and Health, Consumption, and Ecological Protection.