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Chapter Eight: Research Findings and Conclusion
Research Findings
We can say that in Beijing’s case, the air pollution control policies followed a
certain path with the defining of two critical junctures. Both 2008 Olympics and 2014
APEC Summit offered the great opportunities for China to think twice when
international events were being held in its capital, Beijing. The process of cleaning
Beijing’s air has been programmed and implemented for several decades, much
improvements were shown with the effort from government and non-governmental
departments. The awareness of such environmental protection had been planted into
decision makers’ mind in China in recent years. With the help of internet which
triggered the public awareness of their motherland, this awareness soon became a
force to drive the government into its reinforcing effect. We could expect if similar
international events were to be hold in Beijing in the future, Beijing government
would keep this path and implemented short term policies to cut down on its major
and secondary air pollutants and at the same time, figure out the possible way for long
term air cleansing problem in Beijing. How to keep the results and develop more
accurate policies toward air pollution problem would be the next step for Beijing and
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even other polluted cities in China to consider. Some suggested the widely use of air
pollutants trading system128 while some emphasize on clarifying government
responsibility and intensifying penalties would help.129 This realm has future research
potential for deeper analysis.
As we could observe from previous data, short term effects were what we see. In
longer term (such as five-year-term or even longer), obvious improvements are still
far to reach. Even we have confirmed that people and government had rising
awareness on air pollution and other environmental issues by path dependent analysis,
cleaning the air in Beijing would not be easy to achieve because of either
meteorological conditions or the paradox between central and local government. The
policies made by central government are overall guidance. For local government,
more detailed law information needed to be discussed, legislated and implemented.
Hence, if local and central officials have divergence on air pollution control
perspectives, such as local officials would legislate the law which favored its citizens’
livelihood or economic conditions rather than the result of environmental protection,
128 Yu Hao, “Study on the Effects of Pollution Reduction About Emissions Trading: An Empirical Analysis Based on Provincial Panel Data,” Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China. 2014.
129 Legislative Affairs Commission of NPC, Full Text of Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law (Amendment Draft), 2015.
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the policy effects would then be cut down.130 Feng and Liao also pointed out
challenges for China’s air pollution control in the future including defects of
prevention and control of motor vehicle pollution131, lack of stipulation on the air
pollutant emission trading system, outdated stipulations of the air pollutant emission
permit system and unclear governmental responsibilities for prevention and control of
air pollution.132 The unclear responsibilities for the air pollution is crucial because
therefore, local government and officials who favor economic development are
inclined to neglect their responsibilities for protecting local air quality.133
Last but not the least, for theoretical usage of path dependent theory, can this theory
also be implemented in other countries? The answer is ambiguous since the
fundamental hypothesis of path dependent analysis indicated that different path may
be taken by different countries even in the same situation.134 But on the other hand,
can other cities in China copied the path of Beijing? In 2016, G20 Summit was held in
130 Edward Wong, “Response to A City’s Smog Points to A Change in Chinese Attitude,” The New York Times, October 24, 2013. Last accessed: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/25/world/asia/smoggy-days-in-harbin-prompt-quick-reaction.html
131 The prevention and control of motor vehicle pollution doesn’t consider the responsible department or supervision and coordination, also the departmental rules lack the high authority of national laws and administrative regulations. See more on Feng and Liao (2016).
132 Lu Feng, and Wenjie Liao, “Legislation, Plans, and Policies for Prevention and Control of Air Pollution in China: Achievements, Challenges, and Improvements,” Journal of Cleaner Production 112 (2016): 1549-1558.
133 Qiang Zhang, Kebin He, and Hong Huo, “Policy: Cleaning China’s Air,” Nature 484 (2012): 161-162.
134 Ruth Berins Collier, and David Collier, “Shaping the Political Arena,” Princeton University Press, 1991.
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Hangzhou. Local government gave similar air cleaning policy package to ensure the
blue skies in Hangzhou.135 If the analysis could be reproduced in other areas in
China, it would be even more convincing that China’s air pollution policies is
following a certain path.
Conclusion
The thesis concluded that Beijing’s air pollution problem has begun its
transformation. From an economic-growth-oriented city to an
economic-environment-coexisted city, China grasped the chance on both critical junctures to alter the original
unwillingness of facing air pollution and sustainability problem. Short term efforts
have been confirmed as effective and long term policies are expected to do more in
the recent future. Statistics about good air quality days has been improving in recent
years as more stringent policies were implemented.136 But still, with much effort
made for all the improvements, the air condition hasn’t dramatically changed to give
back the clear sky and air for Beijing’s citizens. The reasons behind this could be “the
meteorological conditions of Beijing”, or “the asymmetric cognizance between
135 Ben Westcott, “Blue Skies and Police Vans: China Prepares to Host its First G20 Summit,” CNN, August 31, 2016. Last accessed: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/30/asia/china-‐hangzhou-‐g20-‐
2016/index.html
136 “After a Year, Air Quality in Beijing Had Been Exceeding Past Average,” Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, July 31, 2009. (In Chinese)
http://www.bjepb.gov.cn/bjhrb/xxgk/ywdt/dqhjgl/dqhjglgzdtxx/500606/index.html
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central and local government.” The two parts contain huge potential for future
research as mentioned before. As time goes by, Beijing proved short-term possibility
for cleaning its air. The challenge lies on how the policy makers and the public
coordinates to bring out the best regulations and realize them, make the good air into
reality. In other words, Beijing needs to build the detailed-oriented self-reinforcing
mechanism either using citizens’ pressure to the government or from rewards to
environmental-friendly industries. If these policies could be successfully implemented
afterwards, self-reinforcing effect could bring the polices and improvements to
another level.
It seems that the next critical juncture could also be set in the near future. Beijing,
again, honored to be the host for 2020 Winter Olympics.137 Till then, Beijing would
be the first city which hold both Summer and Winter Olympics in the history (see
Appendix 1). This time, air pollution problem will surely be magnified as well. The
policies which are about to be implemented in the near future before the Winter
Olympics could then be expected to be stricter than now. On the other hand, the
Winter Olympics is going to be around February, the most polluted period in a year
137 “Winter Olympics 2022 Decision: Beijing Beats Almaty to Host Games- as it Happened,” The Guardian, July 31, 2015.
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showed in previous statistics. Hence, the future Beijing Winter Olympics will
definitely be the inspection for Beijing’s air pollution control in recent years and
provide a good opportunity for further research.
According to the Ji Ning Chen from MEP, “Our measures are correct and effective.
Environmental issues cannot be solved in short term like two or three years, even
some developed countries took more than fifty years,” and he even indicated that, “we
will surely solve the problem even before developed countries.”138 The minister also
urge the public to “speak up in any form” after he watched the documentary “Under
the Dome.”139 He hoped to bring out more public awareness which matched with the
self-reinforcing effect. Sun also indicated the importance on public awareness of air
pollution problem is one of the very key character in China’s future environmental
policies.140
Beijing, in hopes to keep its right trajectory with firm, steady pace of
environmental improvement, the sky in Beijing may one day be clear and citizens
138 Guo Meijun, “Daluzhengzhiwumai, qunianzhongwurantianqipinxian” (Heavy Smog Days Frequently Appeared Even Now China is Trying to Solve the Problem), LianHe Xinwenwang (UDN), March 3, 2017. Last accessed: https://udn.com/news/story/7332/2333238?from=udn-relatednews_ch2
139 “Zhongguohuanbaobubuzhang: gulichaijingshiguanzhuhuanjing” (Minister of MEP: Encourage to Care More About Environment Using Chai Jing’s Way), FengChuanMei, March 1, 2017. Last accessed: http://www.storm.mg/article/42767
140 Yixian Sun, “The Changing Role of China in Global Environmental Governance,” China’s Rising Role in Global Governance: Opportunities & Challenges 1 (2016): 44.
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141 Tom Phillips, “China’s Premier Unveils Smog-Busting Plan to ‘Make Skies Blue Again’,” The Guardian, March 5, 2017. Last accessed: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/05/china-premier-li-keqiang-unveils-smog-busting-plan-to-make-skies-blue-again-air-pollution
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