China is the world's most populous country and is experiencing unprecedented levels of development. China's immense population and rapid industrialization have both contributed to China being the world's second largest emitter of greenhouse gases. China currently faces a number of growing pains, including resource shortages and environmental pollution. Transportation has increasingly become the most important factor for supporting economic growth and development (particularly in developing countries such as China) by allowing for greater economies of scale and providing access to new markets. This strong growth in transportation and economic development has increasingly burdened and degraded the environment just as history has shown in developed and developing countries all over the world. As a result, the environment has been receiving increasing attention and concern over the years, particularly in China now, with much negative international attention focusing on the environmental conditions existing within China's borders. The aim of the paper is to identify strengths and weaknesses of the political and administrative organization of the transport and environmental sectors in China and to develop recommendations based on the analysis of the actual situation in China. The scope of the report involves identifying problems and making recommendations on six specific topics: Institutional Structures and Roles, Legislation, Capacity, Participation, Monitoring and Enforcement, and Transportation and Environmental Policy Integration. These areas were chosen amongst many topics because their specific breadth includes the most significant problems currently inhibiting effective environmental governance. This work was supported by the Volvo Research and Education Foundations(VRFF).
Samenvatting