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Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) has been an increasing challenge for cities in China. Effective and sensible charging mechanism of municipal solid waste (MSW) needs to be designed to abate rapid generation of MSW from its source. This paper investigates four aspects related to public preference on MSW charging, including cleanliness, frequency, time, and cost. A case study was conducted in Harbin, which is a megacity in China and one of the first pilot cities for MSW classification. This study adopted stratified sampling approach in surveying Harbin residents, which generated a final sample of 280 residents for empirical investigation. Conjoint analysis was employed to analyze residents' preference for MSW charging. The results demonstrate that the preference varies with the level of income. High-income and middle-income residents are more favourable to cleanliness, while the low-income group is more concerned about the cost of MSWM. To a large extent, this difference may be related to differences in personal needs and consumption patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities have increasingly become the focal point for climate change initiatives. However, how cities respond to climate change challenges and through what mechanisms have remained largely unexplored. This paper develops a framework for local governance to examine and explain climate change initiatives in cities. Based on the analysis of 20 climate change initiatives in major cities and a detailed case study of Hong Kong, this paper has two main findings. First, local governments at the city level have an important role to play in climate change policies by embracing some key strategies (such as deliberation and partnership) and values (such as equity and legitimacy) of good governance. Second, by comparing and contrasting the experience in other cities, our case study of Hong Kong provides insights about the barriers that may limit a city's ability to adapt to new forms of governance that would enable it to better respond to climate change. The paper concludes by exploring the potential role of local governance as a model to strengthen climate change initiatives at the city level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A primary method of mitigating environmental problems in industrial districts, or so-called industrial clusters, in emerging economies is through shared environmental infrastructure. Yet the social justice and equity aspects of these projects claiming to be green and sustainable have rarely been investigated and interrogated, especially in authoritarian systems. Drawing on actor-network theory and environmental politics, this article examines how unjust sustainability may occur in collective environmental solutions such as shared environmental infrastructure in China. Through a case study of a furniture-coating centre to be built in a well known furniture manufacturing cluster in the Shunde District of Guangdong Province, this article investigates how the resulting local controversy unfolded and how the power dynamics between the local state and the protesting communities played out. The result shows that power asymmetry in collective environment actions may result in injustice and inequity concerns that trigger local controversies. Controversies, in turn, offer an opportunity for the power struggle between enrolment and counter-enrolment, which may challenge unequal power relations. The behaviours and tactics deployed by different actor groups in local controversies depend to a certain extent on the constraints and opportunities present within China's multi-scalar environmental governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural sociologists and geographers have conceptualised different rural development trajectories including “the agri-industrial model”, “the post-productivist model” and “the rural development model”. Alternative food networks (AFNs) are increasingly recognised as a “forerunner” and a critical component of the emerging “rural development model” in the West. Meanwhile, Marsden and Franklin [2013. Replacing neoliberalism: theoretical implications of the rise of local food movements.Local Environment, 18 (5), 636–641] pointed out that there is a “local trap” in the current conceptualisation of AFNs that overemphasises their local embeddedness and heterogeneity. This “local trap” marginalises AFNs and, therefore, hinders their potential for transforming the industrialised conventional food system. The convergence and scaling-up of fragmented AFNs have been recognised as important ways to address this marginalisation issue and thus have attracted considerable attention. However, current studies of the convergence of AFNs focus mainly on the role of food-centred organisations without recognising the role of the emerging “rural development” initiatives in the convergence of AFNs. Based on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of secondary data, this paper uses the New Rural Reconstruction Movement (NRRM), an emerging alternative rural development movement in China, as an example to illustrate how the NRRM opens up a novel space for the convergence of AFNs. We argue that the interrelationship between AFNs and rural development is indeed reciprocal. The NRRM, following the “rural development” trajectory, functions as a hub for the convergence and scaling-up of various alternative food initiatives. Strategies for achieving convergence include constructing a “common ground” for these initiatives, establishing national alliances and organisations, sharing knowledge and exchanging personnel among them. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In China, urban rural integration is creating new challenges and opportunities for the promotion of sustainable communities. This paper draws on recent preliminary research to explore the role of “ecotourism” as conceived of and driven by the State in the delivery of sustainable communities in Anji, Zhejiang province, China. We focus on the promotion of a particular type of “ecotourism” called “Nong Jia Le” (NJL) (experiencing life in rural areas) which involves residents from urban areas staying overnight in rural residences, enjoying local food and sometimes engaging in farming. This is currently being promoted within Anji County as a key strategy for creating sustainable communities through integrated urban and rural development. The research uses a sustainable livelihoods framework to explore the extent to which this initiative is capable of contributing towards sustainable communities in practice. It concludes that NJL needs to be positioned as one component of the broader livelihood portfolio of Anji. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticide dependence is a major threat to food safety and local environment. Although numerous studies have explored different causes of pesticide dependence, few have examined how pesticides are locked into agricultural modernisation and rural transformation. Based on a case study of a Chinese village, this paper demonstrates how agricultural modernisation trajectory and rural changes have perpetuated the use of pesticides as necessities in agriculture as well as for farmers' livelihoods. Modern technologies, such as hybrid rice, conservation tillage, changes in crop structure, and reduction of intercropping all contribute highly towards pesticide dependence. The household responsibility system in China has provided the institutional foundation for increased pesticide use. Rural transformations driven by livelihoods diversification have created conducive social spaces for pesticide application. To step out of pesticide dependence, promotion of genetic diversity in agriculture, a reassessment of locational suitability of conservation tillage, institutional strengthening and the promotion of integrated pest management methods are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we divide the communities in Central China into four groups, namely ecological high-poverty communities, non-ecological high-poverty communities, sustainable communities and non-ecological low-poverty communities. We use 2000 and 2006 data for 498 counties to conduct analysis and comparison between sustainable and unsustainable communities in order to define determinants of the development pathways to sustainable communities. The comparison of the variable means between the groups of ecological high-poverty communities and non-ecological high-poverty communities in 2006 indicates that there is no significant difference in the dimensions related to economy, society and environment, with the exception of average output value per industrial enterprise. The non-ecological low-poverty communities are more likely to have a higher proportion of secondary industry, higher total industrial output value, higher average output value per industrial enterprise and higher intensity of infrastructure construction, compared to the sustainable communities. The factors that determine whether the communities will choose the pathway to sustainable communities are found to be landscape, social conditions of secondary industry and agriculture and economic development level. Hence, the policies that aim at promoting sustainability for the unsustainable communities will have to focus on different strategies and actions for non-ecological high-poverty and non-ecological low-poverty communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate factors affecting public attitude towards the siting of locally unwanted land uses (LULUs) and to explore the possible strategies to resolve such conflicts. Three questionnaire surveys were undertaken in communities with different siting experiences and socio-economic profiles. Over 750 individuals were successfully interviewed in each study district. The three communities were found to share similar risk beliefs but show variations in the level of awareness of and response to LULUs. In communities with a disproportionate share of LULUs, many residents did not trust the government in handling LULU issues and thought that the siting process was unfair. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis show that people are likely to oppose the siting of a LULU in their community if they have a negative siting experience, do not perceive the need, accord a high risk to the facility and have a low level of trust in government. The resolution strategies preferred by the public are greater public participation and effective mitigation of risks and impacts, rather than provision of compensation and incentives. All these call for policy-makers to be sensitive to local concerns, engage the public in the process, communicate risks effectively and foster trust building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from 524 households in the upper reaches of the Yihe River, China, a tourism livelihood resilience index (TLRI) was developed to explore the correlation between livelihood resilience and strategies of tourism smallholders. The smallholders were grouped into four categories: tourism oriented (TO), tourism and part-time migration work (TPM), migration work and part-time tourism (MPT) and migration work-oriented (MO). The TLRI revealed notable differences among these groups, with MPT smallholders demonstrating the lowest resilience (0.287) due to a weak buffer capacity (0.242). In contrast, MO smallholders displayed high resilience, as they were able to become successful professional tourism operators. Interestingly, households with low-diversity livelihoods (e.g. MO and TO) had higher resilience than those with high diversity (MPT and TPM). Regression findings showed that increased buffer capacity, self-organisation capacity and community protective capacity tend to motivate smallholders to engage in tourism intensification activities, while learning capacity had no measurable impact. Based on these results, three suggestions have been presented for improving the livelihood resilience of tourism smallholders. The conceptualisation of the TLRI enhances our understanding of the livelihood resilience of tourism smallholders in China and provides insights into the household operation system in tourism-guided rural transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local protests against municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration have become intractable problems in metropolitan areas worldwide. Based on the theory of strategic action fields, we adopt a comprehensive perspective to understand how controversies surrounding MSW incineration exert influence over the dominant order within the field. Adopting a qualitative research method, we conducted field research in three Chinese cities where proposals for incineration plants have aroused disputes between different categories of actors. The collected empirical data consist of 42 semi-structured interviews and materials provided by interviewees. By examining the dynamic process of protests between challengers and incumbents, we found that skilled actors fight over a meso-level social order – the waste disposal industry and waste management policies – through competition and cooperation. We also found a mix of instrumental and existential motivations in their involvement in the conflict. Our findings deepens understanding of contentions regarding waste management, thereby enriching the existing literature. In a broader sense, our analysis contributes to the discussion of how actors occupying different positions compete for dominance in a specific field and can succeed, under certain circumstances, in shaping social action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart and eco-cities have become important notions for thinking about urban futures. This article contributes to these ongoing debates about smart and eco-urbanism by focussing on recent urbanisation initiatives in Asia. Our study of India's Smart Cities Mission launched under the administration of Narendra Modi and China's All-In-One eco-cities project initiated by Xi Jinpin unfolds in two corresponding narratives. Roy and Ong's [2011. Worlding Cities: Asian Experiments and the Art of Being Global. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell] "worlding cities" serves as the theoretical backdrop of our analysis. Based on a careful review of a diverse set of academic literature, policy and other sources we identify five process-dimensions for analysing the respective urban approaches. We show how the specific features of China's and India's urban focus, organisation, implementation, governance and embedding manifest both nations' approaches to smart and eco-urbanism. We argue that India's Smart City Mission and China's All-in-One project are firmly anchored in broader agendas of change that are set out to transform the nation and extend into time. The Indian Smart City Mission is part of a broader ambition to transform the nation enabling her "smart incarnation" in modernity. Smart technologies are seen as the key drivers of change. In China the framework of ecological civilisation continues a 5000-year historical tradition of civilisation excellence. By explicitly linking eco-urbanism to the framework, eco-cities become a means to enact ecological civilisation on the (urban) ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ISO 14001 implementation process among certified firms in China was examined by conducting a questionnaire survey distributed to all certified firms as of December 1998. Results showed that the ISO 14001-based environmental management system (EMS) has a significant effect on firms' daily environmental activities and performance. Recycling, natural resource consumption and released pollutants have been managed in a better way and, in some cases, pollutants have been reduced. The study showed that firms' main targets for adopting the system were to: enhance the firm's public image; enhance employees' environmental awareness; improve the EMS inside the firm; improve the environmental aspects and performance inside the firm; and improve relations with government offices and local citizens. ISO 1400-based EMS implementation showed that it is a promising tool for helping build a better partnership between three main stakeholders, government, local citizens and enterprises. The system has enabled firms to consider the role of the local people in a more effective way. For example, special consideration is given to involving local citizens in health and emergency preparedness during firms' daily environmental activities. Moreover, enhancing environmental awareness among the local citizens and giving more consideration to co-operation with other firms from the same industrial groups are reported by certified firms. Finally, there are strong demands for government support to build more reliable information systems, ISO 14001-related research, more incentives for eco-labelling and tax exemptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]