China's Environmental Challenges

China’s Environmental Challenges addresses the vast environmental issues that impact not only China's health and well-being but also the future of our planet. In this fully revised and updated third edition, esteemed scholar of Chinese environmentalism Judith Shapiro delves into China’s quest to achieve the ‘ecological civilization’ promoted by Xi Jinping since 2017.

Expanding on six pivotal analytical concepts—globalization, governance, national identity, civil society, environmental justice, and extractivism—Shapiro adeptly details the complex and multifaceted nature of this challenge. China's rapid economic expansion has exacted a heavy toll in terms of air and water pollution, soil contamination, and the destruction of habitats essential for biodiversity, which is crucial for human survival.

However, the journey towards sustainability is hindered by authoritarian governance, increasing consumption demands from the burgeoning middle class, and the imperative to provide employment and social security for over one billion people, alongside a manufacturing sector eager to acquire global resources and penetrate new markets.

Transformation to a more sustainable model of development remains a possibility. Yet, as Shapiro convincingly argues, this transformation demands humility, creativity, and a decisive departure from business as usual. Both China and the planet find themselves at a critical juncture.