"Green" as Spectacle in China

摘要: In recent years, environmental protection has increasingly been incorporated into municipal policy agendas in China. Although rising awareness is an indicator of progress toward sustainable practices, a closer examination policies reveals tendency "spectacularization," i.e., governments actively endorsing various green initiatives to stage "spectacles" that promote their cities. This article critiques spectacles and urges return tbe "'ordinary" urban making, which spaces would be developed based on city's unique needs rather than with predetermined template. require abandoning costly flagship eco-city projects top-down campaigns, as well reflecting critically what "green" means everyday city life. After three decades market reform, governance China today characterized by competitive decentralization, process power, authority resources are transferred from the central government governments. Municipal authorities engage competitions all sorts position cities ahead others--from conventional practices offering subsidies tax cuts businesses, more creative ones such commissioning iconic architectural for branding, efforts building eco-cities development. (1) Unprecedented growth decentralized present urgent challenges Chinese cities, particularly regard housing, infrastructure, services protection. examines turn making addresses obstacles opportunities achieving living Until recently, local officials have tended view economic incompatible. With job promotion mind, these focused largely boosting GDP while performance languished at bottoms agendas." Consequently, miracle accompanied significant degradation acute public health crises, evidenced numerous incidents water air pollution, skyrocketing levels carbon emissions, energy-inefficient new buildings, rapid loss farmland forests emergence hundreds so-called cancer villages. (3) response unfolding crisis growing popular discontent over degradation, announced 2005 nation's eleventh Five Year Plan shift "growth first" "sustainable development" model. (4) 2008, established Ministry Environmental Protection (MEP), since promulgated impressive number laws, regulations policies. (5) At level, there wave innovations like introduction taxes, competition among localities obtain status National Model City Protection, earned meeting quotas emissions quality. These measures signal "greening" China, making. As Europe North America 1990s, entrepreneurialism environmentalism no longer seen Rather, restoring protecting environment become core elements strategies, then leveraged distinguish they compete capital talent. (6) Rising about represents remarkable shift. However, this its "spectacularization" embrace place promotion. "green spectacle" observed ordinary …