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Information Disclosure in a Web of Environmental Regulatory Mechanisms Wanxin Li Virginia Tech November 15, 2005. A Web of Pollution Control Instruments (I). A Web of Pollution Control Instruments (II). A Web of Pollution Control Instruments (III). Disclose or Not? A Value Judgment.
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Information Disclosure in a Web of Environmental Regulatory MechanismsWanxin LiVirginia TechNovember 15, 2005
Disclose or Not? A Value Judgment • To protect industry, government could choose not to disclose environmental information: Hohhot. • To improve the capacity of EPBs to manage industry and better put them on defense by disclosing and allying with the public: Zhenjiang.
Resources at Disposal of EPBs for Disclosure Matter • Administrative capacity • Technical support • A policy entrepreneur advocating for disclosure and following through
Technical Support • Zhenjiang Nanjing University only 80km away A doctoral student came 2-3 times a week • Hohhot CRAES in Beijing 669km away CRAES expert was loaded with other tasks
Advocate for Disclosure • Zhenjiang Director of EPB used all possible channels to spread the word among government agencies; Pamphlets distributed to the public. • Hohhot Disclosure was contracted to HRAES, nobody of the implementation team reached out to Hohhot city government
After Pilot Disclosure • Industry: what benefits can we gain from disclosing? • EPB: how to make use of rating results to pick up “bad apples” and reward good ones? • Public: we are not in the game yet.
+ Government credible commitment + EPB enhanced administrative capacity + Industry fear for public & private enforcement + Industry voluntarism Where Is Hope? Political, Administrative & Legal, Market, and Voluntary Forces Converge Public environmental awareness Better Environmental Results?
Environmental Information Disclosure Can Potentially Establish Webs of Dialogue, Align Interests, and Build Environmental Consensus among Stakeholders. So It Could Bring the Hope of Better Environmental Results in China Closer to Us!
Thank you! Comments? Questions?