The Role of Local Leaders in Environmental Concerns in Master Plans: An Empirical Study of China's Eighty Large Municipalities. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Lei; Tochen, Rachel M.; Hibbard, Michael; Tang, Zhenghong
• Is Part Of: Journal of planning education and research. Volume 38:Number 3(2018:Autumn)
• Page Start: 301
• Page End: 313
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: plan evaluation -- environmental concerns -- master plan -- local leader -- china; Regional planning -- Study and teaching -- United States -- Periodicals; City planning -- Study and teaching -- United States -- Periodicals; 307.12
• DOI: 10.1177/0739456X17699063
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0739-456X

Abstract

Limited research has explored the reasons behind the level of environmental concerns in master plans in China, where serious environmental degradation has caught the world's attention and the planning regime is significantly different from those based on representative democracy. Analyzing eighty master plans of China's large municipalities, we find that the education and age of local leaders have a significant effect on environmental concerns in master plans, while their work experience and state mandate do not. We conclude that that well-educated local leaders and a more collaborative planning approach could deal more efficiently with environmental problems in China.