Elizabeth C. ECONOMY, The River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge to Chinas Future.

Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2004. 368 pp. with maps.ISBN: 0-8014-4220-6 (hc). Price: US$29.95. Huiyan Wu Nanyang Technological University, RSIS In the past two decades, China enjoys a spectacular economic boom, which has strengthened its national power undoubtedly yet also triggered a large-scale debate in terms of environmental protection. As Chinas leaders continue to press forward with economic reform, they must contend with a number of secondary, complex social and economic challenges engendered by the interplay of reform and the environment, written by Elizabeth Economy, a senior fellow and director of Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, in her bestselling book The River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge to Chinas Future. By manifesting a daunting crisis of water pollution-The Death of the Huai River, the author expresses her deep concern about Chinas strategy of developing economy at the expense of environment. Tracing back the historical roots, Chinas traditional environmental attitudes, institutions, and policy approaches provided little foundation for building a sound environmental protection apparatus (p.17). Regarding the reform of Chinas economy as a miracle during the last quarter century, Economy points out a huge imbalance between economic dynamics and natural environment. Chinas leaders have moved aggressively during the reform period to establish formal institutions, draft laws, and undertake large-scale programs in the name of environmental protection (p.91). However, The River Runs Black argues that without a strong central apparatus to serve as advocate, monitor and enforcer of environmental protection, environmental degradation is unavoidable. By following the path that was taken by the East Europeans and Asians over a decade ago, China aims to achieve both unimpeded economic growth and improved environmental protection (p.129). Environmental NGO, which has had a significant impact on raising environmental consciousness among the Chinese people, is a characterized model in Beijings shifting political winds in terms of environmental protection (p.173). The book concludes by outlining three possible outcomes: goes-green scenario, continuation of the status quo, and further environmental meltdown. The River Runs Black points out several epistemological questions. Having reviewed Chinas environmental tradition and philosophy, Economy argues that Chinas history suggests a long, deeply entrenched tradition of exploiting the environment for mans needs, with relatively little sense of the limits of natures or mans capacity to replenish the earths resources( p.55). Furthermore, she remarks that traditional concepts and philosophies such as Confucianism that promoted mans need to overcome nature in order to utilize it for his own benefit, while the relatively eco-friendly philosophies of Taoism and Buddhism made limited inroads in the

consciousness of the Chinese people and leaders(p.55). To a large extent, I disagree with the authors perspective on the influence of Chinas traditional ethos on environmental protection. First, the specific historical background should be taken into account. China had kept as a centralized feudal society for more than 2000 years, during which self-sufficient agricultural economic pattern had been dominating in the vast and flourishing land. The idea that humankind and nature were inseparable (Tian ren he yi) which was suggested by the prestigious Confucian scholar Mencius received large support from feudal emperors. Confucianism is a philosophy which contains profound environmental ethics through its inclusiveness of Heaven, Earth and the Human order. These form the traditional Chinese trinity that configures the ultimate harmony. Relations between people and the natural world are therefore of intrinsic interest to those who profess Confucian ethics. (Tianchen, Li 2003, p.1) Secondly, for my part, it was the beginning of industrial revolution in western countries that triggered serious pollutions and brought about environmental deterioration, which exerted a negative influence on economic development and peoples welfare. The biological standard of living was expectedly to decline at a time when per capita output rose by some 50 percent between 1830-1860. (John Komlos, 1998, 779)Under such circumstance, environmental protection began to serve as an important factor in policy-making in developed countries. Another point I want to emphasize is that developed countries have paid a huge environmental cost for the sake of advancing economic development since the industrial revolution and continued to transfer the heavily polluted industry to developing countries in Asia and Africa. The author argues that the ideology of lacking environmental protection awareness since ancient time affects Chinas past and contemporary development. The legacy of Chinas traditional environmental attitudes, institutions, and policy approaches therefore provided little foundation for building a sound environmental protection apparatus (p.57). From my point of view, the above argument is biased since we can see the case of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster happened this year in Japan, an undoubtedly developed country that attaches great importance on environmental protection. It is by no means appropriate to attribute the failure of establishing an effective apparatus of environmental protection to Chinas traditional environmental attitudes, institutions, and policy approaches. For me, the most fascinating part of the book is Hong Kong NGOs: Future Partner or Future Model? from chapter five The New Politics of the Environment. In my view, this topic has made several constructive points for Chinas environmental protection. Hong Kong indeed can offer precious experiences in environmental protection, especially helping mainland China promote legal system construction, which will lay a solid foundation on transforming the current economic development pattern into a more eco-friendly model. Economy sheds light on why and how Hong Kong and mainland China collaborate on NGO sector. the next generation of mainland-based environmental activists has been looking to Hong Kong as a source of funding, organizational assistance, and collaboration on technical and other types of environmental studies(p.170). Historically speaking, Hong Kong has drawn on

experience of Great Britain, which is renowned for its democratic governance. Hong Kong has developed a number of proud traditions, including a highly skilled civil service, freedoms of press, speech, and assembly, relatively low levels of corruption, and democratic procedures in some elections(p.170). Consequently, Hong Kong owns a batch of elites with professional knowledge, skills and passion in NGO sector, as the author puts it, Hong Kong also developed a small but active environmental NGO movement, including nature associations, broadly supported by international NGOs (p.170). Considering financial perspective, Economy shows that there is an increasing trend of apathy of many businesspeople about environmental protection. As Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, chairman of the Hopewell Group once said, if Hong Kong is to be run by consultants and environmental NGOs, then Hong Kong is dead(p.170). To some extent, I keep a conservative attitude towards the authors pessimistic expectation of fund-raising for NGOs in Hong Kong. Even though the recognition that money is the king still exists in some peoples mind in this financial hub, it is shown that Hong Kong has made a tremendous contribution to the development of NGOs locally and in mainland China. My opinion can be supported by the case of Sichuan and Gansu devastating earthquakes. The effective rescue team and professional training for psychological treatment offered by Hong Kong have been well recognized. Furthermore, the infrastructure construction supports, including schools, hospitals and houses for the aged have been underway until now. An interesting topic: social enterprise, which aims at using innovative, for-profit business approaches to solve social and environmental problems, is booming in Hong Kong. It covers the areas including environmental education, recycling campaigns and green agriculture. Moreover, several Hong Kong financial institutions have sponsored some social entrepreneurs in mainland China in recent years. Therefore, I am convinced that NGOs collaboration will be strengthened through the strong economic ties between Hong Kong and mainland China. In my view, another factor that the author seldom touches on is political consideration. Beijing certainly knows the important status of Hong Kong as a financial center as well as a special administrative region. National cohesiveness could be cemented through the power of NGOs. The common value shared by NGOs helps in cultural integration and thus national solidarity. Regarding the question of Future Partner or Future Model, Economy suggests that it is not an either-or question. Instead, she proposes that some of Hong Kong NGOs shapes the practices of their mainland counterparts in important ways by providing environmental information and crucial financial support and also provides a nearby model for environmental information gathering and lobbying techniques(p.172). examines environmental issues in China through a policymaking lens. It comprehensively describes and deeply analyses the severity of environmental degradation in this largest developing country. It is a suitable reading material for undergraduate or graduate students as well as those engaged in developing new approaches in environmental protection. As a senior consultant for the U.S government on issues related to China, Elizabeth C. Economy makes conclusions and proposes suggestions in this book based on second-hand English information. It
The River Runs Black

would be more convincing if the author could show the realistic evidence of Chinese daunting environmental crisis than analyzing second-hand material. Through the case study of Chinas environmental issues, she concludes that no single country can act alone to confront the global challenge of environmental deterioration. Thus, the international community should also take its responsibility in promoting Chinas environmental governance.

Reference
Tianchen, Li (2003) "Confucian ethics and the environment," Culture Mandala: The Bulletin of the Centre for East-West Cultural and Economic Studies: Vol. 6: Iss. 1, Article 4. John Komlos(1998) "Shrinking in a Growing Economy? The Mystery of Physical Stature during the Industrial Revolution, The Economic History Association,779 Baoqiang,Zeng&Lixuan,Zeng(2005) Benefit by NGO of Hong Kong in Promoting Environmental Public Participation in Mainland, Environmental Protection Journal, 75