Reforming China's multi-level environmental governance: Lessons from the 11th Five-Year Plan

China's planned environmentalism during the 11th Five-Year Plan (FYP) period was successful at reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) due to the target responsibility system (TRS) on pollution reduction goals, which led to a redefined responsibility of environmental protection from local Environmental Protection Bureaus (EPBs) to local government leaders. However, the weakness of current mono-centric planning process is obvious in the context of governing complex socio-ecological changes. In this paper, two alternative approaches, decentralization of the nation's planning regime and participatory governance with public involvement, were proposed to improve China's environmental governance system.

► We carried out a deep analysis of China's environmental governance system.
► China's planned environmentalism was successful in pollution reduction during 11th Five-Year Plan period, but may also cause myopic and inefficient decision.
► Two alternative approaches, decentralization on the nation's planning regime and strengthening of public participate are essential to China's environmental governance.