Risk factors influencing environmental protest severity in China
International Journal of Conflict Management
ISSN: 1044-4068
Article publication date: 23 February 2018
Issue publication date: 14 March 2018
Abstract
Purpose
Using protest event analysis, this study aims to investigate which risk factors influence the severity of environmental protests in China, thus filling a gap in China-related environmental protest literature.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a database derived from media coverage of 129 environmental protests in China from 2009 to 2015, this empirical study identifies underlying risk factors influencing environmental protest severity, quantifies these protest cases and verifies the associations between risk factors and severity using ordered logistic regression.
Findings
The results show that higher environmental health threat, economic loss, distrust of local government, lack of local governmental response, improper local government action and higher population density are likely to increase environmental protest severity; however, contrary to expectations, environmental information disclosure has no significant effect. These findings illuminate the vital and variational role of local government throughout all stages of the evolutionary process in environmental protests. Moreover, public distrust of local government is the principal cause of these protests.
Originality/value
This study enhances the understanding of how Chinese environmental protests arise from the identified risk factors and contributes to quantitative multi-case research in this area. Furthermore, the findings may help local governments in China, as well as in other countries, to enact positive measures to prevent serious environmental protests and improve their ability to address the environmental problems that cause protests. More effective governance can decrease the number and severity of environmental protests and thus promote social stability.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the Major Program of the National Social Science Fund of China [Grant No. 11&ZD174] and the Shanghai Philosophy and Social Science Project [Grant No. 2015BGL010], which covered the costs of database establishing work, payment for coders and language editing work.
Citation
Xue, M., Shen, H. and Zhao, J. (2018), "Risk factors influencing environmental protest severity in China", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 189-212. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-06-2017-0060
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited