Goal-centered governance

This chapter concludes the book and theorizes China’s governance strategy for solving the complicated sulfur dioxide (SO₂) pollution problem. Alternative governance models are discussed to explain how China managed to substantially reduce SO₂ emissions in the past two decades. In the early decades under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, China’s governance featured rather strict central planning. Developed countries that are liberal democracies generally established a sound rule of law. However, neither central planning nor rule-based governance models were able to satisfactorily explain China’s SO₂ mitigation trajectory. Instead, the goal-centered governance model can offer a much better understanding. This chapter examines its organization mechanisms, major features and applicability. The development of the theoretical model owes debts to several existing theories but also has significant differences from them. Discussion is provided on the weaknesses of the goal-centered governance model together with potential implications.