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Fines won’t solve China’s smog problem
Liaoning province, in north east China, has set a precedent by fining some of its cities for air pollution, but there are doubts that this approach will be enough to combat the country's smog
In Chinadialogue Arthur Mol, professor at the Environmental Policy Group, told that the fine was “exceptional” and “can be seen as an indication that implementation of environmental policies is getting more serious.”
“Strong fines help in enhancing implementation by lower level governments of national and provincial environmental policies,” Professor Mol added. He also suggested that while fines can help implementation, it is transparency and information disclosure that will truly hold local governments accountable. “The direct information Chinese citizens can now collect on their mobile phone on air pollution quality puts direct pressure on local policy makers to improve air quality.”
The entire blog can be found here.