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The River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge To China's Future (Council on Foreign Relations Book)
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 333.70951
EAN: 9780801489785
ISBN: 0801489784
Label: Cornell University Press
Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 368
Publication Date: February 24, 2005
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Studio: Cornell University Press
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Editorial Review:
China's spectacular economic growth over the past two decades has dramatically depleted the country's natural resources and produced skyrocketing rates of pollution. Environmental degradation in China has also contributed to significant public health problems, mass migration, economic loss, and social unrest. In The River Runs Black, Elizabeth C. Economy examines China's growing environmental crisis and its implications for the country's future development.
Drawing on historical research, case studies, and interviews with officials, scholars, and activists in China, Economy traces the economic and political roots of China's environmental challenge and the evolution of the leadership's response. She argues that China's current approach to environmental protection mirrors the one embraced for economic development: devolving authority to local officials, opening the door to private actors, and inviting participation from the international community, while retaining only weak central control. The result has been a patchwork of environmental protection in which a few wealthy regions with strong leaders and international ties improve their local environments, while most of the country continues to deteriorate, sometimes suffering irrevocable damage. Economy compares China's response with the experience of other societies and sketches out several possible futures for the country.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - read it if you dare
incredibly depressing and negative, leaves one with a sick feeling in the stomach. but its happening in China every day.
This is an astounding book, but very difficult to read. I still shake my head in disbelief.
Rating: - The River Runs Black
Excellent book, it's helping me a lot with my Thesis at School.... I love it
Rating: - Good policy study
Previous reviewers have said good things about this book, and I can only agree. It is notably superior to other recent books about the Chinese environment, which (though often scholarly) are long on polemics and short on comprehensive vision.
Dr. Economy focuses on politics and policies. These have been notoriously awful under Communism, but there is now a realization of the damage being done, and thus some hope. Dr. Economy is as optimistic as one could reasonably be. Incidentally, ... Read More
Rating:  - China's burgeoning environmental crisis
"The River Runs Black" by Elizabeth C. Economy is an intelligent analysis of contemporary China and its burgeoning environmental crisis. This engaging book helps us understand how globalization is reshaping China and issues an urgent plea for international cooperation to help monitor and rectify an increasingly worrysome situation.
Ms. Economy tells us how China's environment has been steadily deteriorating over the past centuries due to wars, political power struggles and overpopulation. However, ... Read More
Rating: - powerful, well documented
Not an easy read, but one that many Americans probably should...it demonstrates well how our life styles here in the US increases demand for cheap consumer goods, resulting in corporations poisoning other parts of the planet to supply them quickly and without major expense to us.
Incredibly sickening injury to the planet is well documented and presented in a professional way, and the book is very readable.
Recommended for all of those who need a greater repetoire of evidence that ... Read More
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