中国环境信息的主动发布与被动公开——两个环境信息公开试点项目的比较研究

Self-motivated Versus Forced Disclosure of Environmental Information in China——A Comparative Case study of the Pilot Disclosure Programs

2007年中国政府颁布了具有里程碑式意义的《政府信息公开条例》及《环境信息公开办法(试行)》。但一份由公共与环境研究所(IPE)与自然资源保护委员会(NRDC)共同发布的污染信息透明指数(PITI)显示,中国113座城市2008年环境信息公开的执行情况堪忧。本文运用比较案例研究的方法,结合文化之根和对话网络的分析框架,对世界银行于1999年—2000年在江苏省镇江市与内蒙古自治区呼和浩特市的环境信息公开的试点项目进行剖析。研究发现,当环境信息公开项目自上而下推进时,领导者对其的承诺、认知和投入资源的多少决定了项目是否成功;但信息未能成功发布也不会引起公众关注。现今,非政府环境组织积极介入,则会产生自下而上的压力,将会有效推动建立关于环境的社会对话网络。公众从而得到赋权,可以主动搜寻并利用环境信息,有效参与决策过程和寻求污染损失赔偿。

China promulgated the Open Government Information Decree and Measures of Environmental Information Disclosure(Trial) in 2007,but the Pollution Information Transparency Index(PITI) revealed the poor implementation of disclosing environmental information in 113 cities in 2008.Adopting a comparative case study approach,this paper uses a combination of the 'cultural roots' and 'webs of dialogue' analytical frameworks to analyze the pilot environmental information disclosure programs in Zhenjiang,Jiangsu province,and Hohhot,Inner Mongolia from 1999 to 2000.It finds when the program was top-down,the commitment,perception,and resources of leadership determined the program's success and nondisclosure did not receive any public attention.However,when environmental NGOs actively are engaged,pressure can be from bottom-up,webs of dialogue can potentially be established,and the public can be empowered to actively seek and use environmental information in development decision-making and redressing pollution harms.