Performing the ecological fix under state entrepreneurialism: A case study of Taihu New Town, China

Fangzhu Zhang and Fulong Wu
Additional contact information
Fangzhu Zhang: University College London, UK
Fulong Wu: University College London, UK

Urban Studies, 2022, vol. 59, issue 5, 1068-1084

Abstract: China’s eco-cities are often regarded as branding tactics of the entrepreneurial local state for economic growth and land revenue generation. However, it is not clear whether the ecological goal has been pursued at all. This paper fills this lacuna using a case study of Taihu New Town. Through an ecological fix perspective we suggest that ecological enhancement through the production of nature is attempted in conjunction with the production of the built environment. The ecological fix is not confined to an economic agenda. Under state entrepreneurialism, the central state maintains environmental governance in the name of ‘ecological civilisation’, while the local state performs the ecological fix. In Wuxi, the fixes include the removal of low-efficiency, polluting town and village enterprises (TVEs); creation of green space and infrastructure; the development of renewable energy; and low-carbon transition.

Keywords: China; eco-cities; entrepreneurial governance; environmental governance; new town; socio-ecological fix; 中国; ç”Ÿæ€ åŸŽå¸‚; åˆ›ä¸šåž‹æ²»ç †; çŽ¯å¢ƒæ²»ç †; 新城镇; ç¤¾ä¼šç”Ÿæ€ ä¿®å¤ (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0042098021997034 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:59:y:2022:i:5:p:1068-1084

DOI: 10.1177/0042098021997034

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Urban Studies from Urban Studies Journal Limited
Bibliographic data for series maintained by SAGE Publications ().