A review of John Bellamy Foster’s The Return of Nature: Socialism and Ecology By Dr Camilla Royle The Return of Nature is a genealogy of ecological thinking. The word ‘ecology’ was not in common usage until the twentieth century, leading many to consider ecological thinking a fairly recent development. However, in this…

China’s concept of ecological civilisation is meant to counter the Western view of sustainable development and assert its intellectual and political leadership on environmental issues. Over the last three decades, Chinese intellectuals, government officials, party stalwarts and state leaders have toyed with the concept of ‘ecological civilisation’ (EC) to frame…

Adjunct Professor Berthold Kuhn looks at the specific features of the concept and analyses from the perspectives of national policy making and international cooperation. The West, and environmental liberals more broadly, would benefit from a better understanding of and engagement with China’s experience of environmental policy making. He advocates paper…

The concept of ecological civilisation serves as a guide for China’s fast-track endeavour to tackle the challenges facing its environment and ecosystems, respond to the public’s aspirations for a pleasant and eco-friendly living environment and promote sustainable development in a balanced manner. It lends an ideological impetus to China’s active…