Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?

Abstract Transboundary fine dust has been a leading cause of dispute between China and Korea since the mid‐2010s. This study observes that transboundary fine dust is not purely an environmental issue, but rather mixed with political and diplomatic challenges. Despite the emerging bilateral and multi...

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Main Author: Muhui Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-01-01
Series:Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.384
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author Muhui Zhang
author_facet Muhui Zhang
author_sort Muhui Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Transboundary fine dust has been a leading cause of dispute between China and Korea since the mid‐2010s. This study observes that transboundary fine dust is not purely an environmental issue, but rather mixed with political and diplomatic challenges. Despite the emerging bilateral and multilateral efforts to tackle this issue, this research sheds light on how political and diplomatic factors have undermined the outcomes of environmental negotiations between China and Korea. We highlight three dimensions of policy‐based studies: scientific joint research on source‐receptor relationships, interstate environmental negotiations, and multilateral environmental institutions in Northeast Asia. This study argues that transboundary fine dust cooperation has been extensively entangled with national political interests and proceeded via diplomatic channels, leading to the current absence of binding agreements and policy commitments. Therefore, a steady process of de‐linking environmental cooperation and diplomatic fluctuations would be the best direction to proceed in a long‐term perspective.
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spelling doaj.art-34979d82dec64cab8ff8c7760e05959e2024-01-29T17:34:27ZengWileyAsia & the Pacific Policy Studies2050-26802024-01-01111n/an/a10.1002/app5.384Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?Muhui Zhang0Academy of East Asian Studies Sungkyunkwan University Jongno‐gu, Seoul South KoreaAbstract Transboundary fine dust has been a leading cause of dispute between China and Korea since the mid‐2010s. This study observes that transboundary fine dust is not purely an environmental issue, but rather mixed with political and diplomatic challenges. Despite the emerging bilateral and multilateral efforts to tackle this issue, this research sheds light on how political and diplomatic factors have undermined the outcomes of environmental negotiations between China and Korea. We highlight three dimensions of policy‐based studies: scientific joint research on source‐receptor relationships, interstate environmental negotiations, and multilateral environmental institutions in Northeast Asia. This study argues that transboundary fine dust cooperation has been extensively entangled with national political interests and proceeded via diplomatic channels, leading to the current absence of binding agreements and policy commitments. Therefore, a steady process of de‐linking environmental cooperation and diplomatic fluctuations would be the best direction to proceed in a long‐term perspective.https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.384Chinaenvironmental negotiationsinternational politicsSouth Koreatransboundary fine dust
spellingShingle Muhui Zhang
Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?
Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies
China
environmental negotiations
international politics
South Korea
transboundary fine dust
title Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?
title_full Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?
title_fullStr Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?
title_full_unstemmed Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?
title_short Transboundary fine dust pollution in China and Korea: How has international politics impeded environmental negotiations?
title_sort transboundary fine dust pollution in china and korea how has international politics impeded environmental negotiations
topic China
environmental negotiations
international politics
South Korea
transboundary fine dust
url https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.384
work_keys_str_mv AT muhuizhang transboundaryfinedustpollutioninchinaandkoreahowhasinternationalpoliticsimpededenvironmentalnegotiations