Technological, management, economic and social considerations rightly form the starting point for the development of strategies for sustainable land use. But unless appropriate political, institutional and legal frameworks are developed, any strategies for sustainable land use are likely to be implemented with little long-term or widespread impact. This paper examines a number of critical issues concerning the political, institutional and legal context of natural resource management in China, with a focus on (1) the management of township and village enterprises and (2) mine land reclamation. These examples provide important lessons for those responsible for formulating and implementing policies for sustainable land use in China.

by Philip Andrews-Speed and Xia Cao