Conceptualizing the Contextual Dynamics of Carbonization in Beijing: A Multilevel Perspective

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue IV, April 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Conceptualizing the Contextual Dynamics of Carbonization in Beijing: A Multilevel Perspective

Usman Sattar
Department of Social Work, College of Law and Political Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua (321004), Zhejiang, P. R. China

Abstract: Beijing has pursued a linear direction of urban practices following the global north and suffered from a highly toxic air quality level. This paper aims at synthesizing the main logics leading us to the similar path of massive consumption and lock-in structuration—air pollution in the city. It underlines the limited capacity of different stakeholders to leapfrog the carbon-intensive urban development path. The study takes a panorama view by adopting multilevel perspective (MLP) and applies 15 dimensions of the MLP framework on six primary sources of carbon emission in Beijing. A methodic literature review guided by theoretical coding is undertaken. It combines the multidisciplinary strands into a coherent framework. The study classifies different study domains, stakeholders, and their limits at three levels—niche, regime, and landscape. It provides a baseline for urban stakeholders to conceptualize the diverse configuration of toxic air and potential requirements for reconfiguring the air infrastructure of Beijing.

Keywords: urban planning; transformative science; sustainable consumption; sustainability transitions

I. INTRODUCTION

A deep-rooted knowledge of complex urban structures is crucial for steering the environmental innovation and sustainability transitions [1,2]. There appears to be a certain repetition of air quality issues in mega-cities of emerging economies, following to the global north—Los Angles and Mexico City, decades ago [3]. The reason might be either “leapfrogging” [4] is not practically desirable, or some concrete socio-technical rationales have led cities to follow up the carbon-intensive linear path. Similarly, Beijing—the capital of the Peoples’ Republic of China, has faced multiple red alerts due to highly toxic air that led the city chocking off schools, factories and other outdoor activities—locked-in [5]. The annual mean of PM2.5 concentration has reached up to 100g m-3—almost two-fold higher than the latest air quality standards in China, and six-fold higher than the United States [6]. A recent study [7]informs that 64 to 72% of PM2.5 is locally generated, while regional transport is responsible for 28 to 36%. Among local source apportionment (64-72%), motor vehicles share 31.1%, coal combustion 22.4%, industrial production 18.1%, fugitive dust 14.3% and other miscellaneous sources accounted for 14.1% PM2.5 in Beijing[7].

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