Environmental Regulation Dysfunction and Its Governance from the Perspective of Transaction Cost Politics
The effectiveness of environmental regulations is the key to improving the performance of ecological civilization governance,andalso constitutes anexisting challenge that urgently needs to be overcome in China's environmental governance progression.While the country boasts a diverse array of regulatory tools and an increasingly sophisticated system,the implementation outcomes remain suboptimal,underscoring the urgency of enhancing theeffectiveness of the system.This article constructs an analysis framework rooted in the transaction cost politics,and,through empirical analysis of central environmental inspection and rectification in province J,uncovers that the key impediments to effective environmental regulation stem from incomplete political contracts between the central and local governments over the non-core task of environmental regulation.Both opportunistic behaviors and asset specificitycaused by information asymmetry lead to moral risks and the"path dependence"in environmental governance structure,collectively inflating political transaction costs.Consequently,local governments are motivated and allowed to deviate from the principal's environmental governance goals,thereby impeding the effectiveness of environmental regulation.The study suggests that enhancing the effectiveness of environmental regulationsrequires continuous refinement and consolidation of environmental laws,regulations,and policies,ensuring the clarity,measurability,and constraint of environmental regulatory tasks to improve the rationality of political contracts.Differentially designed incentive and constraint mechanisms are also needed to boost local governments'intrinsic motivation for environmental management.By fostering competitiveness among governance entities,these measures can overcome institutional and structural constraints.Additionally,multi-faceted education initiatives can instill a sense of responsibility and awareness among governing bodies,rejuvenating credible commitments to environmental governance and thereby reducing political transaction costsof environmental regulation and elevating the efficiency of environmental governance.
万方数据
维普
