Transcript Political Ecology of Large

New Energy Geographies: Powershed
Politics and Hydropower Decision
Making in Yunnan, China
Reflection on methods and analysis
Darrin Magee
[email protected]
Presentation Outline
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Overview of Study
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Methodological Lessons
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Finding a host danwei
Archives, interviews, and participant observation
Analytical Lessons
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Objectives, Theoretical Framework
Importance of “triangulating” findings
Summary of findings
Challenges of writing on sensitive topics
Questions (and maybe answers)
Study Objectives
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Empirical: Provide updated information on
energy infrastructure construction in Yunnan
and on decision-making processes
Methodological: Further extend political
ecology inquiry to the study of China and
demonstrate the utility of such an approach
for understanding resource development
Theoretical: Contribute to discourses on
“China’s dams,” center-local and interprovincial relations, civil society, and scale
politics in China
Theoretical Framework: Political Ecology
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Political economic factors of land degradation and
environmental change
Progressive contextualization, Chains of explanation
Case studies; critique of global capitalism; multiscalar analysis; complexity and context
Mostly Latin America and Africa; very little China
Multi-scalar approach; attention to scale as object of
inquiry rather than simply an analytical framework
Attention to marginality (political, economic, cultural)
A method or perspective that demands attention to
context (historical, social, ecological), and complexity
(non-linearity, non-equilibrium, uncertainty)
Study Area
Yunnan
Guangdong
Methodology
The mountains stand tall and upright, the rivers gallop
past, and dam after dam rises from the earth. On a
miniaturized satellite topographic map of Yunnan, the 39
dams that are built, under construction, or planned are
shown, turning the three rivers area into a beautiful
necklace of pearls (Quote from a Yunnan newspaper)
“Find another project”
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Fieldwork at Asian International Rivers Center,
Yunnan University
Contacted director in late 2003 about project to
study “politics of hydropower in Yunnan”
Email reply: “This is a very sensitive subject and I
think it will be hard to find data. I think you should
find another project.”
Do what any rational individual would do: Panic.
Visit to AIRC, discuss what I meant by “politics of
hydropower,” go to lunch, and land an invitation!
Lesson: aim high, be persistent, be flexible, be as
clear and specific as possible with research goals
Research Methods
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Documentary research
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Key informant interviews
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Government & industry publications, statistical
yearbooks, newspapers & press releases
Government officials, NGO heads, dam
development company executives, academics
Participant observation
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Yunnan EcoNetwork; Asian International Rivers
Center
Documentary sources
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Electronic databases
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Local newspapers and almanacs/yearbooks
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China Academic Journals database
China Data Online (statistical yearbooks)
University Service Centre (CUHK) database
Ministerial websites often house statistical data
Newspapers often available online
Reference managers
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Endnote, ProCite, etc.
Interviews and participant observation
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Formal setting often best for first encounter,
informal for future meetings
Go with a partner
Do your homework
Don’t record interviews
What do you have to offer?
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Co-authorship
Translation/Proofreading
Collaboration is two-way street
Analysis
Analysis of decision making
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Decision making about hydropower.
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Who is at the table?
What leverage do they have?
How is this changing?
Reforms in water and electricity sector since
mid-1990s have left many conflicts, overlaps,
and ambiguities
Process depends on perspective
Perspective 1: Hydro Companies
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Formerly part of central ministry
Restructuring from 1996 to 2002 changed the
shape of hydropower development authorities,
but perhaps not the way they do business
Maintenance of direct connections to Energy
Bureau of the National Development and
Reform Commission, and State Council
Ministry to SOE to Stock Company
State Power Grid
Southern Power
Grid
China Huaneng
Grid Companies
China
Huadian
Ministry of
Electric Power
(<1998)
State Power
Corp. of China
(1998-2002)
China
Datang
Generation
Companies
China Power
Investment
Design
Companies
China
Guodian
China Power
Engineering
China Hydro
Consulting
Sinohydro
Corporation
China
Gezhouba Co.
Perspective 2: Basin Commission
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CWRC: One of seven watershed
commissions that are neither local nor
national in administrative scope
50 years as technical agency; less than five
as an enforcement authority
Chicken and egg: comprehensive plan vs.
hydropower plan
Hydropower leading planning; authority of
CWRC being skirted.
Watershed (Basin)
Commission prepares
comprehensive plan
Survey & Design
Institute(s)
Developer solicits
project pre-feasibility
study
Input from local gov’t &
central ministries
(forestry, transportation,
navigation, agriculture
water, SEPA)
Pre-feasibility study
approved by Basin
Commission
Survey & Design
Institute(s)
Decision-Making Process
from CWRC Perspective
Banks and other
financiers
Developer solicits
technical plan &
feasibility study
Feasibility study &
plan approved by
Basin Commission
Developer begins
work on project
(bidding, contracting)
Construction
Companies
Developer submits
project application
report
Survey & Design
Institute(s)
Potential
State
Council
Intervention
Basin Commission
approves project
application report
Developer makes initial
project proposal
Survey & Design
Institute(s)
NDRC approves
project concept
Developer prepares
detailed proposal
Input from local
governments
Input from local gov’t &
central ministries
(forestry, transportation,
navigation, agriculture
water, SEPA)
Decision-Making
Process from
Company Perspective
YDRC approves
detailed proposal
Survey & Design
Institute(s)
NDRC approves
detailed proposal
Developer submits
project application
Potential
State
Council
Intervention
NDRC approves
project application
Basin Commission
approves project
application report
Developer begins
work on project
(bidding, contracting)
Banks and other
financiers
Survey & Design
Institute(s)
Construction
Companies
Challenges
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Who to believe?
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What to do with sensitive sources?
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Corroboration and triangulation of findings
Check your understanding with sources and
colleagues periodically as you go
Anonymous and coded data (HSR requirements)
Sharing writing with interviewees and informants
What would I do differently?
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Earlier interviews, build more rapport
More time in Wuhan with CWRC
Questions?