Abstract
Ecological Civilisation has been China’s policy concept to frame its environmental sustainability
strategy. While it lacks a clear definition, its multiple practices show a reliance on the development
and implementation of technologies that reduce pollution levels and beautify the country. One of
those technologies are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), which stand at the centre of an e-mobility
transition across urban China. I engage with the growing debate on China’s Ecological Civilisation
and e-mobility transition by reflecting on the critical junctions between this policy concept and the
NEV industry. I suggest that the New Energy requirements of China’s Ecological Civilisation rely on
power relations that enhance state capacity domestically and transnationally. In this sense, the
pursuit ofNew Energy to build China’s Ecological Civilisation relies on moral and sovereign forms of
power. In a context of increasing tensions between China and countries in the North Atlantic, my
contribution shows that these forms of power enhance China’s state capacity
strategy. While it lacks a clear definition, its multiple practices show a reliance on the development
and implementation of technologies that reduce pollution levels and beautify the country. One of
those technologies are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), which stand at the centre of an e-mobility
transition across urban China. I engage with the growing debate on China’s Ecological Civilisation
and e-mobility transition by reflecting on the critical junctions between this policy concept and the
NEV industry. I suggest that the New Energy requirements of China’s Ecological Civilisation rely on
power relations that enhance state capacity domestically and transnationally. In this sense, the
pursuit ofNew Energy to build China’s Ecological Civilisation relies on moral and sovereign forms of
power. In a context of increasing tensions between China and countries in the North Atlantic, my
contribution shows that these forms of power enhance China’s state capacity
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1317-1331 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 5 Feb 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Ampuero-Ruiz, P. I. (2024). New energy vehicles and the political geoecology of China’s Ecological Civilisation. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 42(8). https://doi.org/10.1177/23996544241231683Funding
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. [853133]).
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| ERC Starting | 853155 |
Keywords
- China
- Ecological Civilization
- new energy vehicles
- political geoecology
- energy transition
