Forests, Floods, and the Environmental State in China

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Abstract
Deforestation continues in developing countries, despite predictions of ruinous consequences in the 21st century. The state is a poor protector of the environment in most of these countries but is the only agency able to deal with many of the causes of deforestation. This article focuses on the most striking example of state action against deforestation among the developing countries in the world during the past two decades—the ban on logging by the central government of China following the massive floods in 1998. River floods are more devastating in China than anywhere else in the world. This case provides a good opportunity to study state responses to environmental crisis. It illuminates the conditions under which central governments can act forcefully to conserve natural resources in the face of the determination of regional and local actors and authorities to exploit their resources intensively in the drive for economic development.