Methodology
A summary of how initiatives are selected and coded. The full dataset and codebook are published together at the University of Bath Research Data Archive.
Unit of Analysis & Inclusion Criteria
The unit of analysis is a governance initiative — an institutionalised arrangement that must involve an intentional process of steering and must secure recognition of its authority from the individuals and organisations it engages with. An initiative is included when it meets all of the following:
Led by Chinese actors.
The initiative is either (co-)created by Chinese actors, or its operation is mainly led by Chinese actors.
Crosses China's borders.
Reflecting our focus on China's global efforts, the initiative operates at the multilateral, bilateral, or transnational level. Initiatives that do not involve non-Chinese actors, or have no activity beyond China's borders, are excluded.
Involves substantial action.
As governance refers to institutionalised arrangements, the initiative must involve real steering and be recognised as authoritative by its constituent actors, rather than lip service.
Addresses environmental issues.
The initiative primarily aims to address environmental issues, or has them as one of its key concerns.
Active during 2000–2024.
The observation window covers initiatives active at any point in this period, including those that began before 2000 or ended before 2025.
How We Operationalise Leadership
Leadership in global environmental governance is not an abstract attribute; it is enacted through concrete actions. We therefore observe it through the governance functions that each initiative performs. Each initiative is coded into up to three of six functional types, ordered by importance:
- Information sharing and dialogues
- Capacity-building and training
- Direction action and demonstration
- Provision of funding
- Research and scientific knowledge production
- Rule-making and standard-setting initiatives
How We Built the Database
Since no official register of China-led environmental initiatives exists, we identified cases through a three-step process. First, we systematically searched six established databases of global environmental governance — the PKULaw Database, the International Environmental Agreements Database (IEADB), the UN SDG Actions Platform, the Climate Cooperative Initiatives Database (C-CID), the Yearbook of International Organizations, and the Database of Bilateral Clean Energy and Climate Agreements with China. Second, we conducted a scoping review of academic and grey literature on China in global environmental governance to capture cases the databases omitted. Finally, we consulted subject experts for further suggestions.
Each case was screened by at least two researchers to confirm eligibility and remove duplicates. For coding, each case was independently coded by at least two coders working from the shared codebook; disagreements were resolved by checking original sources and through team review, with all decisions archived.