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Supplementary file 1_From fragmentation to collaboration: a study on collaborative governance of marine microplastic pollution in the Fujian-Taiwan region.docx
Summary
Tiny plastic particles polluting the ocean between mainland China (Fujian) and Taiwan are hard to clean up partly because the two governments manage environmental problems so differently—one relies on top-down government control, the other on public and technical input. This study proposes a step-by-step framework to get both sides working together despite their political and institutional differences, which matters because microplastics in our oceans can end up in seafood and drinking water, potentially affecting human health. While this paper focuses on governance strategy rather than health effects directly, better cross-border cooperation could mean cleaner oceans and fewer microplastics in the food chain over time.
Marine microplastic pollution in the Fujian–Taiwan region exhibits typical transregional negative externalities. Through contextual adaptation of the SFIC model, this study reveals that the root cause of the “governance lock-in” in addressing microplastic pollution across the Fujian–Taiwan area lies in the paradigmatic divergence between the “state-embedded administrative dominance” in mainland Fujian and the “society-participatory technical regulation” in Taiwan. This divergence has led to institutional, cognitive, and implementation barriers. Accordingly, a collaborative mechanism has been constructed, integrating “identification of initial factor constraints – construction of a tripartite catalytic leadership network – design of incentive-compatible institutions – evolution of a spiral collaborative process.” This mechanism not only provides a gradual and feasible practical pathway for marine microplastic governance in the Fujian–Taiwan region but also theoretically extends the explanatory power and application flexibility of collaborative governance models in cross-border contexts characterized by high political sensitivity and institutional heterogeneity.