From "Stress Coping" to "Resilience Growth": A Study on the Evolutionary Pathways of Grassroots Government Governance Capacity in Ecological Governance

Abstract

Grassroots governments are key implementing agents in ecological civilization construction. However, in practical governance, significant issues persist in grassroots ecological governance, including fragmented policy implementation, short-term governance behaviors, and ambiguous accountability. The reasons for this are twofold. Institutionally, there are shortcomings such as an overreliance on explicit indicators in performance evaluations, poor inter-departmental coordination, and the scattered allocation of resources. On the other hand, facing dual pressures of high-pressure accountability and limited resources, grassroots officials often resort to evasive, formalistic, or expedient governance strategies. This paper argues that to address these governance challenges, it is essential, first, to shift the performance evaluation mechanism from pressure-driven to capacity-oriented, avoiding rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches. Second, it is crucial to accelerate the integration of digital technologies to bridge capacity gaps. Third, a collaborative governance framework between the government and society should be fostered to achieve the long-term enhancement of grassroots governance and the profound advancement of ecological civilization.