China's Global Environmental Leadership (CGEL) Database
Version 1.0  |  2000–2024  |  291 Initiatives

# GENERAL INFORMATION

*Title of dataset: China's Global Environmental Leadership (CGEL) Database (Version 1.0)

*Dataset description: The CGEL database systematically documents cross-border environmental governance initiatives led by Chinese state and non-state actors from 2000 to 2024. It is, to the authors' knowledge, the first database of its kind to collect granular, initiative-level data on China's environmental leadership activities in international arenas. The database contains 291 initiatives and 29 variables per initiative, covering initiative characteristics, target environmental problems, governance functions, and the Chinese and international actors involved.

*Unit of analysis: A governance initiative — a cross-border, China-led initiative that meets the inclusion criteria below.

*Inclusion criteria: 
	⁃	The initiative was active during 2000–2024.
	⁃	It primarily addresses environmental problems, or has environmental issues as a key concern.
	⁃	It operates beyond Chinese borders and involves non-Chinese actors.
	⁃	It is (co-)created by, or mainly managed by, Chinese actors.
	⁃	It involves substantive steering activity and is recognised as authoritative by its participants (i.e., not merely symbolic commitments).

*Coverage:
	⁃	Time period: 2000–2024 (initiatives active at any point during this period)
	⁃	Geographic scope: cross-border initiatives; all world regions
	⁃	Governance levels: multilateral (19), bilateral (208), transnational (64)
	⁃	Total initiatives: 291
	⁃	Variables per initiative: 29

*Date of data collection: October 2024—November 2025

# FILE LIST

*CGEL_Database_v1.0.xlsx: Main dataset. One row per initiative, one column per variable (29 variables total).

*SM_CGEL_Codebook.docx: Full codebook detailing all 29 variables, coding rules, and worked examples.

*README.docx: This file

# DATA COLLECTION, VALIDATION, AND CODING

*Data collection: Cases were identified through three complementary methods: (1) systematic searches across six existing databases on global environmental governance; (2) a scoping review of academic and grey literature on China in global environmental governance; and (3) expert consultation. All candidate cases were screened by at least two researchers to confirm eligibility and remove duplicates.

*Quality: Each initiative was independently coded by at least two coders. Disagreements were resolved through structured deliberation, with reference to original sources. Unresolved cases were escalated to a full-team review. All coding decisions are archived.
Although the authors cannot claim the 291 initiatives are exhaustive, this is to their knowledge the most comprehensive database tracking China's leadership activities in global environmental governance.

*Key coding convention:
	⁃	Multiple entries within a single cell (e.g., co-leads, other collaborators, SDGs) are separated by semicolons (";").
	⁃	Country names follow the World Bank country list (https://data.worldbank.org/country).
	⁃	Chinese government body names omit the suffix "of the People's Republic of China" for brevity.
	⁃	Environmental problems are coded using an 11-category typology adapted from the IISD framework (see codebook for full definitions).
	⁃	Actor types are coded into six categories: national government; subnational government; business; civil society; university/research institute; others. International collaborators may also be coded as "international organization".

# CITATION

*Sun, Y., Ye, Y., Li, J., O’Brien, C., Ya, X., & Zhao, H., 2025. China's Global Environmental Leadership (CGEL) Database - Version 1.0. SGAIN Project. University of Bath.

# CONTACT

*For questions regarding the database or to report errors, please contact us at sgain@bath.ac.uk; ys2327@bath.ac.uk; yy26092bath.ac.uk.

# LISCIENCE AND RESTRICTIONS

*Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 (CC BY): This licence lets others derive new datasets and other resources from the dataset, and redistribute the data and their derivations, both openly and commercially, as long as they credit this dataset for the original creation.

#VERSION HISTORY

*Version 1.0: November 2025—Initial release. 291 initiatives, 29 variables, covering 2000–2024.