Green supply chain management for a more sustainable manufacturing industry in China: a critical review

Green supply chain management (GSCM) is an integrated environmental management tool for green transformation of the manufacturing industry and has remarkable potential to support China’s target of carbon neutrality by 2060. To understand the development path of GSCM and the subsequent impacts in China, the systematic literature review, analysis and comparison method is applied. The management institution involves eight governmental departments. The policy system includes 7 National Laws, 2 Regulations of the State Council, and 100 Documents of the State Council, Ministries, and Commissions. The review compares the relevant policies of China, the USA, the EU, and Japan, which reveals that management system of multi-departmental collaboration leads to the avoidance and transfer of responsibility. We also find that the existing relevant legal system need to be improved, especially in terms of tax subsidy, incentive mechanism, environmental information disclosure and the range of industries involved. Corresponding suggestions are put forward in response to these identified problems. The overall picture of GSCM in China could serve as a useful reference for other developing countries.