Environmental sociology is proposed in a specific social background and academic tradition. Ids origin and development is analyzed here by a framework of“what”，“why" and“how”.(1)Riley E. Dunlap and some other American scholars gave the definition of environmeWal sociology in 1978. Allan Schnaiberg used the metaphor of the Treadmill of Production to explain the environmental problems caused by capitalism，while Lyn While，Jr, braced American's historical rood from Judeo-Christian tradition. The theory on risk society centers on the source of social structure of environmental problems，while the theory on ecological modernization centers on solving the environmental problem. Constructionism then focuses on a new strategy to understand the social process of the environmental problem.(2)Based on Japanese environmental problems，Iijima and Funabashi analyze the muhi-impacts of environmental pollution on society by proposing theories on the slructures of victims of the environmental problems and the theories on victim groups and affected groups.Torigoe and other scholars propose life environmentalism to explain and to solve the water environmental problems of Biwa Lake. Funabashi applies the theory on environmental control systems to interpret the environmental problems and its solution process.(3)Being aware of the relationship between the livelihood of Chinese grassland husbandry，Fei and his beam devote to application research on grassland degeneration and desertification. Social Iransformation theorises dry to find out solution to Chinese existing environmental problems from the undergoing structural change in Chinese society. Breaking out of the water pollution by industrialization mirrors multi-beneficiaries' social relationship and reveals the social and historical roods. A comprehensive analysis shows that environmental sociology's focus changes from the“social problems" to“social system”and from being aware of problems to solving problems.