China Environmental Law

When last we addressed the new amendments to the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Act we finished our review of the first set of water discharge standards.
Remember that Article 9 now provides:
Any water pollutant discharge shall not exceed the standards for water pollutant discharge and the total control target for major water pollutant discharge as [...]

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After the raucous birthday celebrations last night we’re feeling a little cloudy headed today.  Fortunately, we won’t have to spend much brainpower finding the gents in the Luwan District now that it’s mapped its public toilets.  Aimed primarily at taxi drivers, the maps (with a first edition run of 50,000) will, it is hoped, “reduce [...]

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The cards and letters are pouring in and even our spacious reception area here at the China Environmental Law Blog offices can’t squeeze in another floral tribute.  We’ve had a great first month and have touched thousands (OK, hundreds) of lives.  I’m taking the day off to celebrate, but don’t worry, the postings will resume [...]

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In a story entitled “Arming up in the battle for a greener future,” China Daily today provides some additional information about the new MEP’s authority and initial priorities.
Money quotes:
While the ministry’s new responsibilities have not yet been announced in detail, Zhou summed them up by saying that it was going “to deal with mounting environmental [...]

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I haven’t seen an official announcement of the Vice Ministerial lineup at the new Ministry of Environment (MEP), but if we scan the pictures and read the Chinese press reports of who attended the unveiling ceremony for the new Ministry signage, it looks like the old SEPA guard survived intact. Here’s a photo of ceremony [...]

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While China has encouraged renewable energy in various forms since the 1980’s, its renewable energy policy gained an overarching framework with the passage of the Renewable Energy Law (effective January 1, 2006)(now added to “Laws & Regulations,” right sidebar). This law is designed to “promote the development and utilization of renewable energy, improve the energy [...]

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A draft of China’s “Circular Economy” law was submitted for deliberation in August 2007 to the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature.  At that time it was expected to take effect in January 2008. It did not. It apparently remains, however, on this year’s agenda for the Standing Committee (as noted in a [...]

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The new Minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, who was the old Minister of SEPA, Zhou Shengxian, announced yesterday that setting up a law enforcement system of “iron and steel” is at the top of his agenda. A China Daily article reports as follows:
“The new ministry will have greater authority to crack down on environmental crime, [...]

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While trying to put together a more extensive China Environmental Scorecard I stumbled upon the official English translation of China’s 11th Five-year Plan for Environmental Protection (issued on November 22, 2007). It offers a refreshingly candid assessment of where China has been, where it is, and where it wants to go in terms of environmental protection. 
Environmental [...]

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I’m sure you already have plans or I’d invite you over to celebrate the April 1 effective date of the new, improved amended version of China’s Energy Conservation Law (now added to “Laws & Regulations” in the right sidebar). Originally promulgated in 1997 (with an effective date of January 1, 1998), the law was largely [...]

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