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Contents
- Description of Initiative
- Environmental Law Cooperation with China
- Collaborating Organizations
- New Developments in Chinese Environmental Law
- Events
- Legal Resources
- Related Links
- E-mail Updates
- Disclaimer
Description of Initiative
China has been working with great determination in recent years to develop, implement, and enforce a solid environmental law framework. Chinese officials face critical challenges in effectively implementing the laws, clarifying the roles of their national and provincial governments, and strengthening the operation of their legal system.
EPA Office of General Counsel launched the EPA – China Environmental Law Initiative in September, 2007, to encourage a continuing dialogue between the U.S. and China on environmental law. The goals of the initiative include:
- Sharing EPA's legal experience and expertise to help improve China’s environmental health.
- Sharing information useful to U.S. entities with business or other stakes in how China addresses environmental issues.
- Fostering an ongoing dialogue on environmental law issues with China.
Many of these cooperative activities take place in collaboration with other EPA offices, including EPA Office of International Affairs, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Office of Water, Office of Air and Radiation, and EPA Regional Offices.
We look forward to sharing information on these initiatives here.
Additional Information on international cooperation efforts on Chinese environmental law (including information on OGC's meetings with Chinese environmental officials) is available.
Collaborating Organizations
Collaborating Organizations
- American Chamber of Commerce of Shanghai -- Environment Committee
- China Environment Forum (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars)
- George Washington University Law School
- University of Maryland Environmental Law Program
EPA is collaborating with organizations that have expertise in Chinese environmental law and in environmental issues faced by U.S. entities in China. A list of collaborators appears in the box on the right. These organizations may:
- contribute material for inclusion on the web site
- share with EPA their insights as to what material would be useful to include.
New Developments in Chinese Environmental Law
General
-
U.S embassy in Beijing reports 'unhealthy' air quality in area; U.S. Twitter feed issues hourly reports that contradict official government measurements (Canada.com, 6/25/09)
- The State of the Environment of China in 2008 (MEP news release, 6/5/09)
- Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Noise Pollution (1999) (English translation courtesy of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey LLP) (PDF, 11 pp, 53k)
- MEP Publishes Notice Soliciting Participation in Research Projects for 12th Five Year Plan (2011- 2015)
Notice (in Chinese); English summary (see March 4, 2009 blog entry)
Pollution Control
-
Report: Major SOEs flout pollution laws (China.org, 6/19/09)
- China considers penalty tax on high-polluting businesses (MEP News Release, 6/5/09)
- National environmental protection standards that go to effect as of June 1, 2009 (MEP News Release, 5/31/09)
- Management Regulation of Environmental Monitoring (under consultation) [Text in Chinese only] (MEP, 4/21/09)
- Electronic Industry shall Implement New Pollutants Discharge Standards (MEP, no date provided) [Text in Chinese only]
- Draft Measures on Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances (Amendments) in Chinese (Word document) and a brief overview of the draft text in English (May 2009, Version for Inter-Ministries Consultation) (PDF, 4 pp, 301K)
- National Standard on Environmental Protection to be Effective from May 1, 2009 (MEP news release, 4/30/09)
- National environmental protection standards that go to effect as of April 1, 2009 (MEP news release, 4/3/09)
- Technological Policy on Sewage Treatment and Pollution Control for Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant (Trial) (MEP, MOHURD & MOST 2/18/09) [Text in Chinese only]
- MEP Notice on Strengthening the Final Acceptance and Inspection of Construction of Facilities Handling Hazardous Waste and Medical Waste (MEP) [Text in Chinese only]
- Three state standards controlling oil and gas fugitive emissions have been implemented in Ji’nan, Shandong on March 1, 2009 [Text in Chinese only]
- Notice on Strengthening the Energy-Saving and Environmental Statistical Work for Foreign Investment Enterprises (MOC & MEP) [Text in Chinese only]
- Ministry of Environmental Protection issues a Notice (and accompanying Q & A) which sets forth a regulatory opinion on the imposition of administrative punishment in environmental cases. Notice (in Chinese); Q & A (in Chinese); English summary (March 27th blog entry)
- Environmental Regulations and Standards in Effect as of March 1, 2009 (MEP News Release, 3/6/09)
- Circular of Ministry of Environmental Protection on Intensified Work on Guaranteeing Safe Source Water (MEP News Release, 3/23/09)
Public Participation
- Ministry of Environmental Protection will open the hotline 010-12369 for direct environmental complaints (MEP News Release, 6/4/09)
- China environment watchdog calls off disputed Beijing waste-burning power plant (Xinhua News Agency, 3/11/09)
Climate Change / Energy
-
Commentary on U.S. - China Cooperation in Climate Change Hearing (Green Leap Forward blog, 6/12/09)
- U.S. Climate Change Envoy Returns from China With Mixed News (CleanBeta Blog, 6/12/09)
- Challenges and Opportunities for U.S.-China Cooperation in Climate Change (U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing, 6/4/09)
- Climate Progress in China; A Primer on Recent Developments (Center for American Progress, 6/3/09)
- Commentary on China and Climate Change (New York University School of Law, U.S. Asia Law Institute, June 2009)
- China working on further national plan to address climate change:official (Xinhua News Agency, 5/20/09)
- Common Challenge, Collaborative Response: A Roadmap for U.S.-China Cooperation on Energy and Climate Change. Asia Society and Pew Center on Global Climate Change report, January 2009
- U.S. House of Representatives, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Hearing: "Preparing for Copenhagen: How Developing Countries Are Fighting Climate Change.” Testimony of Ms. Barbara Finamore, China Program Director, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) 3/4/09
- East Asia and the Pacific: Dialogue on U.S.- China Partnership on Clean Energy (U.S. State Department Press Release, February 22, 2009) Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, With Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern And President of GE Energy China Jack Wen, Taiyang Gong Power Plant, Beijing, China
Natural Resources
- Revised Resource Tax System to be Announced (January 14, 2008)
Sustainability / Pollution Prevention
-
MEP: Two Environmental Protection Guidelines for Developing Industrial Circular Economy (sustainability) were issued by MEP on March 14, 2009 and will be effective as of July 1, 2009 [Text in Chinese only]
International Cooperation
- Work Plan for Sino-U.S. Cooperation in Environmental Law Development, Implementation, and Enforcement (May 20, 2008)
- U.S. and China Establish Ten-Year Framework for Cooperation on Energy and Environment. At the June, 2008 meeting of the U.S.–China Strategic Economic Dialogue, the U.S. and China signed a “Framework for the Ten Year Cooperation on Energy and Environment.” EPA is among the agencies included on the Steering Committee. Cooperation ranges in 3 broad areas: Energy, Pollution Abatement, and Natural Resource Conservation.
Events
- EPA recently met with Wang Canfa, professor at China University of Political Science and Law and director of the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims (CLAPV). Vermont Law School recently named Professor Wang an Honorary Distinguished Lecturer in Environmental Law in recognition of his efforts to promote the development of environmental law in China and his collaboration with Vermont Law School. More on Professor Wang's visit to the U.S.
- Environmental Litigation and Environmental Court Forum, Beijing, May 22-23, 2009
- World Bank IFC - Jiangsu Province International Symposium on Contaminated Site Remediation and Brownfields Redevelopment in Nanjing, May 20-21, 2009
- EPA-MEP 2009 Annual Planning Meeting on Cooperation on Environmental Law and Enforcement (April 29, 2009, Washington, D.C.)
- As Goes China, So Goes the World: Chinese Development and Environment Challenges (Sponsored by American University, Washington College of Law, March 26, 2009)
- China’s Emergence: Effects on Trade, Investment, and Regulatory Law (Sponsored by Texas International Law Journal, February 27, 2009)
- China’s Changing Courts: Populist Vehicle or Party Puppet (Sponsored by New York University School of Law and the U.S. - Asia Law Institute, February 19, 2009)
- Mind the Gap! Trends in Strengthening Environmental Laws in China. Presented by the China Environment Forum, January 15, 2009. Video now available!
Legal Resources
Find links to information on Chinese environmental statutes, regulations, directives, and treaties, as well as selected reports and articles relating to Chinese environmental Law.
Disclaimer
The information appearing on this Web site is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice to any individual or entity. If you desire legal advice, you may wish to consult with a legal advisor. You should not rely on information from this website for legal advice.
EPA makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this site, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this site. No warranty of any kind is given with respect to the contents of this Web site or its links to other Internet resources.
Reference in this site to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the EPA