China’s Legislature Votes to Toughen Environmental Protection Law

World Today

The Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislature, has voted to adopt revisions to the Environmental Protection Law.

The revised law, which is expected to take effect on Jan. 1, 2015, has 70 articles while the current one has 47, and the changes are the first to the law since it was adopted in 1989. Under the new law, fines against companies would be greater, and company executives deemed responsible for pollution could be detained for up to 15 days. Local officials who cover up for polluting companies can be demoted or fired. Companies that have been ordered by officials to stop polluting but avoid doing so can be penalized with fines that accumulate daily. Until now, the companies had been assessed a one-time fine.

Chinese officials trying to protect the environment have for many years had a difficult time ensuring enforcement of the environmental protection law. Last Tuesday, the Ministry of Land and Resources released a report that said nearly 60 percent of areas being monitored had “very poor” or “relatively poor” underground water quality in 2013. CCTV’s Hou Na reports from Beijing.

China’s Legislature Votes to Toughen Environmental Protection Law

China has amended its environmental protection law for the first time in 25 years. The change imposes tough new penalties on polluters after two years of public debate. Hou Na has more from Beijing.

Professor Cao Deming, an expert on Political Science and Law in China, joined CCTV’s discussion on the revised law.

Interview with Cao Deming on China's revised Environmental Protection Law

Professor Cao Deming, professor of China's political science and law, joined CCTV's discussion on the revised law.

To discuss the impact of the revised law on businesses in China, CCTV’s Phillip Yin speaks to Jennifer L. Turner, Director of the China Environment Forum at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Jennifer L. Turner on Revised Environmental Protection Law in China

To discuss the impact of the revised law on businesses in China, CCTV's Phillip Yin speaks to Jennifer Turner, Director of the China Environment Forum at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.