Recent Additions

August 25, 2008

American Bar Association, International Environmental Law Committee Newsletter. The August 2008 issue focuses on Chinese environmental law. Contributors include: Robert Percival, Roger Martella, Charles R. McElwee II, and others.

August 22, 2008

A Strategic Economic Engagement: Strengthening U.S.-Chinese Ties, by Henry M. Paulson Jr. ( Foreign Affairs, September-October 2008)
Clean Energy: an Exporter's Guide to China (U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, July 2008) (PDF, 113 pp, 3.2MB)
Winds of Change for China's Environment Protection (MEP Press Release, 8/15/08)
China to continue anti-pollution campaigns after Olympics (Xinhua News Agency, 8/3/08)
Tax on big cars raised to save fuel (China Daily.com, 8/14/08)
Hearing on China's Energy Policies and Their Environmental Impacts (U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, 8/13/08)
China to regulate recycling of electronic waste (Xinhua News Agency, 8/20/08)

July 28, 2008

Polluting Cities, Firms Punished ahead of Olympics (MEP Press Release, 7/16/08)
Environment ministry adds 2 departments (China Daily, 7/11/08)
Study: Closing coal-burning power plant in China cut rate of toddlers' development problems (International Herald Tribune, 7/15/08)
Slow Progress (China Daily, 7/14/08)
Pollution emission permits delayed (China Daily, 7/4/08)
MEP - Announcement on Releasing Catalogue of Solid Wastes Forbidden to Import... (Announcement 11, 2008)
MEP Issued the State of the Environment of China 2007--Pollution Prevention & Control Shifted from Passive Response into Active Prevention (MEP Press Release, 6/4/08)
China Increases Lead as Biggest Carbon Dioxide Emitter (New York Times, 6/14/08) Related document: Global CO2 emissions: increase continued in 2007 (Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, 6/13/08)
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.”
Event: Panel on China and the Environment, September 19, 2008. American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources’ 16th Section Fall Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
Event: China's Environment: What Do We Know and How Do We Know It? Held at the University of California, Berkeley, December 7-8, 2007. A summary of the presentations is available, as well as links to online videos of the conference.
EPA-SEPA Memorandum of Understanding on Science and Technical Cooperation in the Field of Environment, signed 12/8/03. (PDF, 10 pp, 382k. Includes Annexes 1-4)
Beyond Compliance: Assessing Water Management Practices and Opportunities in Chinese Apparel Factories. (Business for Social Responsibility MAP Team, 2008) (PDF, 55 pp, 7MB)
China's Efforts and Achievements in Promoting the Rule of Law (China State Council White Paper, 2008) Section IV includes discussion of environmental law.
A Price Too High – Health Impacts of Air Pollution in southern China (Civic Exchange, June 2008) (PDF, 100 pp)
Water Pollution Emergencies in China: Prevention and Response (World Bank, June 2007) (PDF, 30 pp, 340K)
Cultural Devolution: Solving China's environmental catastrophe, by Bradford Plumer (New Republic, 7/9/08)

May 14, 2008

Translation of new PRC Food Safety Law draft, May 12,2008 Translated by EU-China Trade Project

May 9, 2008

China's Pollution Discharge Permit System Evolves Behind Its Economic
Expansion, by Wang Mingyuan (Villanova Environmental Law Journal, vol XIX, Issue I, 2008, pp. 95-121) (PDF, 27 pp, 22MB) Posted with the permission of the author.
Author's note: "On 28 February, 2008, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress amended the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the PRC, and the water pollutant discharge permit system was formally introduced into the amended law (Art. 20)."
The Environment : reprinted from the 2007 Annual Report of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, 110th Congress, first session, October 10, 2007 (U.S. Government Printing Office, 2008) (PDF, 13 pp, 70K)
Impact of emergencies in 2007 : three cases : reprinted from the 2007 Annual Report of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, 110th Congress, first session, October 10, 2007 (U.S. Government Printing Office, 2008) (PDF, 20 pp, 91K) Covers food safety, product quality, and climate change.
China now top carbon polluter (USA Today 5/1/08)
China calls for help on climate change (The Associated Press 4/21/08)
MEP Passes Work Rule Draft (ChinaCSR.com, 4/25/08)
Harvard Scholars Discuss China's Air (University Wire, 4/18/08)
California to cooperate on climate with China (Reuters, 4/22/08)
China issues jail threat in new food safety law (Guardian, UK, 4/21/08)
MEPC Publishes Four New Chinese Pollution Standards (ChinaCSR.com, 4/15/08)
New move to protect reservoirs (China Daily, 4/25/08)
Planning regulation to be ready by year end (MEP news release, 4/29/08)
China Unveils Environmental Protection Plan (ChinaCSR.com, 4/17/08)
Can China save the Yellow — its mother river? (National Geographic, May 2008)
Draft regulation on food safety published to solicit public opinion (National People's Congress news release, 4/21/08)

April 30, 2008

China Environmental Law Blog : China’s Environmental and Energy laws, regulations, and policies discussed daily (Written by Charlie McElwee, an international environmental and energy lawyer based in Shanghai)
Water Pollution Act Amendments (Chapter IV) (Specific Prohibitions) (China Environmental Law Blog, 4/21/08)

April 15, 2008

Making central-local relations work: Comparing America and China environmental governance systems, by Dan Guttman and Song Yaqin (Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering in China, vol. 1, no. 4, October, 2007, pp. 418-433) Abstract only. Full text of article can be purchased from the publisher.

March 28, 2008

Environment chief vows to add muscle (March 25, 2008)
China's pollution nightmare is now everyone's pollution nightmare (March 19, 2008)
Chinese parliament stamps on premier's cabinet nominations and newly established Ministry of Environmental Protection approved (March 11, 2008)
Green governance ranking list to come in months in China (March 11, 2008)
The National Eleventh Five-year Plan for Environmental Protection (2006-2010) (March 5, 2008)
Political advisors propose assessment system for environment-damaging exports (March 4, 2008)
Breaking the Suicide Pact: U.S.–China Cooperation on Climate Change, by William Chandler (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Policy Brief no. 57, March 2008)
EPA General Counsel Roger Martella will speak at the Symposium on Environmental Law and Regulation at Tsinghua University, April 13, 2008.

March 7, 2008

Is China Turning Green? -- A Commentary by Daniel Esty (Originally published in Fortune Magazine on May 4, 2007)
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - an Environmental Review (United Nations Environment Programme, 2007)

February 29, 2008

EPA General Counsel Roger Martella testifies on China’s environmental challenges (PDF, 10 pp, 54k) EPA General Counsel Roger Martella was invited to testify at a hearing on “The Impact of the 2008 Olympic Games on Human Rights and Rule of Law in China” held by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, chaired by Congressman Levin (MI) and Senator Dorgan (ND) on February 27. His testimony noted UNEP's assessment that China appears headed towards meeting most (but not all) of Beijing’s goals for a “green Olympics,” expanding wastewater treatment and lowering local emissions of some key pollutants (while particulate levels in Beijing remain high and effects of transferring heavily polluting industries outside Beijing should also be considered). More broadly, he noted the extremely serious pollution problems facing China and contrasted China's increasing environmental efforts with continuing gaps in implementation, citing as examples (limited) progress on providing avenues for public participation and aspects of the environmental law framework that are vague, lack teeth, or are hampered by the need for stronger mechanisms for cooperation and accountability between Beijing and the provinces.
China’s Strategic Priorities in International Climate Change Negotiations, by Joanna I. Lewis (Washington Quarterly. vol. 31, no. 1, Winter 2007-2008, pp. 155-174)
Not in My Backyard: China's Rising Middle Class Growing Environmental Contention (February 28, 2008)
China starts first nationwide pollution census (February 27, 2008)
Public encouraged to tackle pollution (February 20, 2008)
SEPA Report on Three Gorges Water Quality (February 19, 2008)
China amends water pollution law (February 29, 2008)
China targets company executives in fight against pollution (February 26, 2008)
China sets pollution reduction targets for 2008 (February 12, 2008)
Analysis: China conservation doubts remain (February 22, 2008)
China blacklists 141 seriously polluting products (February 26, 2008)
Listed firms ordered to submit green data (February 26, 2008)
China May Cut Export Rebates for Polluting Chemicals (Update 1) (February 26, 2008)
South China province blacklists heavy polluters (February 23, 2008)
China publishes new environmental economy policy (February 19, 2008)
Official: More efforts needed to implement environment-friendly loan policy (February 13, 2008)
China Adopts First Nationwide Open Government Information Regulations
By Jamie P. Horsley (May 9, 2007)
Law of the People's Republic of China on Energy Conservation to take effect of April 1, 2008 (translation courtesy of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP) (PDF, 26pp, 367k)

February 22, 2008

Measures on Open Environmental Information, for Trial Implementation (Adopted by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China
on February 8, 2007; Effective May 1, 2008) (PDF, 8 pp, 44k)
China's new information disclosure regulation was signed by Premier Wen Jiabao on April 24, 2007. This regulation will take effect May 1, 2008. Text of regulation: English (PDF, 9 pp, 42k)
Web Site Tracks China's Pollution Levels (December 18, 2007) Related site: China Water Pollution Map
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - an Environmental Review (United Nations Environment Programme)
Clean Air, Clear Processes? The Struggle over Air Pollution Law in the People's Republic of China, by William P. Alford and Benjamin L. Liebman (Hastings Law Journal, vol. 52, no. 3, March 2001, p. 703)

February 15, 2008

Who's Cleaning Up This Mess? by Charles R. McElwee II (Originally published in the January - February 2008 issue of the China Business Review, Pg. 20)
China to bring in green loan benchmark (January 25, 2008)
Environmental protection in China: Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air (January 24, 2008)
New ruling on contents of detergent (January 23, 2008)
China Offers Plan to Clean Up Its Polluted Lakes (January 23, 2008)
China eyes energy, environment ministries in March (January 14, 2008)

February 8, 2008

Efforts in Moving Towards a Low Carbon Future: China's Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Laws (February 13, 2008) sponsored by the China Environment Forum
Battery Council International's Health, Safety and Environment Technology Conference , Shenzhen, China (March 3-4, 2008)

February 1 , 2008

Strategic Economic Dialogue. The U.S. and China held the third Cabinet-level meeting of the Strategic Economic Dialogue from December 12-13, 2007 outside Beijing. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson was part of a delegation of six U.S. Cabinet officials and agency heads who joined the talks, which were co-chaired by Treasury Secretary Paulson and China’s Vice Premier Wu Yi.
Environmental Impact of Exports and Imports
U.S. EPA and China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on December 13, 2007 to strengthen cooperation on sound environmental management practices related to imports and exports. The text of the MOU is also available in Chinese.
Joint Commission on Environmental Cooperation (JCEC) Read more
The Joint Commission on Environmental Cooperation (JCEC) met on December 14, 2007. The Joint Commission is a forum for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and China’s State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) to discuss cooperation under the EPA-SEPA Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation.
Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Trading Program
China announced plans to develop and implement a nationwide program on sulfur dioxide emissions trading in the power sector. The United States will provide technical assistance to support the development of the necessary infrastructure and institutional capacity for the successful implementation of the program. Read more information about this program.
Group wants more polluters in court (January 16, 2008)
Toxic Factories Take Toll On China's Labor Force (January 15, 2008)
People vs. chemical plant (January 14, 2008)
Revised Resource Tax System to be Announced (January 14, 2008)
Public Yet To Read the Green of Environment (January 8, 2008)
Action Plan on Environment and Health (2007-2015) (January 5, 2008)
China Environmental Health Fact Sheets (published in 2007by the China Environment Forum, Woodrow Wilson Institute for Scholars)

January 10, 2008

Beijing Introduces Cleaner Fuel Standard (January 1, 2008)
China considers amendments to provide for compensation for environmental injuries (December 25, 2007)
Firms may have to disclose environmental information (December 24, 2007)
China proposes to amend Water Pollution Control Law to raise "violation cost" for water polluters (December 23, 2007)
China issues report on addressing climate change (December 22, 2007)
China, US to sign deal on environmental protection in import, export (December 12, 2007)
SEPA releases planning guideline of China's major ecological function preservation zones (December 10, 2007)
Chinese NGO Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims Hosts Environmental Law Training in Beijing October 26 - November 1 (January 2008) For additional information: Wang Canfa (of Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims) named Time Magazine Environmental "Hero" (October 22, 2007)
China: An Introduction to Current Environmental Trends, by Charles R. McElwee, Ii. (International Environmental Law Committee Newsletter, Vol. 10, no. 1, October 2007, p. 35)
China’s Increasing Focus on Europe: Trends and Implications for the Development of Chinese Environmental Law, by Richard J. (“Tad”) Ferri (International Environmental Law Committee Newsletter, Vol. 7, no. 2, May 2005, p. 1)

December 18, 2007

International Forum on Environmental Legislation and Sustainable Development (sponsored by China's National People's Congress, )took place on December 1-2, 2007. The agenda included sessions on Environmental Policies and Legislation, Legislation on Energy Conservation and Renewables, Public Participation, Public Interest Litigation, and Prevention and Control of Water Pollution. Read the Global Environmental Law Blog report.

December 11, 2007

Experts urge tougher pollution controls (December 1, 2007)
China's environmental watchdog plans to raise fine on water polluters (November 26, 2007)
Annual Review of Chinese Environmental Law Developments: 2006, by Mingqing You (Environmental Law Reporter News & Analysis, Vol. 37, Issue 11, p. 10836) Copyright(c) 2007 Environmental Law Institute(r), Washington, DC. Posted with permission from the Environmental Law Institute.
China's Coming Environmental Renaissance (November 29, 2007)
Worldwatch China Program Manager Yingling Liu responds to a recent essay on China’s environment published in Foreign Affairs. She discusses China’s looming ecological challenges and points to some of the more promising developments in the country’s environmental movement.
Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) to meet in Beijing on December 12-13, 2007. EPA Administrator Steve Johnson is expected to sign a new Annex on EPA-SEPA Cooperation on Environmental Law and Enforcement at the meeting. Read Administrator Johnson's "Trip Diary From China."

September - November, 2007

Chinese government praises NGO's role in making environment-friendly policies (October 31, 2007)
EPA General Counsel presentation at China Environment Forum January 31, 2008. Panel discussion: "Restocking China's Environmental Tool Kit: Improving Implementation of Energy and Pollution Control Laws." This event was webcast live, and the video archive will be available on the China Environment Forum web page.
China's State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) proposed rules on pollutant discharge licensing for public comment on October 25, 2007. The (For Comment Draft) Regulations for Pollutant Discharge Licensing [text in Chinese]would impose a licensing system for release of pollutants. Also included are provisions on license application, review and approval, supervision and inspection and penalties.
China imposes new export restrictions on polluting companies. On October 8, 2007 China issued The Notice on Strengthening Environmental Supervision of Export Enterprises [text in Chinese] , which requires authorities to suspend export licenses and deny quota applications against violators of environmental regulations. A system of environmental monitors will be phased in. Priority sectors cited include metallurgy, chemical, cement, textile and light industry. Provincial environmental and commerce departments are also required to set up joint working groups supervise compliance.
Debate over new environmental legislation (November 7, 2007)
Hong Kong legislation addresses emissions trading with Guangdong Province (October 12, 2007)
China seeks public input on amendments to water pollution law (September 2007)
Energy law to focus on unified management (November 17, 2007) The draft of the country's first energy law will highlight "unified administration" of the sector, but stop short of spelling out the establishment of an energy ministry, a key drafter said on Friday.
China cabinet to get energy law draft by early 2008 (October 25, 2007)
MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) established a Foreign Work Leading Group to address climate change (September 4, 2007)
Premier Wen stresses combating climate change and energy saving at the first meeting of related national leading group (July 10, 2007)
China to require environmental deposits from mines (November 16, 2007) China will require miners to pay deposits to guarantee the environmental clean-up of their sites under a policy to be launched next year, the China Daily said on Friday.
Ecology vital for scientific outlook of development (November 13, 2007) "Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) can provide the most powerful support system for China to realize sustainable development and establish a conservation culture, said Pan Yue, deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA)."

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