The new department will assume broad oversight responsibilities as part of a broader government restructuring. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate China’s Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) has announced the establishment of a new department responsible for the safety, supervision, and management of hazardous chemicals. The MEM replaced the former State Administration of … Continue Reading
The precedent-setting legislation establishes a comprehensive liability scheme for soil contamination, increasing fines for pollution violations while creating tax benefits for remediating contaminated properties. By Paul Davies, Andrew Westgate, and Kimberly Leefatt The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s highest legislative body, passed the nation’s first law dedicated to soil protection and pollution … Continue Reading
The proposed initiative will allow the provision of clean energy on a global scale by 2050. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate The Global Energy Interconnection (GEI) initiative, originally developed by Liu Zhenya, the chairman of the Chinese State Grid Corporation, is dedicated to promoting global energy interconnections in a sustainable manner. The … Continue Reading
Approximately 1,000 manufacturing firms in Beijing will close by 2020. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate China’s anti-pollution efforts have intensified in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, which is known for its problems with smog. In fact, Premier Li Keqiang has identified Beijing and Hebei as key areas in the “war against pollution.” The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei … Continue Reading
The Chinese government and legislature are increasing pressure on local government officials and companies to reduce pollution in China. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate China’s legislature is targeting companies responsible for pollution, and has ordered local judiciaries and lawmakers to implement revised rules and enforce penalties against those who break them. Air … Continue Reading
New policy supports China’s effort against soil pollution by targeting land used for agriculture and development. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate The Chinese government has announced that land used for agriculture and development in China will be subject to a new contamination and control standard, effective August 2018. The standard will set … Continue Reading
Updates underscore China’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions despite government agency reshuffling. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate The Climate Change Department (CCD) of the newly formed Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) has announced its official updates in relation to China’s low carbon-development strategy generally and the National Emissions Trading System (ETS) … Continue Reading
Polluters of one of China’s most polluted waterways are increasingly facing prosecution through coordinated local and national efforts. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate Chinese authorities have been increasing their efforts to prosecute environmental offenders along the Yangtze River, the third-longest river in the world and the longest in Asia. The crackdown reflects … Continue Reading
The plan’s stricter and more targeted requirements will impact a broader range of provinces, including the Fen-Wei Plains. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate China has released a new three-year action plan for 2018 to 2020 to combat air pollution. The previous air pollution action plan, published in 2013, has played a significant … Continue Reading
Increased manufacturing offshoring and industrial activity may prevent China from reaching its commitments, despite a booming renewable energy sector. By Paul A. Davies, Kimberly Leefatt, and R. Andrew Westgate China’s carbon emissions increased by 4% in the first quarter of 2018 — marking the biggest hike in carbon emissions in the last seven years, according … Continue Reading
China’s uneven distribution of water sources presents unique difficulties to China as demand for water is increasing rapidly. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate China’s water supply problems are well-known globally. However, the main problem facing China is how to distribute its water, rather than lack of water per se. 80% of China’s … Continue Reading
The government’s plan to tackle internal and imported plastic waste is the latest phase in China’s clean energy commitment. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate Although China’s ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions and air pollution have received global attention and coverage, the country’s significant steps to reduce solid waste pollution have been … Continue Reading
As China begins to implement its emissions trading system, the country may look around the globe for regulatory guidance. By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate China established its national emissions trading system (ETS) as a key component of the plan to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement. The country’s participation in the … Continue Reading
China cuts fossil fuel consumption to achieve clean energy goal, but must carefully balance the consequences for Chinese citizens. By Paul Davies and Andrew Westgate In tandem with China’s significant economic growth over the past three decades, coal emissions have soared, increasing from 446 million tonnes in 1990 to 2.6 billion tonnes in 2017. Coal … Continue Reading
China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection’s increased authority over climate change and pollution control issues indicates a greater enforcement role for central government. By Paul A. Davies and Andrew Westgate The Chinese government has announced a major reorganization of China’s ministries that comprise the Chinese central government at a session of the 13th National People’s Congress in … Continue Reading
China’s new energy ministry demonstrates the country’s continued commitment to environmental protection and renewable energy. By Paul A. Davies and Andrew Westgate Recent comments from senior communist party leaders indicate that the Chinese government intends to establish a new Ministry of Energy to streamline and consolidate authority for energy-related issues. The responsibility for these issues … Continue Reading
China implements ban on imported waste, stimulating plastic waste-exporting nations to develop alternative manufacturing, consumer products, and recycling strategies. By Paul Davies, Bridget Reineking, and Andrew Westgate Following China’s notification to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2017, the country is now phasing in a ban on certain types of waste imports. The new Chinese … Continue Reading
New requirements build on China’s rapid progress in green finance to increase transparency across the market By Paul Davies, Bridget Reineking and Andrew Westgate The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), in collaboration with China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, has introduced new requirements that, by 2020, will mandate all listed companies and bond issuers to disclose environmental, … Continue Reading
By Paul Davies, Andrew Westgate, and Bridget Reineking China’s chief economic planning body, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), has today announced the launch of its national Emissions Trading System (ETS). The ETS is an ambitious effort that likely will surpass every other emissions trading system in the world, including that of the European … Continue Reading
By Paul Davies, Bridget Reineking, and Andrew Westgate China has issued numerous green policies in an effort to support President Xi’s signature “One Belt, One Road” initiative, which aims to mitigate environmental and social risks arising from China’s overseas lending. Although few of these policies are legally binding, they reflect China’s heightened focus on environmental … Continue Reading
By Paul Davies, Bridget Reineking, and Andrew Westgate The Chinese government has announced a US$4 trillion investment in developing infrastructure globally under the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI). Under the BRI the Chinese government will spend US$750 billion on overseas investments in the next five years alone. Although China often cites the BRI as the … Continue Reading
By Paul Davies, Bridget Reineking, and Andrew Westgate Since establishing the People’s Bank of China’s Green Finance Task Force in 2014, China has encouraged green financing mechanisms through a variety of pioneering initiatives. For example, the country has designated five green finance pilot zones, within which financial institutions are incentivised to provide credit and special … Continue Reading
By Paul Davies, Bridget Reineking, and Andrew Westgate President Xi has announced the creation of a new environmental bureau to oversee China’s state-owned natural resources. Establishment of the new bureau is one of the most notable outcomes of the recent meeting of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party, and follows Xi’s pronouncement that … Continue Reading
By Paul Davies, Bridget Rose Reineking, and Andrew Westgate In recent months, teams of inspectors from China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Communist Party’s anti-corruption commission have conducted a slew of surprise inspections of various industrial facilities throughout China. Estimates suggest that China has temporarily closed as many as 40% of the country’s factories … Continue Reading
