Though it is not on the NPC Standing Committee's review list
this year, legislators will continue to revise the Environmental
Protection Law, the cornerstone of China's legal effort to protect
the environment, a key environment official said.
In its current form, the law's biggest shortcoming is that it
lacks a provision clarifying the responsibilities of government,
businesses and the public in protecting the environment, said Qian
Yi, deputy chairman of the Environmental and Resources Protection
Committee of the National People's Congress.
Pan Yue, vice-minister of the State Environmental Protection
Administration, also said recently that any revision to the
Environment Protection Law should focus on holding local government
responsible for the quality of the environment.
He said local-government in efforts to enforce environmental law
should be curbed.
Qian noted that there are many other compelling reasons to
revise the law.
The law was adopted in 1989, at a time when the country did not
have a clear concept of scientific development, said Qian.
As a result, the law does not mention any of the current hot
topics, like reducing energy consumption, focusing instead on
prohibiting the degradation of the environment.
Qian said the nearly 20-year-old law could not meet the
contemporary demands of social and economic development
anymore.
Also, with the adoption of laws on clean water, air pollution,
clean environmental energy and environment-impact assessments in
recent years, the basic role of the Environmental Protection Law
will eventually diminish if it is not reviewed to keep pace with
progress, Qian said.
(China Daily March 8, 2007)