Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China

Introduction

The Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, originally adopted in 1989 and substantially revised in 2014, is the foundational environmental law in China. The 2014 revision strengthened enforcement, increased penalties, and recognized the right to a healthy environment.

Key Principles

The Law incorporates the precautionary principle, the polluter-pays principle, and the principle of public participation. It establishes environmental impact assessment requirements for construction projects and requires enterprises to install pollution control equipment.

Enforcement

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) enforces environmental law. The 2014 revision introduced unprecedented penalties including daily accruing fines (no maximum), detention of violators, and personal liability for enterprise managers.

Environmental Public Interest Litigation

The Law authorizes environmental protection organizations and the procuratorate to bring public interest lawsuits against polluters. This mechanism has significantly increased environmental enforcement through the courts.