Environmental Planning in China
(1949–Present)
Jun Wan
Environmental planning and environmental protection started at the same time and
have been developing simultaneously in China. In August 1973, the Chinese government held its first national environmental protection conference and issued the Environmental Protection and Improvement Regulations (Interim), proposing to plan
environmental protection in a holistic and reasonable manner, improve resource efficiency, reduce negative environmental impact of human activities, and encourage
everyone to participate in environmental protection efforts. Planning environmental
protection in a holistic manner is at the core of the policy, which establishes the
fundamental and leading position of planning in various environmental management
systems. Since the first national environmental protection plan, nine five-year national
environmental protection plans have been prepared and implemented thought the
specific names changed over time. The status of the plans was raised from internal
plans to departmental plans and then to national plans approved and issued by the
State Council. An environmental planning system with Chinese characteristics has
been created and played an important role in the country’s environmental protection
endeavor.
1 Simultaneous Development of Environmental Planning
and Environmental Protection
The Fifth Five-Year Environmental Protection Plan (1976–1980) is China’s first fiveyear environmental protection plan. In 1975, the Environmental Protection Leading
Group of the State Council issued Circular on the Formulation of the Ten-Year Environmental Protection Plan and the Fifth Five-Year Environmental Protection Plan
J. Wan (B)
Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_8
91
(1949–Present)
Jun Wan
Environmental planning and environmental protection started at the same time and
have been developing simultaneously in China. In August 1973, the Chinese government held its first national environmental protection conference and issued the Environmental Protection and Improvement Regulations (Interim), proposing to plan
environmental protection in a holistic and reasonable manner, improve resource efficiency, reduce negative environmental impact of human activities, and encourage
everyone to participate in environmental protection efforts. Planning environmental
protection in a holistic manner is at the core of the policy, which establishes the
fundamental and leading position of planning in various environmental management
systems. Since the first national environmental protection plan, nine five-year national
environmental protection plans have been prepared and implemented thought the
specific names changed over time. The status of the plans was raised from internal
plans to departmental plans and then to national plans approved and issued by the
State Council. An environmental planning system with Chinese characteristics has
been created and played an important role in the country’s environmental protection
endeavor.
1 Simultaneous Development of Environmental Planning
and Environmental Protection
The Fifth Five-Year Environmental Protection Plan (1976–1980) is China’s first fiveyear environmental protection plan. In 1975, the Environmental Protection Leading
Group of the State Council issued Circular on the Formulation of the Ten-Year Environmental Protection Plan and the Fifth Five-Year Environmental Protection Plan
J. Wan (B)
Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_8
91