110
L. Zhang
reasonable manner, improve resource efficiency, reduce negative environmental impact of human activities, and encourage everyone to participate.
At the first UN Conference on the Human Environment, the Chinese delegation officially announced to the world that China was stepping up environmental protection in accordance with this guideline. Since then, various
local governments began to emphasize the implementation of this guideline in
environmental protection. After discussion at the first National Environmental
Protection Conference, this guideline was formally established as a national
environmental protection policy.
(2) A large number of environmental protection agencies were established during
this period. In 1971, under the supervision of Zhou Enlai, the State Planning Commission established the Waste Reuse Leading Group. This was
the first official environmental protection agency established by the central
government. In January 1973, the Office in Charge of the Preparation of
the Environmental Protection Leading Group of the State Council was
established. Urged by the central government, many local governments set
up environmental protection agencies. Beijing, Gansu, Hubei, Guangdong,
Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Liaoning, Yunnan, Zhejiang, Hunan, Shandong, Jilin,
Ningxia, Inner Mongolia and other provincial-level administrative units established new environmental protection agencies or reorganized original environmental protection agencies such as the industrial waste management office.
Tianjin, Shanghai, Heilongjiang, and Xinjiang already established environmental protection agencies in the 1960s. There were 19 provinces, autonomous
regions, and municipalities that had established environmental protection agencies prior to the first National Environmental Protection Conference. In addition, Changchun, Chengdu, Dalian, Guiyang, Nanjing, Wuhan, Zhengzhou,
Chongqing, Xiangfan, Yichang and other central cities had also set up or
restored such institutions. In June 1972, the country’s first trans-provincial
environmental protection agency—the Guanting Reservoir Water Conservation Leading Group—was established. Subsequently, a number of other environmental protection leading groups were established to protect the Yellow
River Basin, Huai River Basin, Yangtze River Basin, Songhua River Basin,
Pearl River Basin, and Taihu Lake Watershed. As of July 1973, a network of
environmental protection organizations covering at least three levels of administrative units (i.e., central, provincial, and prefecture levels) had roughly taken
shape. The establishment of the above-mentioned environmental protection
agencies created favorable organizational conditions for the smooth start of
modern environmental protection work in the future. At the same time, it also
established the basic pattern of combining regional governance and river basin
governance in China’s environmental protection. Of course, these environmental protection agencies were not in superior-subordinate relationships. This
was an important organizational feature of environmental governance before
the institutionalization.
(3) Meetings were held to study the issue of pollution control. In response to the
increasingly serious environmental pollution, the central government and some
L. Zhang
reasonable manner, improve resource efficiency, reduce negative environmental impact of human activities, and encourage everyone to participate.
At the first UN Conference on the Human Environment, the Chinese delegation officially announced to the world that China was stepping up environmental protection in accordance with this guideline. Since then, various
local governments began to emphasize the implementation of this guideline in
environmental protection. After discussion at the first National Environmental
Protection Conference, this guideline was formally established as a national
environmental protection policy.
(2) A large number of environmental protection agencies were established during
this period. In 1971, under the supervision of Zhou Enlai, the State Planning Commission established the Waste Reuse Leading Group. This was
the first official environmental protection agency established by the central
government. In January 1973, the Office in Charge of the Preparation of
the Environmental Protection Leading Group of the State Council was
established. Urged by the central government, many local governments set
up environmental protection agencies. Beijing, Gansu, Hubei, Guangdong,
Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Liaoning, Yunnan, Zhejiang, Hunan, Shandong, Jilin,
Ningxia, Inner Mongolia and other provincial-level administrative units established new environmental protection agencies or reorganized original environmental protection agencies such as the industrial waste management office.
Tianjin, Shanghai, Heilongjiang, and Xinjiang already established environmental protection agencies in the 1960s. There were 19 provinces, autonomous
regions, and municipalities that had established environmental protection agencies prior to the first National Environmental Protection Conference. In addition, Changchun, Chengdu, Dalian, Guiyang, Nanjing, Wuhan, Zhengzhou,
Chongqing, Xiangfan, Yichang and other central cities had also set up or
restored such institutions. In June 1972, the country’s first trans-provincial
environmental protection agency—the Guanting Reservoir Water Conservation Leading Group—was established. Subsequently, a number of other environmental protection leading groups were established to protect the Yellow
River Basin, Huai River Basin, Yangtze River Basin, Songhua River Basin,
Pearl River Basin, and Taihu Lake Watershed. As of July 1973, a network of
environmental protection organizations covering at least three levels of administrative units (i.e., central, provincial, and prefecture levels) had roughly taken
shape. The establishment of the above-mentioned environmental protection
agencies created favorable organizational conditions for the smooth start of
modern environmental protection work in the future. At the same time, it also
established the basic pattern of combining regional governance and river basin
governance in China’s environmental protection. Of course, these environmental protection agencies were not in superior-subordinate relationships. This
was an important organizational feature of environmental governance before
the institutionalization.
(3) Meetings were held to study the issue of pollution control. In response to the
increasingly serious environmental pollution, the central government and some