Changes in Environmental Policy in the Past 40 Years of Reform …
5
Chinese mainland. Government authorities at all levels, rural collectives, and social
organizations all focused their efforts on attracting investment and facilitating the
development of enterprises. China’s environmental protection also began to get on
track.
In the meanwhile, the Chinese government became increasingly aware of environmental problems caused by economic development and the transfer of production
activities from other countries. In 1979, China promulgated its first environmental
protection law—the Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China
(Trial). After that, environmental legislation in China gradually got on track. In
August 1982, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed
the Marine Environment Protection Law. In May 1984 and September 1987 respectively, the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law and Air Pollution Prevention
and Control Law were adopted. In the meantime, China also began to strengthen
environmental management and system building. In May 1982, at the 23rd meeting
of the Standing Committee of the Fifth National People’s Congress, it was decided
that the State Development Commission, the State Urban Development Administration, the State Construction Engineering Bureau, the State Bureau of Surveying and
Mapping, and the State Council Environmental Protection Leadership Group Office
shall merge to form the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection and that the Environmental Protection Bureau shall be established
under the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection. At the second National Environmental Protection Conference held at the end
of 1983, then Vice Premier Li Peng declared environmental protection as one of
China’s basic, long-term national policies. The Environmental Protection Commission was established under the State Council in May 1984, with Li Peng as chair. The
office of the Environmental Protection Commission was set up under the Ministry
of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection and its responsibilities were performed by the Environmental Protection Bureau on its behalf. In
December 1984, the Environmental Protection Bureau of the Ministry of Urban and
Rural Development and Environmental Protection was renamed National Environmental Protection Agency. However, it was still affiliated to the Ministry of Urban
and Rural Development and Environmental Protection.
In 1988, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection was reorganized into the Ministry of Construction. The National Environmental
Protection Agency became a sub-ministerial agency directly affiliated to the State
Council. It was the functional department of the State Council responsible for overseeing environmental protection work nationwide. It enjoyed a high level of independence, having its own staffing quotas, funding, and supplies. In the same year, the
CPC Central Committee and the State Council launched a pilot civil service reform
program at the National Environmental Protection Agency, set up new positions
to meet the needs for environmental protection, and recruited from society a large
number of environmental protection officials. This program laid the foundation for
professional administration of environmental protection.
1989–1998 was the second major phase in China’s environmental protection
history. During this period, the pressure for environment protection continued to
5
Chinese mainland. Government authorities at all levels, rural collectives, and social
organizations all focused their efforts on attracting investment and facilitating the
development of enterprises. China’s environmental protection also began to get on
track.
In the meanwhile, the Chinese government became increasingly aware of environmental problems caused by economic development and the transfer of production
activities from other countries. In 1979, China promulgated its first environmental
protection law—the Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China
(Trial). After that, environmental legislation in China gradually got on track. In
August 1982, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed
the Marine Environment Protection Law. In May 1984 and September 1987 respectively, the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law and Air Pollution Prevention
and Control Law were adopted. In the meantime, China also began to strengthen
environmental management and system building. In May 1982, at the 23rd meeting
of the Standing Committee of the Fifth National People’s Congress, it was decided
that the State Development Commission, the State Urban Development Administration, the State Construction Engineering Bureau, the State Bureau of Surveying and
Mapping, and the State Council Environmental Protection Leadership Group Office
shall merge to form the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection and that the Environmental Protection Bureau shall be established
under the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection. At the second National Environmental Protection Conference held at the end
of 1983, then Vice Premier Li Peng declared environmental protection as one of
China’s basic, long-term national policies. The Environmental Protection Commission was established under the State Council in May 1984, with Li Peng as chair. The
office of the Environmental Protection Commission was set up under the Ministry
of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection and its responsibilities were performed by the Environmental Protection Bureau on its behalf. In
December 1984, the Environmental Protection Bureau of the Ministry of Urban and
Rural Development and Environmental Protection was renamed National Environmental Protection Agency. However, it was still affiliated to the Ministry of Urban
and Rural Development and Environmental Protection.
In 1988, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and Environmental Protection was reorganized into the Ministry of Construction. The National Environmental
Protection Agency became a sub-ministerial agency directly affiliated to the State
Council. It was the functional department of the State Council responsible for overseeing environmental protection work nationwide. It enjoyed a high level of independence, having its own staffing quotas, funding, and supplies. In the same year, the
CPC Central Committee and the State Council launched a pilot civil service reform
program at the National Environmental Protection Agency, set up new positions
to meet the needs for environmental protection, and recruited from society a large
number of environmental protection officials. This program laid the foundation for
professional administration of environmental protection.
1989–1998 was the second major phase in China’s environmental protection
history. During this period, the pressure for environment protection continued to