Environmental Legislation in the Past 70 Years
25
Development in the 21st Century, and sustainable development became part of the
country’s long-term economic and social development plan for the first time. China
also took an active part in international climate change negotiations and related
conferences, and signed and approved the Kyoto Protocol. By 2013, China had
joined in 37 multilateral environmental treaties, and signed environmental cooperation agreements with Japan, the United States, Mongolia, the DPRK, Canada, India,
South Korea, Russia and some other countries.
From a global perspective, the development of environmental legislation during
this period was closely related to the evolution of the UN’s environmental protection
concepts. The following are three of the most important milestones. First, before
and after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972, the United Nations adopted special resolutions calling on member
states to discuss legal issues concerning environmental protection and developed
countries formulated basic environmental protection laws and incorporated environmental protection in their constitutions. Second, before and after the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the
United Nations proposed the concept of sustainable development. Countries around
the world re-examined their environmental laws or formulated new environmental
laws in accordance with this concept. Many countries also started compiling environmental codes. Third, before and after the Johannesburg Summit 2002, the United
Nations called for actions by all countries to achieve sustainable development. Countries around the world refined and improved their national environmental legislation
in accordance with the UN Millennium Development Goals. Based on the environmental legislative process of the Standing Committee of the National People’s
Congress, it was obvious that China kept in step with the rest of the world in environmental legislation. There are three important periods in environmental legislation
in China since 1979. The first period is from 1982 to 1990 which is during the
early stage of China’s economic reform and opening-up. During this period, the
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress enacted ten environmental
laws, including the Marine Environment Protection Law (1982), Water Pollution
Prevention and Control Law (1984), and Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law
(1987). The second period is from 1993 to 2003 during which China started building a
socialist market economy. During this period, the Standing Committee of the National
People’s Congress formulated and revised 14 environmental laws, including the Air
Pollution Prevention and Control Law (1995), Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and
Control Law (1995), and Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law (revised in
1996). The third period is from 2003 to 2013 during which China began to embark on
a path of science-based development. During this period, the Standing Committee
of the National People’s Congress formulated and revised 11 laws, including the
Radioactive Pollution Prevention and Control Law (2003), Solid Waste Pollution
Prevention and Control Law (revised in 2004), and Renewable Energy Law (2005).
China’s environmental legal system thus developed rapidly in sync with the rest of the
world in environmental legislation. China is playing an increasingly more important
role in global environmental governance.
25
Development in the 21st Century, and sustainable development became part of the
country’s long-term economic and social development plan for the first time. China
also took an active part in international climate change negotiations and related
conferences, and signed and approved the Kyoto Protocol. By 2013, China had
joined in 37 multilateral environmental treaties, and signed environmental cooperation agreements with Japan, the United States, Mongolia, the DPRK, Canada, India,
South Korea, Russia and some other countries.
From a global perspective, the development of environmental legislation during
this period was closely related to the evolution of the UN’s environmental protection
concepts. The following are three of the most important milestones. First, before
and after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972, the United Nations adopted special resolutions calling on member
states to discuss legal issues concerning environmental protection and developed
countries formulated basic environmental protection laws and incorporated environmental protection in their constitutions. Second, before and after the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the
United Nations proposed the concept of sustainable development. Countries around
the world re-examined their environmental laws or formulated new environmental
laws in accordance with this concept. Many countries also started compiling environmental codes. Third, before and after the Johannesburg Summit 2002, the United
Nations called for actions by all countries to achieve sustainable development. Countries around the world refined and improved their national environmental legislation
in accordance with the UN Millennium Development Goals. Based on the environmental legislative process of the Standing Committee of the National People’s
Congress, it was obvious that China kept in step with the rest of the world in environmental legislation. There are three important periods in environmental legislation
in China since 1979. The first period is from 1982 to 1990 which is during the
early stage of China’s economic reform and opening-up. During this period, the
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress enacted ten environmental
laws, including the Marine Environment Protection Law (1982), Water Pollution
Prevention and Control Law (1984), and Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law
(1987). The second period is from 1993 to 2003 during which China started building a
socialist market economy. During this period, the Standing Committee of the National
People’s Congress formulated and revised 14 environmental laws, including the Air
Pollution Prevention and Control Law (1995), Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and
Control Law (1995), and Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law (revised in
1996). The third period is from 2003 to 2013 during which China began to embark on
a path of science-based development. During this period, the Standing Committee
of the National People’s Congress formulated and revised 11 laws, including the
Radioactive Pollution Prevention and Control Law (2003), Solid Waste Pollution
Prevention and Control Law (revised in 2004), and Renewable Energy Law (2005).
China’s environmental legal system thus developed rapidly in sync with the rest of the
world in environmental legislation. China is playing an increasingly more important
role in global environmental governance.