Environment & Biodiversity~

China’s Environmental Law

30/11/2023 CEN2 0

China’s system of environmental legislation is established based on the Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China that was enacted in 1989. Under this law, other separate laws have been enacted for controlling pollution. Some of these laws are as follows: China updated the Environmental Protection Law in 2015. This was the first major revisions. The revised law includes stricter punishments on polluters. It also allows non-governmental organizations […]

Xi on building eco-civilization

23/11/2023 CEN2 0

“Several pairs of relations need to be well handled in promoting the construction of ecological civilization.” Ying Xue, on the China Ecological Civilization substack blog, has summarised an important article by Xi Jinping, published on the Qiushi magazine on November 16. Qiushi is run by the CPC central committee. It publishes articles demonstrating policies and guiding the direction of the party. So, this article of Xi Jinping is guidance on building China’s ecological […]

China’s massive leap forward

17/11/2023 CEN2 0

China’s emissions could peak this year! The following article is from the US. The first paragraph would be at home in any US anti-China rant. But read on, the author shows how the “China bad guy” theme is wearing thin in the face of undeniable facts. China is the climate elephant in the room. It is responsible for 29.2% of the world’s annual emissions, giving it the unwanted title of […]

Plastic pollution under spotlight

15/11/2023 CEN2 0

About 2,000 delegates from around the world are gathering in the Kenyan capital Nairobi for fresh talks on the landmark international treaty to combat plastic pollution. In December 2018, China’s State Council launched a plan to restrict the production, sale, and use of single-use plastic bags and tableware, and to expand the application of degradable plastic products. Under the initiative, the performance of enterprises in service industries such as hotels […]

Nature’s soil seedbanks

09/11/2023 CEN2 0

A research team of Chinese scientists is investigating the potential for natural soil seedbanks to help plant communities to resist the detrimental impact of environmental disturbance, including climate change. Unlike most other biological groups, plant species can possess dormant life-history stages such as the soil seed bank, which may help plants adapt to environmental changes. The scientists, six from Yangtze University, Hubei and one from Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui in China […]

China bolsters Environment Ministry

03/11/2023 CEN2 0

Photo: Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment, China. Reforms strengthen role of China’s Environment Ministry. China Dialogue reports that on 12 October, 2023 a notice was issued outlining changes to the responsibilities of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE). The central role of the MEE appears to have been strengthened with the Ministry of Science and Technology’s role in organising policies to promote ecological and environmental development through science and tech being […]

The East is red and green

21/10/2023 CEN2 0

In a recent review of Carlos Martinez’s book The East is Still Red – Chinese socialism in the 21st century, Stefania Fusero provides a detailed summary of the chapter on China’s environmental record (China is building an ecological civilisation), including a discussion of China’s trajectory on ecological issues, its commitment in the last two decades to renewable energy development, its record on afforestation, and its leadership in eco-friendly transport. Stefania also […]

Russia halts Japan seafood imports

17/10/2023 CEN2 0

Russia joins China and suspended all seafood imports from Japan. The ban is due to food contamination fears after the release of wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. The Russian government on Monday (16 October 2023) introduced a temporary ban on imports of seafood from Japan, after Tokyo released treated radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. In August, China – Japan’s biggest importer […]

China & Ramsar Wetlands Convention

13/10/2023 CEN2 0

In November 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke at the Opening Ceremony of the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. He spoke of the historic achievements made in wetlands conservation in China.“We have increased the area of wetlands to 56.35 million hectares, put in place a protection system, and enacted a Wetlands Conservation Law. Wetlands have become an integral part of […]

China drought cuts hydro output

12/10/2023 CEN2 0

In major news for China’s electricity system and emissions – and for the world, on 17 July, China’s National Bureau of Statistics announced that despite overall electricity generation growing 3.8% year-on-year, hydropower output fell by nearly 23% in the first half of 2023 – the largest drop among all electricity sources. Hydro is China’s largest source of renewable power, accounting for 15% of electricity in 2022. The scale of the […]