Beijing court sets up station in scenic spot to raise environmental awareness

A station introducing laws to the public and organizing legal activities has been set up in a scenic spot in Beijing as a new step to enhance people's awareness of protecting the environment.

The station, which was established by Pinggu District People's Court in the Tianyun Mountain scenic spot on Friday, aims to help tourists learn local laws while visiting the scenic area.

Visitors can access the latest laws and regulations on the environment and ecology after scanning a quick response code with their mobile phones in the station, the court said, adding that those who answer 10 questions correctly on the online platform will also be awarded a postcard.

It is not the first time that the court has built such a station in a scenic spot. Last year, a new energy double-decker yacht was upgraded by the court as a mobile vehicle to introduce laws on the environment.

As the capital's only yacht driven by a lithium battery, it was set up in the district's Jinhai Lake, a popular tourist resort, to meet the central leadership's requirement on strengthening the environmental protection by rule of law.

Also last year, the court opened a tribunal to deal with environmental and ecological disputes to ensure the professionalism of the case handling, according to Wang Xiaorong, vice-president of the court.

To reduce litigation from the root and regulate behaviors of businesses in environmental conservation, the court has sent 12 judicial suggestions to them, and organized seminars and activities with local government, village committees and mediators more than 40 times since the tribunal's establishment, Wang said.

Lu Xiaofeng, a senior judge of the court, said the number of civil and administrative cases involving environment has dropped in a row in the past five years.

But he pointed out that the criminal cases are increasing, as the difficulties in the evidence collection and environmental damage calculation have created a big challenge for the judiciary.

"Therefore, we've increased legal research with academies and selected those engaged in the fields of landscaping, water and wildlife to help tackle environmental issues in the case handling," he said.

In addition, the court has provided stronger legal education on environment protection in the district's schools, villages, enterprises and scenic spots, he added.