The importance of being earnestly green

The fact that there's a proposal to elevate the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, instead of just a Ministry of Environment shows the great importance the government attaches to the environment, says Zhang Jianyu, China program head of US-based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

The suggested name of the ministry implies "protecting the environment and curbing pollution" will still be the highest on the agenda of the nation's top environmental watchdog. At last, SEPA will have enough administrative authority and power to take part in policymaking, implementation and coordination of environmental affairs.

"Hopefully, SEPA's elevation won't stop at just a change in name," says Zhang, whose organization, along with the Chinese Council of International Cooperation on Environment and Development, played an instrumental role by conducting research to improve China's environmental governance.