Steps forward, and a step back

A revision to the draft amendment to the environmental protection law has aroused a heated outcry from the public

On July 17, after one year of review, discussions and revisions, the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress solicited the public's opinions on the second draft of the Amendment to the Law of the People's Republic of China on Environmental Protection. It is unusual for China's legislative authorities to twice solicit public comments on a law, which shows the significance and complexity of the amendment.

China's environment has deteriorated sharply in the 24 years since the existing environmental protection law was officially adopted in 1989, and an amendment to the law to meet the environmental situation today has been highly anticipated by the environment protection authorities, academia, environmental protection NGOs and the public.