Proposed green tax will better protect environment

A new law being deliberated by top legislators promises to strengthen environmental protection in the country by levying a national green tax on enterprises that discharge pollutants, rather than local governments being responsible for charging them fees for post-discharge treatment.

The existing system, which has been in place for nearly four decades, is no longer fit for purpose, as it fails to motivate companies to clean up their acts.

This is not only because the fees are too low, but also because they are supposed to be collected by the local environmental watchdogs who lack the teeth to effectively do that duty.