More than 400 experts and scholars focused on compiling an ecological and environmental code with Chinese characteristics
On October 19, the Chinese Society of Environmental and Resource Law held its 2024 annual meeting and national seminar at Xiangtan University, focusing on the compilation of an ecological and environmental code with Chinese characteristics. Over 400 experts and scholars from various institutions, including the National People’s Congress, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the Chinese Society of Law, gathered to discuss the theories and practices related to the creation of this significant legal framework, aiming to provide intellectual support and theoretical foundations for the successful development of a high-quality ecological environment code.
This ecological environment code marks the second legal document in Chinese history to be designated as a “code” since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It carries the historical responsibility of using legal means to promote green development and realize the vision of a beautiful China. The compilation of this code aims to unify the current scattered legal framework governed by the Environmental Protection Law and numerous individual laws related to natural resources, pollution control, and ecological protection. This move is expected to significantly enhance the institutionalization and standardization of ecological environmental protection efforts within the legal system and is a crucial step towards establishing a modern environmental governance system in China.
Wang Hongxiang, Secretary of the Chinese Society of Law’s Party Leadership Group and a member of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, emphasized that the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee has explicitly tasked the compilation of the ecological environment code as a vital element of legal development. He remarked that this reflects the political acumen required for comprehensive construction of a beautiful China under the rule of law. Wang underscored the duty of legal scholars and practitioners in the field of environmental and resource law to produce high-quality research outcomes and to translate these into actionable insights and recommendations for the compilation of the ecological environment code.
Pan Biling, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Vice Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, highlighted that the compilation of the ecological environment code will advance the rule of law in ecological civilization and provide robust legal support for building a beautiful China. She advocated for deepened research into the various issues surrounding the code’s compilation to ensure high-quality legislative outcomes, contributing wisdom and efforts to improve the socialist rule of law system with Chinese characteristics.
Yang Linping, a member of the Supreme People’s Court leadership and its deputy president, revealed that nationwide, courts have established over 2,800 specialized ecological and resource adjudication institutions, making China the country with the most comprehensive and extensive network of such judicial bodies.
Yu Huiwen, a member of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s leadership team and its vice minister, stressed the importance of integrating existing achievements in ecological environmental legislation, addressing administrative needs, and maintaining a problem-oriented approach. He called for a thorough reflection of the latest advancements in ecological protection and urged the identification and correction of any gaps in the existing framework.
Moreover, attendees submitted nearly 200 high-level academic papers addressing foundational theories, general principles, pollution control measures, natural ecological protection, green low-carbon development, and ecological responsibility, providing a detailed exploration of the theoretical and practical issues involved in compiling the code.
The seminar was jointly hosted by the Chinese Society of Environmental and Resource Law and Xiangtan University, with the latter’s Faculty of Law in charge of the event’s organization.