Policy context
Nature protection (biodiversity) policy: implementation, impact and effectiveness
| Authors: | Hong Hu Liu |
| Coordinating authors: | Constantinos Kosmas, Ruta Landgrebe, Sandra Nauman |
| Editors: | Alexandros Kandelapas, Jane Brandt |
Editor's note 20Mar14: Source D142-7.
Biodiversity policy is a collection of an evolving set of policies originating in the forest code and horizontal environmental protection legislation.
Goals and objectives of biodiversity policy
| National legal framework | Goals / Objectives |
| 1953-1978 on environmental protection | In 1972, the first conference drafted "on the protection and improvement of the environment of certain provisions", which unified, integrated, and comprehensively arranged the environmental protection and development of the national economic plan and production. In 1987, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council approved establishment of the environmental leadership team. |
| 1979-1991 on environmental protection | 1979: Environmental Protection Law (Trial Implementation) 1982: Interim Measures for Sewage Charges 1982: Marine Environmental Protection Law 1989: Environmental Noise Pollution Prevention Act 1989: Environmental Protection Law |
| 1992-2002 on environmental protection | 1992: The People's Republic of China on Environment and Development Report, which led to the "National Environmental Protection Work Programmer (1993 to 1998)" in 1994. 1998: National Environmental Protection Work (1998 to 2002) outline 2002: Criminal Law, which added a new criminal violation, "destroy environmental and resource protection crimes”, punishing destruction of the environment. |
| 2003-present on environmental protection | Revision of the environmental laws. |
Source: authors
Although ecological and environmental protection is a national policy, its implementation involves the departments for environment, energy and climate. Agents may need to be commissioned to perform the policy objectives. The administrative units are under the MEP, which is theoretically the only competent authority in this field and also the coordinator for other institutions of cross-functional collaboration.
The competence for planning ecological protection zones lies with the FDA, with the Ministry of Environmental Protection (previously EPA) having only a technical role. The FDA is also responsible for coordinating units for forest development. Non-governmental environmental organizations, act as important promoters of environmental protection policy.
Response to policies, such as emission reductions and increases in environmental protection facilities, is generally lukewarm. Local governments may lower environmental issues’ priority in exchange for consistent tax income. Means of implementation are also limited.
Biodiversity policy instruments in China
| National (pre-1989) | National (post-1989) | Regional local | |
| Legal | 1989: Environmental Protection Law | The State Council presided over the establishment of ecological protection zones | |
| Administrative / institutional |
|
|
|
| Financial |
|
|
|
| Information / awareness |
|
|
|
Source: authors