BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers on Thursday began deliberating on a draft environmental code that will mark a new stage in the country's pursuit of a modernization of human-nature harmony by the rule of law.
The draft code was submitted to the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, for deliberation.
Once adopted, it will become China's second formal statutory code, after the Civil Code, which was adopted in 2020.
The compilation of the environmental code, initiated in 2023, is "a major political and legislative task mandated by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core," said Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.
"It represents an imperative for implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and advancing modernization with harmony between humanity and nature," Li added while reading an explanatory document on the draft code to NPC deputies attending the annual legislative session.
The latest legislative move comes amid China's historic gains in ecological conservation over the past decade or so. Championing green development, the country has recorded the world's fastest growth in forest resources and afforestation, led globally in renewable energy development, and achieved one of the fastest national reductions in energy intensity worldwide.
As the world's largest developing nation, China's success in reconciling rapid industrialization with environmental preservation offers a distinct solution from Western paradigms, according to Gong Gu, a scholar on environmental law at Peking University.
"By codifying the proven practices, the legislation provides a viable choice for other developing nations toward sustainability, opening new possibilities for global ecological governance," Gong said.
The rule of law has been continuously strengthened to support the country's green progress. Today, China boasts over 30 laws, more than 100 administrative regulations and numerous other legal documents in this field, forming a relatively comprehensive legal framework.
"The codification places greater emphasis on systematic protection, marking a shift away from the previous legislative approach of protecting a single ecological element," said Lyu Zhongmei, an NPC deputy and vice head of the China Law Society.
The 1,242-article draft has five chapters, covering areas including pollution control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development.
From addressing everyday nuisances such as cooking fumes and noise pollution to providing guidance on the selection of trees and grasses for greening efforts, the draft code reflects a commitment to safeguarding the public's environmental rights and interests.
While preserving the core provisions of existing laws, the draft code elevates certain reform measures into formal legislation, such as the ecological and environmental protection inspection system and the ecological environment damage compensation mechanism. It also introduces forward-looking provisions in areas like climate change, where dedicated legislation has yet to be enacted.
Setting a pioneering precedent by dedicating an entire chapter to green and low-carbon development, the draft code is expected to further advance the country's bid to reach peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060, which will be a major contribution to global climate actions beset by myriad governance challenges.
China will accelerate the green transition across the board and cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by a total of 17 percent in the 2026-2030 period, according to a draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development submitted to the NPC for deliberation on Thursday.
"Embodying Chinese wisdom, the draft code is expected to play a driving and guiding role in global ecological governance, and will make vital positive contributions to the joint endeavor of building a clean and beautiful world," Gong told Xinhua. ■
