China’s government has revised its Environmental Product Law, which was last updated in 1989, and will take effect in January 2015. In contrast to the previous version, which situated environmental protection in the context of economic and social development, the latest update specifies environmental protection as a primary goal. The new law implements a system under which entities must be authorized for environmental emissions. Instead of a one-time fine, the punishment for illegal emissions now includes ongoing fines and jail time. The update now requires central and provincial governments to prepare environmental-impact assessments (EIAs), and the absence of an EIA is now grounds for terminating a project. Environmental agencies also gained new powers to regulate emissions on a regional basis. The new law also increases requirements for public disclosure of pollutants and studies of the impacts of pollutants. Despite the changes, local implementation of the law may still prove challenging.

Source: Clyde & Co.