(June 22, 2007) After putting two highly polluting projects on hold as a result of public pressure, the top environmental watchdog yesterday said it would seek to establish a proper mechanism to allow for its further participation in environmental governance.
China to improve environmental assessment after controversial PX project
(June 22, 2007) China will improve strategic environmental assessment procedures in key regions and industries after the suspension of a controversial paraxylene (PX) projec in Xiamen, according to the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).
Environment watchdog calls for sharper teeth
(May 10, 2007) Pan Yue, vice-minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), has called for the introduction of a new regulation that would require an environmental impact assessment to be carried out prior to the commencement of any major construction project.
China closes down 3,176 polluting companies in 2006
(May 6, 2007) China closed down a total of 3,176 polluting enterprises amid a campaign in which 720,000 companies have been checked for their pollution discharges last year, according to the country’s top environment watchdog.
China’s environment watchdog blocks 12 industrial projects for lack of public support
(April 27, 2007) Twelve industrial projects are denied environmental protection approvals to operation on grounds that the public have not been invited to assess pollution control measures, China’s environment watchdog announced yesterday.
Pollution problem gets systematic help
(March 3, 2007) China will set up statistics, monitoring and accountability systems to cut emissions this year, its top environmental watchdog said in Beijing on Thursday.
SEPA declares war on gov’t-backed violations
(March 1, 2007) Guangzhou: China’s State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) has said it will stand firm in combating government-backed violations that have set back the country’s environment protection efforts in recent years.
‘Officials should be held responsible for pollution’
(February 27, 2007) A senior environmental official has called on the legislature to amend its 17-year-old environmental law in order to make government officials accountable for pollution. "The government’s refusal or failure to fulfil its environmental responsibilities has seriously set back China’s environmental protection efforts," said Pan Yue, deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).
Raise environment watchdog to ministerial level: academics
(January 29, 2007) A group of academics has called for more power to be given to the State Environmental Protection Administration (Sepa) and for the creation of a new energy ministry, as the mainland tries to tackle the consequences of rapid development.
At the centre of China’s environmental storm: Interview with ‘Hurricane Pan’
(January 23, 2007) The second-in-command at China’s state environmental agency talks frankly about SEPA’s latest bid to rein in ‘special interest groups’ and local officials behind the frenzied expansion of polluting and energy-intensive industries.
China cracks the whip on polluters
(January 14, 2007) China has cracked the whip to punish environment polluters as it struggled but failed to meet energy cuts and pollution goals over recent years.
Dirty cities, power plants blacklisted
(January 11, 2007) The top environmental watchdog took the unprecedented step of blacklisting four major power plants and four cities yesterday for performing poorly on their environmental impact assessments (EIAs).
China’s environment watchdog to deny power project approvals in bid to gain compliance
(January 11, 2007) Shanghai: China’s environmental protection agency says it won’t approve new power plant projects by four major utilities until the companies bring current projects into compliance with safeguards.
China watchdog to deny power project OKs
(January 11, 2007) Shanghai: China’s environmental protection agency says it won’t approve new power plant projects by four major utilities until the companies bring current projects into compliance with safeguards.
Beijing gets tough with penalties for polluters
(January 11, 2007) Beijing yesterday named and shamed the country’s top power producers and four local governments in its latest crusade against polluters after publicly admitting the country missed its energy-saving and pollution-control targets for last year.
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