英语新闻丨生态环境法典正式公布

China's national legislature adopted on Thursday the Ecological and Environmental Code at the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, opening a new chapter for systematic environmental governance.

十四届全国人大四次会议闭幕会于周四表决通过《生态环境法典》，中国国家立法机关为系统性环境治理翻开崭新篇章。

The compilation of the code was initiated in November 2023. The draft legislation underwent three rounds of deliberation by the NPC Standing Committee last year prior to its submission to the session.

该法典编纂工作于 2023 年 11 月启动，草案在提请本次大会审议前，已于去年由全国人大常委会进行三次审议。

Wang Canfa, a professor of environmental law at China University of Political Science and Law, hailed the adoption as "a significant event" in the country's advancement of ecological civilization.

中国政法大学环境法教授王灿发称，法典的通过是我国推进生态文明建设的一件大事。

"Compiling disparate environmental statutes into a comprehensive ecological and environmental code provides considerable advantages over the existing fragmented legislative framework," Wang said.

王灿发表示，将分散的环境领域法律编纂为统一的生态环境法典，相较现行碎片化立法框架具有显著优势。

Through systematic integration, the code can overcome the fragmentation, resolve conflicting rules, and eliminate redundant legislation inherent in separate laws, thereby establishing unified concepts, principles and core institutions, he said.

他指出，通过系统性整合，法典能够破解单行法固有的碎片化、规则冲突、立法重复等问题，确立统一的理念、原则与核心制度。

"It operationalizes the concept of holistic ecosystem protection and systematic governance, thereby fulfilling the imperatives of ecological civilization construction," Wang added.

他补充道，法典将生态系统整体保护、系统治理理念落到实处，契合生态文明建设的现实需要。

The professor said the code's dedication of an independent book to green and low-carbon development is a global precedent.

该教授表示，法典设立绿色低碳发展专编，在全球范围内尚属首创。

Currently, almost 20 ecological or environmental codes have been promulgated worldwide, with none of them including "green and low-carbon development" as a standalone section.

目前世界上已有近二十部生态或环境法典，但均未将 “绿色低碳发展” 单独设编。

He pointed out that the code's green and low-carbon development section will play a significant role in promoting China's climate process.

他指出，法典中的绿色低碳发展编，将对推动我国应对气候变化进程发挥重要作用。

While the goals of achieving peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality have been incorporated into the overall layout of the country's ecological civilization construction, Wang said that no specific law has yet been enacted for tackling climate change.

王灿发说，尽管碳达峰、碳中和目标已纳入我国生态文明建设总体布局，但我国尚未出台专门应对气候变化的法律。

He stressed that establishing the independent book can elevate the goals and climate response measures from policy objectives to binding legal institutions, ensuring a stable and law-governed green transition.

他强调，设立专编可将相关目标与应对气候变化举措从政策导向上升为具有约束力的法律制度，保障绿色转型平稳、依法推进。

"Green and low-carbon development is the fundamental solution to ecological and environmental problems," he stressed.

他强调：“绿色低碳发展是解决生态环境问题的根本之策。”

By creating the independent section, the code overcomes the shortcomings of past environmental legislation, moving beyond a narrow focus on pollution control to address problems at their source, he said.

他表示，设立该专编弥补了以往环境立法的不足，从单纯聚焦污染防治转向从源头治理生态环境问题。

Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu noted the remarkable achievements that the country has made in pollution control.

生态环境部部长黄润秋介绍了我国在污染防治方面取得的显著成效。

China saw the average proportion of days with heavy pollution drop by 25 percent to only 1 percent from 2021 to 2025. The proportion, however, still stood at 3 percent for some regions, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Huang said after the closing of the session.

黄润秋在大会闭幕后表示，2021 至 2025 年，全国重度污染天数比例平均下降 25 个百分点，降至仅 1%；但包括京津冀在内的部分地区，这一比例仍为 3%。

He stressed the importance of a systematic and source-driven approach to further bring down the proportion.

他强调，要坚持系统治理、源头治理，进一步降低重度污染天数比例。

The ministry will seize the favorable opportunities presented by the country's target of reaching peak carbon emissions before 2030 and the enactment of the code to advance the green and low-carbon transformation of the country's industrial, energy and transportation structures, as well as the development of new quality productive forces, in order to reduce pollutant emissions at the source.

生态环境部将抓住 2030 年前碳达峰目标与法典出台的有利契机，推动产业、能源、交通结构绿色低碳转型和新质生产力发展，从源头减少污染物排放。

Regarding marine pollution prevention and control, one of the sections of the code, Minister of Natural Resources Guan Zhi'ou said the ministry has consistently adhered to strict control over new land reclamation projects, maintaining a natural coastline retention rate of over 35 percent.

自然资源部部长关志鸥就法典中的海洋污染防治相关内容表示，该部始终严格管控新增围填海项目，全国自然海岸线保有率保持在 35% 以上。

"Notably, a number of beautiful blue bays, scenic beaches and charming islands are becoming popular destinations for people seeking happiness and leisure," Guan said.

关志鸥说：“一批美丽海湾、优质海滩、魅力海岛正成为人民群众乐享美好生活的网红打卡地。”

ecological /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ 生态的

environmental /ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentl/ 环境的

codification /ˌkɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ 法典编纂

low-carbon /ˌləʊ ˈkɑːbən/ 低碳的