China's environmental departments and polluters will each have
to publish information regarding environmental degradation and
pollution, according to a draft measure tabled yesterday by the
country's environmental watchdog.
"Environmental departments at all levels are required to make
public 17 categories of information including laws, regulations,
policies and standards regarding environmental protection," said
the draft issued by the State Environmental Protection
Administration (SEPA).
The measure, which will come into effect on May 1, 2008, tailed
a State Council decree on Tuesday?that sought to create
additional state transparency by requiring all departments to
report information more openly.
The draft measure would require environmental information within
20 working days and to be made easily accessible to the public.
Furthermore, any request for information from the public must be
handled within 15 days.
"Polluting companies, after being black-listed, have 30 days to
publish information concerning their bad discharges in local
media," states the regulation. This draft comes amidst a rising
trend of pollution-related lawsuits that expand by 30 percent
annually.
Pan Yue, vice director of SEPA, said China's current
environmental regulations were lacking in terms of "information
transparency," a gap that is not conducive to public participation
in environmental protection.
"The public's right to know, to participate and to supervise
should be fully considered in environmental protection. Massive
public participation is needed," Pan argued. "People should
participate more than planting trees or cleaning rubbish. They
should take part in policy-making." ?
Since February last year, SEPA has declared a war on excessive
pollution and public mood, stopping 43 projects worth a total of
160 billion yuan (US$20.7 billion) after public outcry at the
environmental impact these would have.
(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2007)
