2016 As the inaugural year for environmental protection policies, the environmental protection industry has entered a fast-track of development. 2017 In recent years, China’s environmental protection industry has seen its laws and regulations gradually becoming more standardized in the area of environmental governance. As for... “ Atmosphere, water, soil ” Legislation for the three major pollution prevention efforts is accelerating. As a result, voices within the industry are saying that... 2017 This year is a breakout year for environmental protection policies.

　　Next, Miner Jun will take you on a journey to revisit this year’s new environmental policies that have impacted China. If we’ve missed anything, please feel free to point it out!

　　1.   The State Council issued the... “ 13th Five-Year Plan ” Comprehensive Work Plan for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction

　　Key Index: ★★★★

　　 2017-01-05

　　The “Plan” points out that we must implement the fundamental national policy of conserving resources and protecting the environment, with the goals of improving energy efficiency and enhancing ecological environmental quality. Driven by advancing supply-side structural reform and implementing an innovation-driven development strategy, we should adhere to a model featuring government leadership, enterprise as the main body, market orientation, and social participation, and accelerate the building of a resource-conserving and environmentally friendly society.

　　To 2020 Year, the energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP nationwide compared to... 2015 Year-on-year decline 15% , total energy consumption is controlled at 50 Within 100 million tons of standard coal. The national total emissions of chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides will be controlled respectively at: 2001 Ten thousand tons, 207 Ten thousand tons, 1580 Ten thousand tons, 1574 Within 10,000 tons, compared to 2015 Decreased year by year 10%、10%、15% and 15% The total national emissions of volatile organic compounds compared to... 2015 Year-on-year decline 10% The above.

　　Comment: Just after New Year's Day. 5 Heaven—immediately after the release of the “Plan,” it can be said to have been for the entire... 2017 This year has set the tone for the nation’s efforts to conserve resources and protect the environment, and it also demonstrates the country’s firm determination to tackle and prevent pollution! The first shot in the battle for environmental protection has officially been fired.

　　2. The General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council have issued the "Several Opinions on Delineating and Strictly Adhering to Ecological Protection Red Lines."

　　Key Index: ★★★

　　 2017-02-07

　　The “Opinions” clearly define the overall objective: 2017 By the end of the year, ecological protection red lines will be delineated in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and in all provinces (and municipalities directly under the central government) along the Yangtze River Economic Belt. 2018 By the end of the year, other provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) will delineate ecological protection red lines. 2020 Before the end of the year, fully complete the delineation and demarcation of national ecological protection redlines, and basically establish the ecological protection redline system. By... 2030 This year, the layout of ecological conservation redlines has been further optimized, and the ecological conservation redline system has been effectively implemented, ensuring comprehensive protection of national ecological security.

　　The "Opinions" clearly state that, based on evaluation results and the completion status of target tasks, a performance assessment will be conducted on the Party committees and governments of each province (autonomous region, municipality) regarding their efforts to protect ecological conservation redlines. The assessment results will be incorporated into the evaluation and assessment system for ecological civilization construction goals and will serve as an important reference for the comprehensive evaluation of Party and government leadership teams and leading cadres, as well as for accountability measures and post-office audits. Those who violate the control requirements for ecological conservation redlines and cause ecological damage will be held accountable according to relevant regulations. For those whose actions result in severe damage to ecological and environmental resources, lifelong accountability will be enforced; regardless of whether they have been transferred, promoted, or retired, the responsible individuals must be held strictly accountable.

　　Comment: The red line is the bottom line—this bottom line must not be challenged!

　　3. Ministry of Environmental Protection: Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Surrounding Areas 2017 Annual Work Plan for Air Pollution Prevention and Control

　　Key Index: ★★★★★

　　 2017-02-17

　　The “Plan” clearly states: Focusing on improving regional air quality, with a particular emphasis on reducing episodes of severe pollution, we will adopt multiple measures to strengthen winter air pollution control and comprehensively reduce regional pollution emission loads.

　　The “Plan” proposes that, “2+26” Cities must complete the task of resolving excess steel production capacity ahead of schedule, with Langfang and Baoding being top priorities. The cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Langfang, Baoding, Cangzhou, Hengshui, Xingtai, Handan, Zhengzhou, Anyang, and Jiaozuo, among others, are involved. 10 Basically complete the illegal activities by the end of the month. “ Small, scattered, and polluting ” Businesses to be shut down in accordance with the law; other cities 10 More than half will be banned by the end of the month. “ Small, scattered, and polluting ” The status of enterprise rectification efforts will be incorporated into the Ministry of Environmental Protection’s information platform and law enforcement supervision platform.

　　Comment: The biggest highlight of this document is the northern region. 2+26 City “ Using natural gas or electricity to replace coal-fired heating—this is commonly referred to in the industry as... ” Coal-to-gas conversion “ But what was the outcome? This massive project ultimately ended in near farce, owing to a severe lack of momentum. ” Coal-to-gas conversion “ The most awkward part is that, after making a big fuss and replacing the pots, pans, and utensils well in advance, we finally realized that the dough hadn't even been mixed yet.

　　4. The Ministry of Environmental Protection has issued the "National Environmental Protection Standards." “ 13th Five-Year Plan ” Development Plan

　　Key Index: ★★★★

　　 2017-04-10

　　The “Plan” sets forth specific targets:

　　One is to initiate approximately. 300 Environmental standard development and revision projects, as well as 20 Address environmental quality standards and pollutant emissions. ( Control ) Key and common issues in the development and revision of standards, including criteria for compliance assessment and emission calculation. We will make every effort to advance the projects that have already been approved. 600 Items and newly launched approx. 300 Item, totaling approximately 900 The work of formulating and revising environmental protection standards.

　　Second, release the appointment. 800 Environmental standards, including quality standards and pollutant emission standards ( Control ) Standard appointment 100 Item: Environmental monitoring standards, approximately 400 Item: Approximately environmental basic standards and management specification standards. 300 Item: Support key tasks in environmental management.

　　Third, promote 30 Conduct implementation assessments of other key environmental protection standards, guide the development and revision of relevant standards, and provide recommendations for environmental management.

　　Fourth, we will revise and formulate management documents such as the “Administrative Measures for the Development and Revision of National Environmental Protection Standards” and the “Guidelines for the Implementation and Evaluation of National Pollutant Emission Standards” to standardize management practices.

　　Fifth, conduct national-level training. 3000 More than one person-time, driving local training. 15000 More than one person-time.

　　Comment: Standards serve as benchmarks. The issuance of environmental protection standards not only further strengthens the implementation and evaluation of pollutant emission standards, but also empowers law enforcement officers with... “ Law ” Ke Yi will play an important role in the historical process of building a resource-efficient and environmentally friendly society!

　　5.   Ministry of Environmental Protection’s “Notice on Implementing Special Emission Limits for Air Pollutants in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and Surrounding Areas (Draft for Public Comments)”

　　Key Index: ★★★

　　 2017-05-18

　　Regions covered by the Notice: Cities along the atmospheric pollution transmission channels in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, including Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, and the cities of Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Langfang, Baoding, Cangzhou, Hengshui, Xingtai, and Handan in Hebei Province; Taiyuan, Yangquan, Changzhi, and Jincheng in Shanxi Province; Jinan, Zibo, Jining, Dezhou, Liaocheng, Binzhou, and Heze in Shandong Province; and Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Anyang, Hebi, Xinxiang, Jiaozuo, and Puyang in Henan Province. Hereinafter referred to as... “2+26” City.

　　The Notice requires that, for industries—such as thermal power, iron and steel, petrochemicals, chemicals, nonferrous metals, cement, and boilers—for which emission standards already specify particular emission limit requirements (see the attached table for details)—effective immediately, 2017 Year 10 Moon 1 Starting from [date], special emission limits for air pollutants shall be enforced; the coking chemical industry, as of [date]... 2018 Year 6 Moon 1 Starting from [date], the special emission limits for air pollutants will be enforced. For the iron and steel sintering and pelletizing industries, the special emission limit requirements for air pollutants will be raised through amendments to the relevant standards, effective from [date]. 2018 Year 6 Moon 1 Starting from the date specified, implement the special emission limits for air pollutants as stipulated in the amended standard.

　　Comment: The biggest change in this announcement is... : ( 1 ) By the past 9 The city expands to "2+26" City ; ( 2 The scope of implementation has been expanded from the main urban area to the entire administrative region. Yet, strangely enough, despite all the effort the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has put into environmental protection and pollution control, what were the results in the first half of the year?

　　Could it really surprise you?

　　6. The "Implementation Regulations of the Environmental Protection Tax Law of the People's Republic of China (Draft for Solicitation of Comments)" Has Been Released.

　　Key Index: ★★★★★

　　 2017-06-11

　　The Environmental Protection Tax Law stipulates that the objects subject to environmental protection tax fall into four categories: atmospheric pollutants, water pollutants, solid waste, and noise. The regulations provide explanations and detailed provisions on these categories: Atmospheric pollutants refer to substances discharged into the environment that affect air quality; water pollutants refer to substances discharged into the environment that affect water quality; solid waste refers to solid waste generated during industrial production activities, medical waste generated in medical, preventive, and health-care activities, as well as other solid wastes designated by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government; and noise refers to sounds generated during industrial production activities that disturb the surrounding living environment. The specific scope of the taxable pollutants mentioned above shall be determined in accordance with the "Environmental Protection Tax Item and Rate Table" and the "Table of Taxable Pollutants and Equivalent Values" attached to the Environmental Protection Tax Law.

　　Comment: It can be said that after countless calls and appeals, the “Environmental Protection Tax Law” has finally been released—from its initial proposal to the issuance of the draft, nearly... 10 The introduction of the environmental protection tax marks a landmark event, signaling a shift in China’s environmental governance system—from one previously dominated by administrative mandates to one increasingly driven by market-based mechanisms. This time... “ Fee-to-tax reform ” This will play a significant role in preventing and controlling environmental pollution. On the one hand, it effectively addresses issues such as insufficient enforcement rigidity in the wastewater discharge fee system, as well as local payment challenges and departmental interference. On the other hand, increased taxation will encourage enterprises to proactively pursue energy conservation and emission reduction, accelerate investments in environmental protection, and, at the same time, annually... 500 The billion-yuan environmental tax will provide financial support for environmental governance.

　　But what will the actual effect be? Let’s just wait and see. 2018 Year 1 Moon 1 The effects after the implementation of the regulation, shall we say? ~

　　Attachment: Major News | The Resource Tax Law is set to be released soon, and natural resources such as water, forests, and grasslands will also be subject to taxation.

　　7. Ministry of Finance: “Guiding Opinions on Cancelling the Mine Environmental Remediation and Restoration Deposit and Establishing a Mine Environmental Remediation and Restoration Fund” (Draft for Comments)

　　Key Index: ★★★★★

　　 2017-07-18

　　The “Opinions” clearly state that the system of depositing environmental remediation and restoration funds for mines will be abolished, and funds for remediation and restoration will instead be raised through a fund-based approach. Enterprises should transfer any refunded deposits into these funds, which will then be used to address geological and environmental issues already arising from mining activities. At the same time, a dynamic monitoring mechanism for mine geological environments will be established to strengthen supervision and inspection of enterprises’ efforts in geological environment remediation and restoration.

　　Comment: The essence of establishing a fund system for the governance and restoration of mine environments is to implement... “ Whoever pollutes, whoever governs; whoever damages, whoever restores. ” An innovative economic instrument and measure aimed at promoting mining rights holders to protect the mine environment during mining operations and ensuring that the ecological environment of mines damaged after closure, suspension, or cessation of operations is restored and rehabilitated in accordance with environmental protection principles.

　　Attachment: What Mine Owners Must Know | What impact would canceling the mine environmental remediation and restoration deposit have on you?

　　8. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and Surrounding Areas 2017-2018 Action Plan for the Comprehensive Governance of Atmospheric Pollution during Autumn and Winter of the Year

　　Key Index: ★★★★

　　 2017-08-21

　　The “Plan” proposes, among other things, to build and improve an air quality monitoring network system and accelerate the advancement of... " Scattered and polluted " More than ten key tasks, including comprehensive remediation of enterprises and industrial clusters.

　　The “Plan” proposes that, 2017 Year 10 Moon to 2018 Year 3 Month, cities along the atmospheric pollution transmission corridor in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region PM2.5 The average concentration decreased year-on-year. 15% Above, the number of days with severe pollution decreased year-on-year. 15% The above. Among them, Beijing’s goal is: PM2.5 The average concentration decreased year-on-year. 25% The number of heavily polluted days decreased year-on-year. 20%。

　　Comment: Ahem, ahem, ahem—To be honest, Miner Jun was quite torn about this document making the list. But if you take a look at the number of organizations listed as authors in the article and the targets set forth, you’ll get a sense of just how determined everyone is to see this mission through.

　　What will the outcome be? Let’s just wait and see!

　　9. Decision on Amending the “Measures for the Environmental Protection Authorities to Implement Restrictions on Production and Suspension of Production for Rectification”

　　Key Index: ★★★★

　　 2017-10-30

　　The new “Measures” have been released for three main reasons: first, to address existing loopholes and limit the need for discretionary powers; second, to strengthen the deterrent and warning effect of measures aimed at halting production and carrying out rectifications; and third, to ensure alignment with new legal provisions.

　　Comment: Once upon a time, production halts and remediation efforts were always the talk of the town after meals. The release of the new “Measures” not only reinforces the deterrent and warning effects of restrictions on production and remediation measures but also further enhances their practicality and operability.

　　10. Measures for the Environmental Management of Soil on Industrial and Mining Land (Trial) (Draft for Soliciting Comments)

　　Key Index: ★★★★

　　 2017-11-13

　　The Measures stipulate that, in cases where a site investigation of soil and groundwater at industrial and mining sites reveals that pollutant levels exceed the risk control standards for construction land soil, or where signs of soil and groundwater contamination are detected during production and operation, or prior to the cessation of production and business activities, the responsible parties shall, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Measures for Environmental Management of Contaminated Sites, carry out activities such as environmental surveys, risk assessments, risk controls, remediation, and restoration.

　　Comment: The "Measures" will provide a clear framework for soil environmental management in the vast field of industrial and mining land use. As policy support for the soil remediation industry continues to strengthen, demand for soil remediation is expected to accelerate its release. It is foreseeable that the soil remediation market will... “ 13th Five-Year Plan ” It will enter a peak period of development.