Environmental Policy and the War on Pollution (2005–2020)

1. Renewable Energy Law adopted, effective 2006

   Feb 28, 2005Labels: Renewable Energy, China

   • PRC Courts

2. Air Pollution Action Plan issued by State Council

   Sep 10, 2013Labels: State Council, Air Pollution

   • MEE
   • LoC

3. Premier Li Keqiang declares a “war on pollution”

   Mar 5, 2014Labels: Li Keqiang, War on

   • Guardian

4. Environmental Protection Law revised; stronger enforcement tools

   Apr 24, 2014Labels: Environmental Protection, China

   • LoC

5. Revised Environmental Protection Law takes effect

   Jan 1, 2015Labels: Environmental Protection, Regulation

   • LoC

6. Water Pollution Action Plan (“Water Ten Plan”) released

   Apr 16, 2015Labels: Water Ten, State Council

   • MEE

7. Central environmental inspection system begins nationwide roll-out

   Jul 21, 2016Labels: Central Inspection, MEE

   • MEE
   • Gov cn

8. River Chief System ordered for nationwide implementation

   Dec 1, 2016Labels: River Chief, Water Management

   • Water MDPI
   • Sustainability MDPI

9. Environmental Protection Tax Law adopted

   Dec 25, 2016Labels: Environmental Protection, Taxation

   • STA China

10. Environmental Protection Tax Law takes effect

    Jan 1, 2018Labels: Environmental Protection, Tax System

    • PRC Courts
    • STA China

11. Ministry of Ecology and Environment created

    Mar 1, 2018Labels: Ministry of, MEE

    • CECC 2018

12. “Blue Sky Defense” three-year plan released

    Jul 3, 2018Labels: Blue Sky, State Council

    • LoC
    • Bloomberg Law

13. Soil Pollution Law adopted and promulgated

    Aug 31, 2018Labels: Soil Pollution, Soil Protection

    • MEE

14. First round of central environmental inspections completed

    Dec 31, 2018Labels: Central Environmental, China

    • Nature HSSC

15. Soil Pollution Law takes effect

    Jan 1, 2019Labels: Soil Pollution, Regulation

    • MEE

16. 2020 marks endpoint of the 2018–2020 clean-air phase

    Dec 31, 2020Labels: Clean-Air Phase, China

    • Nat Geosci
    • ACS ES T