Infobank

A senior environmental official on Monday called on MPs to amend the Environment Act, already 17 years old, for it makes the government responsible for pollution.

“The refusal or failure of government to assume its responsibilities vis-à-vis the environment have seriously delayed China’s efforts in protecting the environment,” said Pan Yue, deputy director of State Administration for Environmental Protection (SEPA).

Local governments often escape penalties for actions that have caused serious pollution, the current law in China on environmental protection aimed primarily the behavior of citizens and organizations, and its ability to restrict the conduct of government is limited.

“With insufficient laws, the government’s responsibility in protecting the environment has become a mere piece of paper,” said Pan told Xinhua in an interview that precedes the “two sessions” - the annual meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC, China’s parliament) and the Political Consultative Conference of the Chinese people (CPPCC), which will take place in early March.

To counter local protectionism, the Organization Department of the Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party has announced that environmental protection is an important criterion in assessing the results of local officials from 2007.

Pan said that since 2004, the NPC deputies and CPPCC members had submitted nearly 70 motions and proposals for legislation on the environment., nearly half aimed at revising the current law.

“Ten or fifteen years will be decisive for China’s environment. Government Accountability vis-à-vis the environment must be clarified in the law. This task can be postponed, “said Pan.

Studies have shown that most rivers and lakes in China were polluted. More than half of groundwater in urban areas are seriously polluted.

the 222 drinking water sources in 113 major cities in China, only 72% met national standards.

中国：一个法律叫一位官员，是以政府为污染负责

一位高级环境官员在星期一呼吁国会修改环境法，已经17岁，因为它使政府对污染负责。

说：“政府拒绝或未能履行其责任相对于环境有严重延误在保护环境方面中国的努力，”潘岳说，副主任国家环境保护总局（SEPA）的。

地方政府往往逃脱，造成严重污染行为的惩罚，在中国现行法律的目的主要是对公民和组织的行为，保护环境，以及能够限制政府行为是有限的。

由于没有足够的法律“，政府在保护环境的责任，已成为一纸空文一块，说：”潘在接受采访时说，前面的“两会”记者-的年度会议，全国人民代表大会（全国人大，中国议会）和政治协商会议中国人民（政协），将于3月初举行。

为了打击地方保护主义，对在中共中央组织部日前宣布，环保是一项从2007年评估地方官员的效果的重要标准。

潘岳说，2004年以来，人大代表和政协委员提交了近70个议案和对环境的立法建议。，将近一半在修改现行法律的目的。

“10年或15年将是决定性的对中国的环境。政府问责相对于环境必须加以澄清的法律。这个任务可以被推迟，“潘岳说。

有研究表明，大多数在中国的河流和湖泊受到污染。超过一半的城市地下水受到严重污染地区。

在113个主要城市在中国，只有72％符合国家标准的饮用水源222。27.02.07