Focus on Arts and Ecology

The big environmental stories in the Chinese media this week (1-7 May)

On 6 May, the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau exempted 44 kinds of project from full environmental impact assessments. 

Spread across 16 industries, the exemptions are partly designed to kickstart the economy after three months of Covid-19 containment.
 
According to a report by China Environment News, 52 projects in Beijing city will benefit from the fast-tracking, including those related to hospitals and the manufacture of personal protective equipment.

The report also notes a number of “goods production” projects on the list, including large-scale pig breeding farms of 5,000 animals or more.
 
Companies are still required to submit environmental impact assessment (EIA) materials and a pledge of compliance. But the Ecology and Environment Bureau can now skip the technical evaluation step, and greenlight or redlight projects straightaway.
 
China’s EIA regulations normally require a project representative to include “comments and suggestions put forth by the examination and approval department” in the final EIA, which must then be approved in writing by the relevant government department.
 
“From submitting an application to getting approval, an EIA takes at least 15 working days. Dispensing with the evaluation of an EIA and the back and forth required enables us to set our minds at rest and get straight back to work,” a Beijing pig breeder told China Environment News.
 
The bureau stresses that the fast-track system will be implemented alongside explanations of environmental policies and emissions standards.