Hua WangSenior Environmental Economist

The World Bank

Promoting Public Access to Environmental Information in

China:

Practices and Challenges

Presentation Outline• Overview of Public Access in China

• Three Programs– Industrial Performance Disclosure – Municipal Performance Disclosure– Community Environmental Dialogue

• Challenges

China Background

• Environmental quality – very bad

• Government – weak politic will and weak monitoring and enforcement efforts, especially at the local level

• Citizens – complaining against the government; conflicting with polluters

• Polluters - bad performers not enough punished; good performers not well recognized

Major Legislations Related to Environmental Information Disclosure

• Environmental Protection Law, 1989• Law of Environmental Impact Assessment,

2002 • Law of Cleaner Production Promotion, 2002

State of Information Access

• Regional and Ambient Information• Pollution at Industrial Facilities• Environmental Impacts of Development

Projects• Environmental Accidents and Health

Damages• Environmental Regulations and Procedures• Environmental Enforcement

Program #1:GreenWatch – Industrial Environmental Performance Rating and Disclosure (EPRD)

Major Objective:Provide stronger incentives for industries to control pollution

Progress

• November 1998, initiating the effort in China

• 2000, Zhenjiang and Hohhot

• 2002, Provincial program in Jiangsu

• 2005, Cities in Anhui, Zhejiang, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Gansu, Chongqing, Guangdong, etc.

• Nationwide adoption: State Council’s decision and SEPA’s regulation

Performance rated into five colors

A

C

D

F

B

GREEN

BLUE

RED

BLACK

YELLOW

Performance ratings disclosed to the public

PublicDisclosureCleans UpIndustry

Performance Indicators

• Pollution discharge and emission

• Citizen complaint

• Pollution accident

• Environmental regulatory requirements

• ISO14000 and cleaner production practice

Performance Rating Procedure in Zhenjiang,China

Comply with Concentration Stds?

Hazardous wastes disposal =100%

Pollution Accidents

Comply with Load-based Stds?

Illegal behaviors

Utilization of solid wastes >80%

Administrative Penalty

Public complaints

ISO14000

Comply with internal management requirement

Cleaner production

Green BlackRedYellowBlue

>60%?

Administrative Penalty > 50,000

Serious Pollution Accidents

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Y

N

Emission of any pollutant exceeds permission by M times (see note #1), or,

Any environmental accidents are classified as serious.

Emissions of all pollutants are less than or equal to permission;

100% of toxics disposal meets requirements; All basic environmental management requirements are met; No multiple citizen complaints; No environmental accidents.

YES

Emissions of all pollutants are less than or equal to 20% of permission;

Solid waste treatment rate is greater than 80%; No citizen complaints; ISO14000 certificate holder.

YES NO

GREEN

NO

YELLOW

Emission of any pollutant exceeds permission by N times (see note #1), or,

Any environmental accidents are classified as extremely serious. environmental accident

NO YES

RED BLACK

YES

BLUE

NO

Performance Rating Procedure