China revoked 18 institutions' credentials to perform environmental impact assessments of construction projects and meted out various levels of punishments to another 23 units.

The 41 institutions failed to meet standards during checks and appraisals conducted by the State Environmental Protection Administration last November.

The environmental impact assessment is to predict the environmental consequences of a proposed development activity or construction project.

The assessment provides information on the present situation and future trends of environmental resources and proposes alternative scenarios.

There are more than 750 institutions across the country approved by the environmental protection administration to carry out, appraise, monitor and enforce environmental impact assessments.

The administration launched a nationwide check-up of these institutions - some 190 Grade-A units and some 560 Grade-B units - and their staff last November.

The credentials of the China Institute of Geological Engineering Prospecting and 17 other units were revoked.

The Beijing Academy of Coal Designing and 13 other units had demotion penalties imposed on their credentials.

The Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences were urged to undergo a three-month-long reform and consolidation to get up to standards, during which their credentials are to be suspended.

The Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, as well as six other units, were criticized in an official dispatch.

And the credentials of four other institutes, including the Academy of Occupational Health under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, were cancelled due to the reorganization or amalgamation of these institutions.

(China Daily June 21, 2002))