It is believed that the imminent implementation of the law on environmental impact assessment will give China the tools to ensure that environmental and ecological concerns are not lost sight of in the designing and carrying out of projects or regional development plans.

The law, to come into effect next Monday, is a sign that China's legislation on the environment and resources has turned its priority towards their sustainable utilization, said Zhu Xingxiang, vice-director of the supervision and management department of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).

According to the law, plans on land use and for the development of land and river regions and sea areas have to be assessed to see how they might impact on the environment.

Although the development plans for cities in China already have sections on environmental protection, such sections usually concern such issues as waste management and seldom mention issues like how a city's development can be kept in harmony with its surroundings, Zhu said.

The requirement that environmental impact assessments must be done for all manner of plans can curb possible dangers of pollution, he said.

The law demands that public opinion on development plans which have potential of having negative impact on the environment should be solicited through meetings or public hearings.

"Residents living in a given region have a stronger understanding of local environment and their participation can help uncover hidden problems,'' Zhu said.

The law also establishes a system to evaluate the environmental impact of projects after they are completed and start operation.

Any project that causes pollution upon completion will be investigated by environmental protection administrative bodies and those found responsible will be punished, Zhu said.

In addition, the licence of any institution which offers a false environmental impact assessment of a project will face suspension, he said.

To strengthen the work of environmental impact assessment, the Chinese Government will encourage research on ways of such assessment and set up an information system for environmental impact assessment that can be shared by all, Zhu said.

Environmental impact assessment was adopted by China as early as the 1970s but it has mainly targeted construction projects.

Under the system, projects must be equipped with environmental protection facilities that are designed, built and put into operation along with the projects themselves.

(China Daily August 27, 2003)