China unveils draft environmental code

BEIJING -- China is poised for a significant enhancement in its green efforts as a draft of the country's first-ever environmental code was unveiled on Sunday at the top legislature.

The draft, submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for a first reading, comprises 1,188 articles in five chapters including the general provisions, pollution prevention and control, ecological protection, green and low-carbon development, legal liability and supplementary provisions.

Once adopted, it will become China's second formal statutory code, after the Civil Code, which was adopted in 2020.

The compilation of the environmental code was initiated in 2023.