On 29 March, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued the “Guidance on Strengthening the Enforcement and Supervision of Emission Permits”, which was adopted by the Central Committee for Comprehensively Deepening Reform.

The Guiding Opinions put forward 22 specific requirements in five aspects, including general requirements, comprehensive implementation of responsibilities, strict law enforcement and supervision, optimization of law enforcement methods, and strengthening support and security. The aim is to promote the formation of a new pattern of ecological and environmental law enforcement and supervision in which enterprises are licensed to discharge, the government is regulated by law, and jointly supervised by the society.

The Guiding Opinions require that by the end of 2023, the national key industries will implement emission permitenforcement and inspection by a checklist method, and a basic enforcement and supervision system for stationary sources of pollution with the emission permit system as the core will be formed. By the end of 2025, full coverage of emission permit enforcement and inspection checklist will be achieved.