China publishes draft program for full implementation of pollutant discharge permit scheme 
On May 13, 2024, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published a draft program for the full implementation of the pollutant discharge permit scheme. The ministry sought comments on the draft through May 31, 2024.
The program includes main objectives such as making substantial progress in the reform of the pollutant discharge permit scheme by 2025 as well as main plans such as regulating gas, water and pollutant discharge amount, and considering integration of pollutant discharge permits with other environmental management mechanisms.
Main objectives
Objectives for 2025
- Make substantial progress in the reform of the pollutant discharge permit scheme.
- Basically establish management mechanisms and technology for stationary-source pollutant discharge permits.
- Basically achieve full control of pollutant discharge, integration of relevant mechanisms, and data sharing in key industries including thermal power generation and iron and steel.
- Develop management and oversight mechanisms for law enforcement on stationary pollution sources based mainly on pollutant discharge permits.
- Fully implement the digital monitoring of pollution outlets using two-dimensional barcodes.
- Basically establish stationary pollution source oversight mechanisms based mainly on pollutant discharge permits.
Objectives for 2027
