China’s MEE Seeks Public Comment on Draft Revision of Biodiversity Assessment Standards

China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) on May 6 released a draft revision of the national standard for biodiversity protection assessments and opened it for public comment. The consultation period runs through June 6.

The proposed revision updates the current “Regional Biodiversity Assessment Standard” (HJ 623-2011) and is intended for use by provincial-level administrative regions. The current standard is designed only for county-level assessments. The new draft outlines specific indicators and methods for calculating and grading biodiversity based on three key criteria: diversity, stability and sustainability.