China's Yangtze River Basin Sees Improved Environmental Justice

The quality of judicial handling of environmental cases in the Yangtze River basin has significantly improved in recent years. This progress is attributed to the establishment of specialized judicial bodies, as announced by China's top court.

Since the Yangtze River Protection Law came into effect in March 2021, a network of 982 specialized tribunals has been established across the basin. These tribunals are located in various cities, including Chongqing, Nanjing, Kunming, and Chengdu. The purpose of these specialized courts is to enhance the expertise in environmental adjudication. Furthermore, collegiate benches and mobile trial stations have been set up in critical ecological areas, such as the river's source, tributaries, and surrounding nature reserves. These measures have contributed to the development of a comprehensive and professional adjudication system covering the entire basin.

Courts in Chongqing, Hubei, and Zhejiang provinces have been recognized for their use of expert databases, digital technologies, and online platforms. These tools have improved the quality and efficiency of case handling. The objective of these judicial services is to strengthen environmental protection and promote high-quality development in the river basin.

To support the implementation of the law, the top court has issued or revised 22 judicial interpretations on environmental crimes, public interest litigation, and punitive damages. The aim is to impose stricter penalties on polluters. Over the past four years, courts in the Yangtze basin have concluded approximately 457,400 environmental disputes, including nearly 86,000 criminal cases. Offenders included individuals and organizations involved in illegal activities such as dumping hazardous waste, discharging wastewater, polluting via ships, and illegal fishing.

Courts have also focused on curbing biodiversity crimes. In Qinghai province, harsher penalties for poaching Tibetan antelopes have been implemented to protect biodiversity at the river's source. China's judicial efforts to combat pollution have been ongoing for over a decade. These sustained efforts have led to a decline in environmental cases while strengthening the country's legal framework for environmental protection. Last year, courts nationwide concluded 219,000 environmental cases, a 5.4 percent year-on-year drop.

China is also working on a broader environmental code, in addition to enforcing the Yangtze River Protection Law and the newly enacted Yellow River Protection Law. The draft code, which includes principles on river basin management, natural resources, and biodiversity protection, underwent its first reading by the national legislature in April.