A review of development and reform of emission permit system in China

Jia Zhou; Jinnan Wang; Hongqiang Jiang; Dong Cao; Rensheng Tian; Jun Bi; Jing Zhang; Xi Cheng

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.104

A review of development and reform of emission permit system in China

J Environ Manage. 2019 Oct 1:247:561-569. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.104. Epub 2019 Jun 28.

Authors

Jia Zhou¹, Jinnan Wang², Hongqiang Jiang³, Dong Cao⁴, Rensheng Tian⁴, Jun Bi⁵, Jing Zhang⁴, Xi Cheng⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Planning and Policy Simulation, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, PR China.
² State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Planning and Policy Simulation, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, PR China; College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China. Electronic address: wangjn1962@126.com.
³ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Planning and Policy Simulation, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, PR China. Electronic address: jianghq@caep.org.cn.
⁴ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Planning and Policy Simulation, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, PR China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.

PMID: 31260922
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.104

Abstract

An emission permit system (EPS) is a fixed-source environmental management system that is widely practiced worldwide. Since 2016, China has been building a fixed-source environmental management system with the EPS as its core. This paper summarizes the evolutionary process of China's EPS over the past 40 years considering four main stages: embryonic stage, local pilot stage, total emission control-based exploration stage, and reform stage of the core management system. This paper notes that China initially established a system of laws and technical specifications for emission permits, and emission permits are clearly becoming a mainstream trend in fixed-source management. The paper argues that there are still four problems in the current EPS reform (i.e., insufficient support of laws and regulations, poor integration of the EPS with other systems, unscientific design of the EPS, and insufficient implementation capacity after permit allocation). This paper puts forward 7 suggestions for further EPS reform, e.g., accelerating the formulation of the regulations on the EPS, strengthening the coordination with other fixed-source systems, improving the technical support system for the EPS, establishing a database system for emission permits, building a scientific and reasonable allocation method, improving the autonomy of pollutant monitoring in enterprises, and increasing information disclosure and public participation. The results may more accurately evaluate China's EPS in China's environmental protection system, provide scientific support for the promotion and development of the ongoing EPS reform and environmental management systems. The results may promote the development of pollution prevention, and an improvement in the environmental quality in China, and offer scientific guidance and reference for other countries to implement their own EPS.

Keywords: China; Emission permit system; Environmental management system; Evolutionary process; Fixed pollution source; Reform.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

China
Conservation of Natural Resources*
Environmental Pollution*