The Yellow River Protection Law was officially promulgated to set clear requirements for ecological protection and high-quality development of the chemical industry

On October 30, the 37th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress voted to adopt the Law on the Protection of the Yellow River. The Yellow River Protection Law prohibits the construction or expansion of chemical industrial parks and projects within the shoreline control of the main and tributaries of the Yellow River, which will promote the ecological protection and high-quality development of the chemical industry.

It is reported that the Yellow River Protection Law includes 11 chapters, including general provisions, planning and control, ecological protection and restoration, conservation and intensive use of water resources, regulation and control of water and sediment, flood control and safety, pollution prevention and control, promotion of high-quality development, protection and promotion of Yellow River culture, guarantee and supervision, legal liability and supplementary provisions, a total of 122 articles. The law, which will take effect on April 1, 2023, will provide a strong guarantee for promoting ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin on the track of the rule of law.

The Yellow River Protection Law puts forward clear requirements for ecological protection and high-quality development of the chemical industry. It proposes that the industrial structure and layout of the Yellow River basin should be compatible with the ecological system and resource and environmental carrying capacity of the Yellow River basin, and strictly restricts the layout of projects with high water consumption, high pollution or high energy consumption in the Yellow River basin. It is forbidden to build or expand chemical industry parks and projects within the control limits of the shorelines of the main and tributaries of the Yellow River; We will promote the resource utilization of industrial wastewater, and promote water conservation in water-intensive industries such as energy, chemicals and building materials. Conduct investigation and assessment on key sources of groundwater pollution, such as chemical industrial parks and chemical projects along rivers and lakes, and surrounding groundwater environmental risks and hidden dangers, and take risk prevention and remediation measures; The coking and chemical industries shall carry out cleaner production and carry out mandatory cleaner production audit according to law.

Yuan JIE, DIRECTOR OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW Office of the NPC Standing Committee, said THAT THE fragile ecological environment is the biggest problem in the Yellow River BASIN. The Yellow River Protection Law specifies that the state will strengthen ecological protection and restoration of the Yellow River Basin, adhere to integrated protection and restoration, and implement a systematic governance system that focuses on natural restoration and combines natural restoration with manual restoration. The state has strengthened comprehensive, systematic and source control of environmental pollution in the Yellow River Basin, and promoted comprehensive improvement of the environment in key rivers and lakes.

Yuan Jie said insufficient high-quality development is the biggest weakness in the Yellow River basin. The Yellow River Protection Law mainly makes the following provisions for promoting high-quality development: First, it is clear that to promote high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, we should adhere to new development concepts, accelerate the green transformation of development mode, and optimize and adjust the distribution of regional economy and productive forces on the premise of ecological protection. Second, it is required to promote the implementation of the Yellow River Basin ecological protection and high-quality development strategy, rural revitalization strategy, new urbanization strategy, the rise of the central region, the western development strategy and other regional coordinated development strategies. Third, the local people's governments at and above the county level in the Yellow River Basin shall promote the high-quality development of manufacturing and the transformation of resource-based industries, develop modern industries with distinctive advantages and clean and low-carbon energy according to local conditions, and promote the optimization and adjustment of the industrial structure, energy structure, and transportation structure. Fourth, it has made provisions for urban development, beautiful rural construction, infrastructure construction, modern agricultural development, scientific and technological innovation, and green and low-carbon lifestyle.

Zhao Ke, deputy director of the Regulations and standards department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said the Yellow River Protection Law specifically stipulates the assessment and management of environmental risks from toxic and harmful chemicals, as well as the management and control of new pollutants. This is the first time that the regulation and control of new pollutants has been specified at the legal level, which is a major breakthrough and innovation in the legal system.