During a recent press conference held by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on October 27th, spokesperson Pei Xiaofei emphasized the crucial role of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) in proactively preventing ecological damage. She noted that these assessments are vital for promoting sustainable economic growth and contributing to the vision of a beautiful China. The Ministry has recently issued a notice aimed at further reforming the environmental impact assessment process, with a focus on optimizing tiered management to align with local governance capabilities.

The notice highlights the importance of strengthening provincial oversight in the assessment and approval of significant projects. Unless the Ministry of Ecology and Environment itself is responsible for the approval, projects deemed to have a major adverse ecological impact—such as oil refining and water diversion projects—should generally be overseen by provincial environmental protection departments. Additionally, city-level environmental agencies are tasked with managing approvals for most projects outside of those requiring direct Ministry or provincial oversight. Local district and county environmental agencies are only authorized to handle specific assessments delegated by their city-level counterparts.

Moreover, the notice outlines plans to pilot reforms in classifying environmental assessments, exploring the standardization of EIA documentation and the use of intelligent tools to streamline approvals. This initiative aims to alleviate regulatory burdens on grassroots agencies and businesses by reducing the number of required environmental impact assessments for projects with simple production processes, mature pollution control technologies, and minimal environmental implications.

Pei Xiaofei concluded by stating that the Ministry plans to enhance the integration and coordination of various environmental regulations and improve the EIA management capabilities at all levels, ensuring that the reform efforts yield tangible results.