A review of development and reform of emission permit system in China. (1st October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Jia; Wang, Jinnan; Jiang, Hongqiang; Cao, Dong; Tian, Rensheng; Bi, Jun; Zhang, Jing; Cheng, Xi
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 247(2019)
• Page Start: 561
• Page End: 569
• Publication Date: 2019-10-01
• Subjects: Emission permit system -- China -- Evolutionary process -- Reform -- Environmental management system -- Fixed pollution source; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.104
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

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. Highlights: This paper summarizes evolutionary process of China's EPS over the past 40 years. There are 4 reform achievements and 4 reform problems of current China's EPS. This paper puts forward 7 further reform suggestions for the China's EPS. The results offer scientific support for promotion and development of EPS reform. The results offer scientific guidance and reference for the EPS in other countries.