Editor’s Note: At this year’s Two Sessions, top-level government meetings held in Beijing from March 5 to 12, lawmakers approved the Environmental Code of the People’s Republic of China, the country’s second formal statutory code after the 2020 Civil Code. 

Prioritizing systemic, rule-based environmental governance, the code brings together more than 30 regulations on pollution control, environmental protection and green development to form a more coherent legal framework. The code  is a major advancement for Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and establishes a robust legal foundation for China to incorporate harmony between humanity and nature into its modernization. 

To better understand the significance of China’s newly approved Environment Code, Beijing Review reporters spoke with Pablo Machado, Executive Vice-President of Brazilian pulp manufacturer Suzano, and Dimitri de Boer, Director for China at environmental law charity ClientEarth. Machado and De Boer shared their perspectives on the code’s role in advancing green and low-carbon development, strengthening environmental governance, and supporting China’s growing contribution to global environmental efforts. 

Dimitri de Boer: China’s Environmental Code is a very important development. It integrates about 30 laws that relate to the environment into a single overarching piece of legislation. Very few countries have done this. It is very significant because it integrates climate-related, pollution-related and nature-related laws into one, helping align legal principles and approaches to these issues. It also sends a very strong and clear signal to society that environmental governance will continue to be a priority, and to the international community that China takes the environment very seriously. 

In the last 10 years or so, since the revised Environmental Protection Law was issued in 2014, many environmental laws have been revised or newly issued. It is not just about the laws, but also about their implementation and enforcement. China now has specialist environmental judges, as well as specialist prosecutors who conduct public interest litigation, ensuring that governments and businesses take environmental laws seriously. 

Also, the Environmental Code has a dedicated chapter on green and low carbon development, providing legal basis for many things such as the carbon market, as China has the largest carbon market in the world. 

In the next 10 years, the Chinese Government is going to play an even greater role in global environmental governance. That’s also an opportunity for leadership, especially in a world that is more uncertain these days. 

Pablo Machado: As the country’s second formal statutory code, China’s first-ever Environmental Code is an important milestone that advances the vision of a Beautiful China and supports a modern industrial system built on harmony between people and nature. 

The Code’s strong focus on green and lowcarbon development aligns closely with Suzano’s strategy. Clear and consistent legislation gives us the confidence to continue investing for the long term and expanding our partnerships throughout China. 

We also attribute great importance to the Code’s emphasis on the integrated protection of mountains, rivers, forests, and grasslands. Strengthening conservation for forests and wetlands is core to addressing climate change and contributing to the bioeconomy. 

With China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) prioritizing a modernized industrial system, this new code further encourages the transition toward high-quality, bio-based products. By establishing a dedicated chapter on green development, China is setting a global benchmark.