Briefings

24 July 2024 – From January through July 2024, China agreed to various targets and measures to support the mitigation of fluorinated gas, including hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerant recycling and recovery, including: Prohibition of direct emissions of refrigerants and requires recycling, reuse, and harmless disposal of these substances during servicing and end-of-life processes: […]

8 July 2024 – Today China issued a new policy document aimed at strengthening the management of production facilities for all eighteen hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) currently controlled under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer. All are listed  This new document, the Circular on Strictly Controlling HFC Chemical Production […]

2 July 2024 – China has released a draft-for-comment version of the Circular on Strengthening Methane Control in Environmental Impact Assessment of Construction Projects in Key Industries (“draft Circular” or “Circular”). The draft Circular requires methane-emission assessment in construction project environmental impact assessments (EIA) for key industry sectors, including the coal mining, oil and gas […]

2 July 2024– China has released a draft-for-comment version of the National Plan on the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (2024-2030) (“draft Plan”). The draft Plan covers critical aspects of China’s proposed actions to phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in fulfillment of China’s obligations […]

3 June 2024 – Today China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued the Administrative Measures on Natural Gas Utilization (see English reference translation) to regulate the utilization of domestically produced and imported natural gas in China.[1] The Measures provide that the NDRC and the National Energy Administration are responsible for the nationwide administration of […]

29 May 2024 – China’s State Council issued the Action Plan for Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction in 2024-2025 (hereinafter referred to as the “Action Plan” or “Plan”) on 29 May 2024. The Action Plan announces major energy saving and carbon reduction targets that China aims to achieve by the end of 2025. The Action […]

5 January 2024 — China amended its Regulation on the Administration of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs) to strengthen its implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. China submitted its ratification document for the Kigali Amendment on 17 June 2021, which went into effect in China on […]

Today China released its long-awaited Methane Emissions Control Action Plan (“Action Plan”). The Action Plan was jointly issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) together with ten other national ministries and agencies. This reflects the extensive interagency review that MEE had to undertake to secure State Council approval for release of the Plan.

China released a List of Recommended Alternatives to Ozone-Depleting Substances to guide and promote low-global warming potential alternatives to ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Although the List is not legally enforceable, it does play a major role in encouraging and supporting scientific research, technical development, and market deployment of ODS alternatives in China, consistent with China’s obligations under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

In May 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment released its annual Ecological and Environmental Status Bulletin for 2022. The Environmental Bulletin provides a comprehensive overview of China’s ecological and environmental quality over the past year.