# Chinese — Permitting and Environmental Law Sub-Lexicon

Maps Chinese (PRC) environmental and permitting vocabulary to correct English
equivalents. Covers EIA, pollutant-discharge permits, water, waste, nature,
chemicals, contaminated land, climate, and construction/planning. Most
references are Simplified Chinese (mainland PRC); Traditional-character
variants noted where relevant.

## Regulatory Framework

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 中华人民共和国环境保护法 | Environmental Protection Law of the PRC |
| 环境影响评价法 | Environmental Impact Assessment Law |
| 大气污染防治法 | Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law |
| 水污染防治法 | Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law |
| 土壤污染防治法 | Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law |
| 固体废物污染环境防治法 / 固废法 | Solid Waste Pollution Prevention Law |
| 噪声污染防治法 | Noise Pollution Prevention Law |
| 放射性污染防治法 | Radioactive Pollution Prevention Law |
| 排污许可管理条例 | Pollutant Discharge Permit Regulation |
| 建设项目环境影响评价分类管理名录 | Catalog for Classified Management of Construction Project EIA |
| 危险化学品安全管理条例 | Safety Management Regulations for Hazardous Chemicals |
| 危险废物经营许可证管理办法 | Hazardous Waste Operating Permit Administrative Measures |
| 环境保护税法 | Environmental Protection Tax Law |
| 长江保护法 | Yangtze River Protection Law |
| 黄河保护法 | Yellow River Protection Law |
| 碳达峰碳中和1+N 政策体系 | Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality "1+N" Policy Framework |

## Regulators and Institutions

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 生态环境部 (MEE) | Ministry of Ecology and Environment |
| 省/市/县 生态环境厅/局 | Provincial / Municipal / County Ecology and Environment Department / Bureau |
| 国家发展和改革委员会 (NDRC / 发改委) | National Development and Reform Commission |
| 工业和信息化部 (MIIT / 工信部) | Ministry of Industry and Information Technology |
| 国家林业和草原局 (国家林草局) | National Forestry and Grassland Administration |
| 水利部 | Ministry of Water Resources |
| 自然资源部 | Ministry of Natural Resources |
| 住房和城乡建设部 (住建部) | Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development |
| 应急管理部 | Ministry of Emergency Management |
| 国家能源局 | National Energy Administration |
| 中国生态环境部全国碳排放权注册登记机构 | National Carbon Emission Trading Registry |
| 上海环境能源交易所 | Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange |

## Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 环境影响评价 (环评) | environmental impact assessment (EIA) |
| 规划环境影响评价 (规划环评) | plan-level EIA (SEA) |
| 建设项目环境影响评价 | project-level EIA |
| 环境影响报告书 | environmental impact report |
| 环境影响报告表 | environmental impact form |
| 环境影响登记表 | environmental impact registration form |
| 环境影响评价文件审批 | EIA document approval |
| 环境影响评价技术导则 | EIA technical guidelines |
| 公众参与 | public participation |
| 环境敏感区 | environmentally sensitive area |
| 生态红线 | ecological conservation red line |
| 环境要素 | environmental element |
| 影响预测 | impact prediction |
| 环保"三同时"制度 | "three simultaneities" system (design / construction / operation) |
| 竣工环境保护验收 | environmental protection acceptance upon completion |

## Pollutant Discharge Permits and Integrated Control

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 排污许可证 | pollutant discharge permit |
| 排污许可证核发 | issuance of pollutant discharge permit |
| 登记管理 | registration management |
| 简化许可 / 重点许可 | simplified / key permit |
| 排污单位 | pollutant-discharging unit |
| 排污登记 | pollutant-discharge registration |
| 总量控制指标 | total-quantity control target |
| 浓度标准 | concentration standard |
| 污染源在线监测 | online pollution-source monitoring |
| 环境应急预案 | environmental emergency response plan |
| 重大危险源 | major hazard source |
| 安全生产许可证 | safe-production permit |
| 环境风险评估 | environmental risk assessment |
| 突发环境事件 | sudden environmental incident |

## Water Law

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 水资源 | water resources |
| 取水许可 | water-abstraction permit |
| 排水许可证 | drainage permit |
| 入河排污口 | water-body discharge outfall |
| 水功能区 | water-function zone |
| 水源保护区 (一级 / 二级) | water-source protection zone (Class 1 / 2) |
| 水质标准 | water-quality standard |
| 地下水 | groundwater |
| 饮用水水源 | drinking-water source |
| 河长制 / 湖长制 | river chief / lake chief system |
| 水土保持方案 | soil and water conservation plan |
| 污水处理厂 | wastewater treatment plant |
| 总磷 / 总氮 | total phosphorus / total nitrogen |

## Waste and Circular Economy

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 固体废物 | solid waste |
| 危险废物 (危废) | hazardous waste |
| 一般工业固体废物 | general industrial solid waste |
| 生活垃圾 | domestic waste |
| 医疗废物 | medical waste |
| 电子废物 (废弃电器电子产品) | waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) |
| 废物产生者 | waste producer |
| 危险废物经营许可证 | hazardous-waste operating permit |
| 危险废物转移联单 | hazardous-waste transfer manifest |
| 全过程管理 | whole-process management |
| 减量化 / 资源化 / 无害化 | reduction / recycling / harmlessness |
| 循环经济 | circular economy |
| 生产者责任延伸 | extended producer responsibility |
| 垃圾分类 | waste sorting |
| 固废填埋场 / 焚烧厂 | landfill / incineration plant |

## Nature and Biodiversity

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 自然保护区 | nature reserve |
| 国家公园 | national park |
| 风景名胜区 | scenic and historic area |
| 世界自然遗产 | World Natural Heritage |
| 湿地 | wetland |
| 生态功能区 | ecological function zone |
| 野生动植物保护 | wild flora and fauna protection |
| 国家重点保护野生动物 | nationally protected wildlife |
| 一级 / 二级保护野生动物 | Class I / II protected wildlife |
| CITES 许可 | CITES permit |
| 外来入侵物种 | invasive alien species |
| 生态修复 | ecological restoration |
| 生物多样性 | biodiversity |

## Chemicals and Biocides

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 危险化学品 | hazardous chemicals |
| 危险化学品登记 | hazardous-chemical registration |
| 新化学物质环境管理登记 (MEE) | new-chemical-substance environmental registration |
| 化学品安全技术说明书 (SDS / MSDS) | safety data sheet |
| 优先控制化学品名录 | priority-controlled chemicals list |
| 持久性有机污染物 (POPs) | persistent organic pollutants |
| 汞公约 (水俣公约) | Minamata Convention on Mercury |
| 农药 | pesticide |
| 农药登记 | pesticide registration |

## Contaminated Land and Environmental Liability

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 土壤污染 | soil pollution |
| 土壤污染状况调查 | soil-pollution investigation |
| 土壤污染风险评估 | soil-pollution risk assessment |
| 风险管控 | risk control |
| 污染地块 | contaminated land parcel |
| 修复 | remediation |
| 土壤修复方案 | soil remediation plan |
| 土壤环境质量标准 | soil environmental quality standard |
| 农用地 / 建设用地土壤 | agricultural / construction-use land soil |
| 污染者付费原则 | polluter-pays principle |
| 生态环境损害赔偿 | ecological environmental damage compensation |
| 损害鉴定评估 | damage identification and assessment |
| 环境公益诉讼 | environmental public-interest litigation |

## Climate and Air

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 碳达峰 | carbon peaking |
| 碳中和 | carbon neutrality |
| 双碳目标 | dual-carbon goals |
| 全国碳排放权交易市场 (全国碳市场) | National Carbon Emissions Trading Market |
| 碳排放配额 (CEA) | carbon emission allowance |
| 中国核证自愿减排量 (CCER) | Chinese Certified Emission Reduction |
| 重点排放单位 | key emitting entity |
| 温室气体 | greenhouse gas |
| 温室气体排放配额 | GHG emission allowance |
| 碳核查 | carbon verification |
| 碳普惠 | carbon inclusion |
| 大气污染物排放标准 | air-pollutant emission standard |
| PM2.5 / 细颗粒物 | PM2.5 / fine particulate matter |
| 大气污染防治行动计划 ("大气十条") | Air Pollution Action Plan |
| 绿色低碳发展 | green low-carbon development |
| 零碳 / 低碳园区 | zero-carbon / low-carbon park |

## Construction, Planning and Zoning

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 建设项目 | construction project |
| 建设项目选址意见书 | construction-project siting opinion |
| 建设用地规划许可证 | construction land planning permit |
| 建设工程规划许可证 | construction works planning permit |
| 建筑工程施工许可证 | construction works permit |
| 竣工验收 | completion acceptance |
| 国土空间规划 | territorial space planning |
| 城乡规划 | urban-rural planning |
| 土地利用总体规划 | master land-use plan |
| 控制性详细规划 | regulatory detailed plan |
| 文物保护 / 文物保护单位 | cultural relic protection / protected cultural relic unit |
| 征收 / 征用 | expropriation / requisition |
| 土地使用权出让 | land-use-right grant |

## Enforcement and Procedure

| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| 环境执法 | environmental enforcement |
| 环保督察 / 中央生态环境保护督察 | central ecological and environmental protection inspection |
| 按日连续处罚 | daily continuous penalty |
| 限产停产 | production restriction / shutdown |
| 查封扣押 | seizure and impoundment |
| 行政处罚 | administrative penalty |
| 行政拘留 | administrative detention |
| 环境污染罪 (刑法第338条) | crime of environmental pollution (art. 338 Criminal Law) |
| 环境民事公益诉讼 | environmental civil public-interest litigation |
| 检察机关公益诉讼 | procuratorial public-interest litigation |
| 行政复议 / 行政诉讼 | administrative reconsideration / administrative litigation |
| 环境信息公开 | environmental information disclosure |
| 企业环境信用评价 | corporate environmental credit evaluation |

## Notes

- **Environmental Protection Law (2015 revision)**: The 2015 revision is
  known as China's "most stringent environmental law" — introduced daily
  continuous penalties (按日连续处罚), public-interest litigation standing,
  and broader enforcement tools. Remains the central framework statute.
  Further amendments under discussion (2024–2025) but not yet enacted.
- **Pollutant Discharge Permit (排污许可)**: Since 2020, all pollutant-
  discharging units must obtain a pollutant-discharge permit or complete
  registration. Three categories — key permit (重点管理), simplified permit
  (简化管理), registration (登记管理) — by industry and scale. Pollutant
  Discharge Permit Regulation (State Council 2021) is the key implementing
  instrument. Central concept in current Chinese environmental compliance
  translations.
- **"Three Simultaneities" (三同时)**: Longstanding requirement that
  pollution-prevention facilities be designed, constructed and operated
  simultaneously with the main project. Verified at 竣工环境保护验收
  (environmental-protection acceptance upon completion). Failure to comply
  blocks project operation and triggers administrative penalties.
- **Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law (2019)**: First dedicated soil
  statute. Distinguishes agricultural land and construction-use land regimes.
  Requires soil surveys before land transfer; polluter-pays with fallback
  landowner liability; establishes remediation obligations and soil-fund.
  Critical for M&A environmental due diligence in China.
- **Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality ("双碳")**: President Xi announced
  in 2020 — peak emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
  "1+N" policy framework — "1" is the 2021 Opinion on Fully and Accurately
  Implementing the New Development Philosophy and the 2021 Action Plan for
  Peaking Carbon Emissions before 2030; "N" refers to sectoral and regional
  implementation plans. National Carbon Market launched July 2021 — power
  sector only initially, expanding to aluminum (UK: aluminium), cement, steel from 2024–2025.
- **CCER relaunch (2024)**: Chinese Certified Emission Reductions (CCER)
  voluntary scheme relaunched January 2024 after 6-year pause. Four approved
  methodology areas — afforestation, grid-connected solar, offshore wind,
  mangrove-carbon. New methodologies under development. Used for offsetting
  up to 5% of CEA obligations.
- **Central Environmental Inspection (中央生态环境保护督察)**: Centralized
  top-down inspection regime (launched 2015, institutionalized 2019).
  Inspection teams dispatched by Central Committee to provinces, ministries
  and state-owned enterprises. Results in binding rectification requirements
  and personal accountability. Major enforcement mechanism beyond ordinary
  administrative inspection.
- **Environmental public-interest litigation**: Two tracks — civil
  public-interest (standing: qualified environmental NGOs) and procuratorial
  public-interest (standing: procuratorates). Has produced significant body
  of case law since 2015. Damages may include ecological restoration costs
  and punitive damages under Civil Code art. 1232. Important in environmental
  litigation translations.
- **Ecological conservation red line (生态红线)**: Fundamental zoning
  concept — areas of critical ecological function subject to strict
  protection. Finalized nationwide in 2022. Prohibits most development.
  Critical in site-selection translations.
- **Environmental impact assessment categories**: Three tiers based on
  environmental impact — 报告书 (full report for high-impact projects) >
  报告表 (form for medium) > 登记表 (registration for low). Specified in
  the EIA Catalog (建设项目环境影响评价分类管理名录, most recently 2021,
  amended 2023). Verify current version.
- **Environmental Protection Tax**: Since 2018, replaces the former pollutant
  discharge fee. Administered by tax authorities with MEE support. Four
  taxable categories — air, water, solid waste, noise. Verification through
  continuous monitoring systems or emission factors.
- **Provincial variation**: Chinese environmental law is largely nationally
  uniform, but enforcement and complementary provincial regulations vary
  significantly. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Jiangsu typically lead on
  stringency. Pilot carbon markets in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong,
  Tianjin, Chongqing, Hubei continue alongside national market.
- **Cross-references**: See `chinese-real-estate.md` for construction permits
  and land use; `chinese-energy-infrastructure.md` for renewables permitting
  and carbon market; `chinese-corporate-ma-jv.md` for environmental reps and
  warranties; `chinese-litigation-settlement.md` for administrative-court
  procedure.
