China announced its most important environmental governance reforms on 13 March 2018 i.e. draft plans to consolidate environmental policymaking in the newly formed Ministry of Ecological Environment. 

The effectiveness of this new ministry is not only related to China’s future environment, socioeconomic ambitious but also to global efforts to address environmental issues. The rapid development of China brought economy growth and poverty reduction, but also severe environmental problems. China has recognized these issues and intend to change its way of development. 

Chinese leadership seeks social stability via more balanced economic growth that improves lives in ways beyond increasing economic growth. As a result, China has taken many measures to address environmental issues e.g. applying environmental standards, designing market instruments to reduce emissions. However, there are many issues concerning China’s environmental policy landscape, which the new ministry and new environmental regimes seeks to address. This requires ability to exert influence on strategic priorities and effective results from policy implementation. China’s State Council plan to solve an “accountability and ownership gap” among disparate agencies and overlapping functions. 

The new ministry is designed to replace notions of simple pollution management and extend the role of environmental policymaking to the integral administration of China’s natural endowment. 

The reform involves the following aspects: 

• All responsibilities currently under the former Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP); 
• Climate change and emissions reduction policies currently under National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC); 
• Underground water pollution regulation currently under Ministry of National Land and Resources; 
• Watershed environmental protection currently under Ministry of Water Resources; 
• Agricultural pollution control currently under the Ministry of Agriculture;
• Marine conservation currently under the State Oceanic Administration; 
• Environmental protection during project implementation currently under State Council’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project Construction Committee. 

The newly formed ministry with its corresponding abilities/functions has both domestic and international impacts with regard to environmental governance and challenges. At domestic level, the new ministry will be the most powerful environmental regulatory body and be the instrument for applying/implementing China’s centralized environmental statues. 

Since the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has long been secure its powerful place in policy-making landscape, the new ministry will have to fight to advance China’s ambition on climate change and policy execution/implementation. 

In terms of coordination, the new ministry must work with NDRC, the newly formed Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Natural Resources, and others to provide effective and coherent policies. At international level, China’s domestic policies may have the ability to influence global climate change and other environmental relevant issues, and China’s progress may also benefits the world. But it is less clear that whether and how China’s reforms may influence this direct influence of China on environmental system beyond its borders. The current round of domestic environmental reforms could be a promising start. 

China’s mix of global leadership ambitions, emerging “eco-civilization” principles and other indirect interests could provide incentives. It is also likely to take China’s new environmental and foreign policy thinking (e.g. Belt and Road initiative) to address these challenges.