The “Two Sessions” Proposal Exchange Conference of 2024, organized by the Proposal Working Group of the China Biodiversity Conservation and the China Green Express, proved to be a successful blend of online and offline engagement.
With scholarly endorsement from the esteemed journal “Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development,” the event garnered significant attention from National People’s Congress deputies and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Key focal points included ecological environmental resources, health, pollution control, and environmental legal frameworks.
Streaming live, the conference attracted an online audience of 157,000 participants. Notable among the deliberations was the presentation by Yang Honglan from the Policy Research Office of China Green Foundation.
Titled “Proposal to Amend the Environmental Protection Law to Relax the Conditions for NGOs to Conduct Environmental Public Interest Litigation,” the proposal addressed a worrisome decline in such litigation, citing reasons like reluctance, incapacity, or disinterest among NGOs.
A major legal hurdle identified was Article 58 of the Environmental Protection Law, specifically its second condition, which could be misused by powerful interest groups to stifle public interest litigation by NGOs.
To tackle this issue, the proposal advocated amending Article 58 to establish threshold conditions solely based on the professional capabilities and qualifications of social organizations as legal entities.
The conference emerged as a pivotal platform for constructive discourse and proposals aimed at bolstering environmental protection and green development endeavors. With a diverse array of participants and expert insights, it underscored a collective commitment to addressing pressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable development practices.
