The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council recently issued the "Regulations on the Inspection Work of Ecological Environment Protection". The Regulations use eight chapters and forty-four articles to summarize the theoretical and practical experience of ecological and environmental protection inspection in the new era, and make comprehensive norms for ecological and environmental protection inspection work. How to lead the legalization, standardization and institutionalization of inspection work, we will understand the key points of the "Regulations" together.

Clarify the objects of ecological and environmental protection inspection

The environmental protection inspection system was established in 2015. At the end of that year, Hebei Province, which attracted much attention due to air quality, became the first inspection pilot. Since then, two rounds of inspections have been promoted one after another, achieving full coverage of 31 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and gradually included central enterprises and relevant departments of the State Council in the scope of inspection. At present, three batches have been carried out ongoing third round of inspections.

The Regulations clearly state that under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, the ecological environment protection inspection system at the central and provincial, autonomous regions and municipalities will be implemented. The inspectors of the two levels of inspection have their own focus, specifically:

The content of ecological and environmental protection inspection involves many aspects

In the ten years since the implementation of the central ecological and environmental protection inspection system, my country's ecological environment has achieved significant improvements, and the focus of work has also shifted from pollution control to coordinated promotion of carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth, and comprehensively promoted the construction of a beautiful China.

The Regulations have further improved the main content of inspection. For example, the expressions such as "regional basins and rectification of ecological environment quality" are no longer used, but are summarized as "works in the construction of a beautiful China such as environmental pollution prevention and control, green transformation of development modes, ecological protection and restoration, and promotion of carbon peak and carbon neutrality." The inspection contents of the two-level inspections are:

The more the inspection moves forward, the more it enters the "deep water zone", and the contradictions touched are becoming more and more complex, and they are all difficult to crack "hard bones".

Relevant person in charge of the Office of the Central Ecological Environment Protection Inspection Leading Group said that the Central Ecological Environment Protection Inspection faces new situations and tasks, and has put forward new and higher requirements for the work. Inspectors firmly hold on to the "bull's nose" of the responsibility system for ecological and environmental protection, always adhere to the strict tone and problem-oriented approach, and transmit responsibilities and pressure at all levels.

What are the procedures and methods for ecological and environmental protection inspection work?

Dare to chew "hard bones" and not be "scarecrows". Over the past decade, the effectiveness of inspection has been continuously revealed. A large number of prominent ecological and environmental problems have been solved.

As of the end of 2024, 3,294 tasks clearly defined in the first round of inspection and the "look back" rectification plan have been completed, with a completion rate of over 98%; 2,164 tasks clearly defined in the second round of inspection and rectification plan have been completed, with a completion rate of 1,822 tasks clearly defined in the second round of inspection and rectification plan have been completed, with a completion rate of 84%. The third round of inspection and rectification is being made steadily.

The 6-year Yangtze River warning film and the three-year Yellow River warning film have disclosed a total of 1,262 prominent ecological and environmental problems, and 1,170 rectifications have been completed, with a completion rate of over 92%.

The Regulations will solidify effective experience and practices, and make it clear that the central and provincial, autonomous regions, and municipalities will adopt routine inspections and "look back", special inspections, ecological environment warning films and other forms. Ecological and environmental protection inspection generally includes procedures such as inspection preparation, inspection entry, inspection report, inspection feedback, etc.

According to the "Regulations", it is necessary to coordinate the implementation of ecological and environmental protection requirements in the implementation of major regional strategies, combined with routine inspections, and coordinate the promotion of river basin inspections and provincial inspections.

The third round of second and third batches of inspections is the first time that the Yangtze River Economic Belt has been inspected since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and it is also the first time that the river basin inspection has been carried out innovatively while conducting concentrated provincial inspections. During the inspection, we focus on highlighting strategic, holistic and systematicity, looking at both the basin and the region, both the whole and the local, both the present and the long-term, focusing on common problems and prominent problems in the Yangtze River Basin, and also combining the actual situation of each province and city, accurately finding the most prominent problems.

What regulations does the Regulations make for inspection rectification?

Inspection and rectification are an important part of ecological and environmental protection inspection.

The Regulations set up a special chapter on inspection and rectification to standardize the responsible parties for rectification, promote implementation, report on rectification situations, dispatch and supervision. It is clear that the subject of inspection is the responsible entity for inspection and rectification. The main responsible person performs the duties of the first responsible person, organizes the preparation of rectification plans, and promotes implementation as required, and reports the rectification situation on time. The Office of the Central Leading Group for Ecological Environment Protection Inspection and the relevant working bodies of the ecological environment protection inspection in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall implement list-based management of inspection and rectification tasks, and regularly organize dispatch and follow-up inspections to promote the real rectification of problems.

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Establishing a central ecological environment protection inspection system is a key move in the construction of the ecological civilization system. Inspectors are like swords, protecting the green waters and green mountains. A relevant person in charge of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection said that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Regulations on Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection Work" this time, with clearer inspection positioning, more standardized inspection organization, more powerful inspection rectification, and more strengthened application of results, providing an important institutional basis for the rule of law and standardized implementation of ecological and environmental protection inspection work.

Reporter: Wang Ying, Feng Wenya