International Workshop on Emission Permits was held on December 4-5 in Beijing, hosted by Department of Pollution Emission Control of the Ministry of Environment Protection (MEP), organized by Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, and jointly supported by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Energy Foundation (EF) and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). Focusing on how to better China’s emission permits system, the workshop shared the experiences of other countries and regions including the United States, Europe and Japan on its implementation.

At the opening ceremony, Chen Jining, Minister of Environment Protection, stressed that we need to build emission permits into a core system for stationary point source environmental management, further integrate different existing environmental management systems, practice “one-permit” management and shape a new pollution source management scenario featuring a full-fledged system, well-defined rights and liabilities and effective supervision to enable us stronger environment governance capability and greater management achievements.

China has significantly accelerated the ecological progress and accomplished remarkable results in environmental protection by putting forward a series of new concepts, ideas and strategies over the two years, including state-level action plans for the prevention and control of air pollution and water pollution. Currently, MEP is pushing ahead with Emission Permits Regulations and Administrative Measures for Emission Permits, and has carried out pilots in Zhejiang and Chongqing through convergence and integration of the systems for environmental impact assessment approval, total control, "three simultaneous "check and acceptance, emission charges and emissions reporting and through implementation of corporate responsibility system.

Emission permits system is an essential part of the reform of the ecological civilization system of China. The workshop attracted participants from environmental departments, government institutions and organizations of different countries in the world including the US, Germany and Japan as well as those from various provinces and cities, state-owned enterprises and universities in China. In one and a half day, they shared their insights and suggestions on further improving China’s emission permits system and making it specific to China’s national realities with in-depth discussions on the framework, technology system and supervision mechanism of the emission permits regime.