China's Top Court Drafts New Green Code Rules

China's top court is actively preparing judicial interpretations for the country's new Ecological and Environmental Code. This crucial legal framework, slated to take effect on August 15, aims to significantly improve how environmental cases are handled and promote a nationwide green economic and societal shift.

Judges are undergoing intensive study of the code to professionally manage cases involving pollution, low-carbon development, and conservation. The Supreme People's Court is revising existing regulations to align with the new code's provisions. Courts are focusing efforts on key areas like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and national parks.

By the close of 2025, China had established over 2,500 specialized tribunals for environmental cases. In the preceding year, courts concluded 229,000 first-instance environmental cases, including 24,000 criminal and 164,000 civil matters. Special campaigns have also targeted environmental fraud and illegal waste disposal, with enhanced penalties for damaging the ecosystem.