When it comes to environmental matters, headlines concerning China mainly refer to heavy pollution and environmental problems amid rapid economic growth following the country's opening up policies. This created a false image of lacking legislative standards and reluctant application thereof, contrasting to the government's recent efforts in improving the overall environmental situation in China (the “war on pollution”). These efforts did not only lead into a rigorous application of existing laws and regulations but also into dynamic legislative activities incorporating environmental matters into more and more fields of law. The PRC's regulatory framework on environmental protection as it stands now is multilayered and composed of general national policies, administrative rules, ministry-level regulations and local laws. Further, detailed action plans and catalogues are laid out in order to ensure environmental protection.
