Environment law to take back seat at NPC meeting

When the National People's Congress (NPC) opens its annual meeting in Beijing next month, bold lawmaking is likely to take a back seat to the new leadership's caution as they focus on political stability.

That's unlike last year, when the revised Criminal Procedure Law was enacted by the congress after years of discussion. The amendments said police could not force suspects to incriminate themselves and excluded the use of forced confessions, such as those obtained through torture.

This year's session could have considered breakthrough amendments to the Environmental Protection Law. When the NPC Standing Committee started its first reading of the draft in 2011, environmental experts and advocates had high hopes that it would open a new chapter in tackling the mainland's chronic air pollution.

But after China's top legislators released the details of the amendments for comment in August last year, criticism flooded the internet.

Wang Jin, an environmental law professor at Peking University who has participated in legislative discussions on the draft, said many of his suggestions were not reflected in the amendments.

"The draft showed no intention to fight for a better environment, but stood on the same side as polluting companies," he said. "The Environmental Protection Law is being abolished rather than revised like this."