The "Yangtze River Protection Law" came into effect on March 1, with a maximum fine of 5 million yuan for illegal new chemical projects

As China's first special law on river basin protection, the "Yangtze River Protection Law of the People's Republic of China" (hereinafter referred to as the "Yangtze River Protection Law") will come into effect on March 1 this year

Ecological environment restoration "a game of chess"

Treating the "Yangtze River Disease" together up and down the basin

As the first law to protect the river basin, the "Yangtze River Protection Law" covers a wide geographical range, including Qinghai Province, Sichuan Province, Tibet Autonomous Region, Yunnan Province, and Chongqing Municipality in the catchment areas formed by the mainstream, tributaries and lakes of the Yangtze River.

Due to the wide area involved, a "game of chess" co-governance and common rationale are needed in the basin

In order to strengthen the ecological environment and cure the "Yangtze River Disease", the "Yangtze River Protection Law" has established a special chapter on ecological environment restoration, establishing a system that the country implements natural restoration as the mainstay of the ecosystem of the Yangtze River basin, and a combination of natural restoration and artificial restoration.

Promote green development methods,

Promote the green transformation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt

The "Yangtze River Protection Law" also set up a special chapter "Green Development", which clearly stated that local people's governments in the Yangtze River Basin should adjust the industrial structure, optimize the industrial layout, and promote the green Yangtze River Basin in accordance with the requirements of the Yangtze River Basin development plan and territorial and spatial planning.

For example, in view of the relatively high proportion of high-polluting industries in the Yangtze River Economic Zone, the "Yangtze River Protection Law" stipulates that the people's governments at or above the county level in the Yangtze River Basin shall promote the upgrading and transformation of industries such as steel, petroleum, chemical, non-ferrous metals, building materials, and ships.

It is particularly worth noting that the "Yangtze River Protection Law" clearly prohibits the construction and expansion of chemical parks and chemical projects within one kilometer of the coastline of the Yangtze River's trunk and tributaries; at the same time, it is forbidden to be within three kilometers of the coastline of the Yangtze River's trunk and one kilometer of the important tributary coastline.

By strengthening planning control and negative list management, the Yangtze River Protection Law strictly regulates various production, living, and development and construction activities in the Yangtze River Basin, including the establishment of sand mining planning and permit systems in the Yangtze River Basin

Make biodiversity a priority for protection,

Provide a legal basis for the "ten-year ban on fishing"

In response to the problem that the Yangtze River's biological integrity index has reached the "fish-free" level, the "Yangtze River Protection Law" clarifies that relevant departments and local people's governments shall establish a Yangtze River Basin aquatic biological integrity index evaluation system, and use the results as a basis for assessing the overall status of the Yangtze River Basin ecosystem.

Not only that, the law clearly requires the wildlife protection department of the State Council to organize a general survey of wild animals and their habitats every ten years, or organize special surveys as needed, establish wild animal resources archives, and publish wild animal resources in the Yangtze River Basin to the public.

In order to reduce the interference to important aquatic organisms, the "Yangtze River Protection Law" instructs relevant departments to scientifically delineate no-navigation areas and restricted navigation areas in the important habitats of aquatic organisms in the Yangtze River Basin

The Yangtze River Protection Law clearly encourages qualified units to carry out investigations on finless porpoises, white porpoises, white sturgeons, Chinese sturgeons, Yangtze sturgeons, scorpions, shacks, Sichuan white soft-shelled turtles, Sichuan-Shaan geluo salmon, scallops, snakeheads, and round mouths.

On January 1, 2021, the Yangtze River "Ten-Year Ban on Fishing" was fully implemented