Recently, the CPPCC and NPC proposal working group of the China Biodiversity Development and Green Development Foundation（CBCGDF）received feedback from Ban Yuxia, deputy to the National People’s Congress. His proposal, combined with the suggestions put forward by the CBCGDF, such as “accelerating light pollution prevention and control legislation, clarifying light pollution supervision departments, and formulating a series of light pollution environmental standards”, was officially replied by the Ministry of ecological environment. It is said that Mr. Ban’s motion has a positive reference value for the prevention and control of light pollution.

From: Internet (light pollution)

Based on the current severe situation of light pollution in China, CBCGDF once suggested: 1. Revise the Environmental Protection Law and other laws of environmental protection; clarify the legal definition of light pollution, and stipulate the relevant legal provisions for the prevention, control and treatment of light pollution. 2. The State Council should formulate and promulgate the regulations on the prevention and control of light pollution as soon as possible, clarify the light pollution supervision department and strengthen the environmental management of light pollution prevention and control. 3. Formulate the light pollution prevention and control law when the conditions are favorable, and formulate a series of light pollution environmental standards based on this upper law.

Part of the reply from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment to Ban Yuxia are shared as follows:

1. Accelerating the legislation on prevention and control of light pollution

The revised China's environmental protection law in 2014 defines the light radiation as a specific form of environmental pollution, and puts forward overall requirements for the prevention and control of light pollution. The local laws and regulations of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen and other cities have made specific provisions on the prevention and control of light pollution of glass curtain walls, urban and rural lighting or outdoor advertising signboards. Light pollution is a new type of physical pollution. Due to its various types, the dose-effect relationship between pollution and impact is still in the research stage. There are technical difficulties in the identification of light pollution, which restricts the formulation of laws and regulations and the establishment of supervision and management system. Since 2018, the Ministry of ecology and environment has organized research on light pollution prevention and control policies at home and abroad and field investigation on light pollution management in typical domestic cities. Combined with light pollution reports and complaints, the Ministry will gradually explore the establishment of light pollution supervision and management system to provide strong support for the next light pollution prevention and control legislation.

2. Determine regulatory authorities of light pollution

Glass wall, urban and rural lighting and LED display screen are three common light pollution problems in cities, which are mainly regulated by the department of housing and urban or rural construction, planning, natural resources, ecological environment, urban management and other departments. However, since light pollution prevention and control involves many fields and departments, it needs to be further combed to comprehensively determine the regulatory authorities in various links such as planning, source control, construction approval and pollution control.

3. Formulate relevant standards for light pollution control

China's relevant industries have issued a series of technical standards, covering the interference light limit of outdoor lighting, reflected light limit of glass curtain wall, glare limit, interference light limit of LED display screen, etc., which have been gradually incorporated into the implementation scope of national standard management, limiting the generation and impact of light pollution to a certain extent. Referring to relevant industrial technical standards and relevant light pollution management at home and abroad, the Ministry of ecology and environment is currently organizing and carrying out preliminary research on light pollution prevention and control to lay a foundation for the gradual establishment of light pollution environmental standard system, and will continue to strengthen the research on supporting technology of light pollution prevention and control with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and improve the supervision and management and standard system of light pollution prevention and control, And guide all localities to further carry out light pollution prevention and control. First, start the preliminary research on the legislation of light pollution prevention and control, further comb the domestic and foreign experience and departmental responsibilities of light pollution prevention and control, improve the basic conditions of legislation, and actively promote the entry of light pollution into the environmental code. Second, formulate relevant standards for light pollution control, put forward zoning and classification restrictions on light pollution, and cooperate to promote the prevention and control of light pollution and energy conservation, so as to provide a strong basis for the prevention and control of light pollution.

Original Chinese Article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/eBOoywtrNuhMDb2jPVqsQw

Translator/ Chloe

Editor/ Daisy

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