Nanping ecology lawsuit gets go-ahead

A lawsuit jointly filed by two environmental protection organizations against individuals responsible for ecological damage in Nanping, Fujian province, has become China's first public interest litigation since China's revised Environmental Protection Law came into effect on Thursday.

According to Liu Xiang, a lawyer representing the Beijing-based NGO Friends of Nature, his client and the Fujian Green Home received a notice from the Nanping Intermediate People's Court on Jan 1 saying their lawsuit against people damaging the ecology in Nanping has been accepted.

Between 2008 and 2010, unauthorized stone-quarry activities took place at a mountain in Nanping. Waste soil and stones were dumped, severely damaging the ecology.

Despite the individuals being sentenced in 2014, the NGOs filed a lawsuit asking the court to make those responsible clean up the quarry area to help restore the vegetation.

According to the revised Environmental Protection Law, NGOs registered with the civil affairs department and involved in environmental protection activities for five years can file a lawsuit against activities polluting the environment, harming ecology or jeopardizing public interest.

Wang Canfa, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law, said the case reflected a significant change brought by the revision of the Environmental Protection Law, the first since the law was introduced in 1989.

In the past, such a lawsuit would not be accepted because the previous regulation only focused on environmental pollution issues, Wang said.