China enacted an impressive array of new and amended environmental laws and regulations last year and their environmental law legislation continues to grow rapidly. The ones that garnered the most attention were the laws targeting energy conservation, water pollution, environmental information disclosure, and the plastic bag ban, as well as the new plan to combat climate change. These and other new laws are affecting how U.S. and multinational firms operate in China, China’s environmental footprint (including rapidly growing Greenhouse Gas emissions), and the prospects for ‘leveling the playing field’ between multinational and local companies on environmental performance. China is moving to strengthen implementation of environmental laws and public input and access to environmental information and accountability mechanisms.
Each speaker will share their experience on recent and emerging environmental regulatory trends in China, as well as some of the gaps and opportunities for collaboration.
Moderator:
Roger Martella, Sidley Austin LLP and Founder, EPA China Environmental Law Initiative, Washington, DC
Panelists:
Dan Guttman, Peking University Law School Public Interest Law Program, Beijing, China
Hyeon-Ju Rho, ABA Rule of Law Initiative, China Program, Beijing, China
Alex Wang, Natural Resources Defense Council China Environmental Law Project, Beijing, China
Steve Wolfson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of General Counsel, Washington, DC
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Please RSVP by August 17 to Rachel Shields at rshields@sidley.com or 202.736.8519.