Draft limits class-action pollution-related lawsuits

The All-China Environmental Federation and its local offices may be the only entity in China that is allowed to file class-action lawsuits regarding pollution, if a draft amendment is passed.

The amendment to the Environmental Protection Law, proposed to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee on Wednesday, limits the legal entities permitted to file environment-related class-action lawsuits to just one - the “All-China Environmental Federation and its branches at provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities”.

The proposal has met strong objections from many environment observers.

Li Gang, a lawyer specializing in environmental litigation, said the draft has effectively deprived other social groups of their litigation rights.