Marine Environmental Protection Law

This Law has been repealed by the Ecological and Environmental Code, effective Aug. 15, 2026

For a discussion of the revised Law’s provision on public-interest litigation, please see this issue of our newsletter.

Marine Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国海洋环境保护法

[Full Text: Chinese only]

(adopted Aug. 23, 1982, effective Mar. 1, 1983; revised Dec. 25, 1999, effective Apr. 1, 2000; amended and effective Dec. 28, 2013; amended and effective Nov. 7, 2016; amended and effective Nov. 4, 2017; revised Oct. 24, 2023, effective Jan. 1, 2024)

• Status: Revision passed
• Legislative Body (Vote): NPCSC (N/A)
• Principal Drafter & Submitter: NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee
• Legislative Plans
  • Five-year: 14^th NPCSC Category I
  • Annual: 2022 (backup), 2023
• Legislative History & Text
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #3 (final): Oct. 20 – 24, 2023 (Full Text ⇧)
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #2: June 26 – 28, 2023 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: June 28 – July 27, 2023
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #1: Dec. 27 – 30, 2022 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Dec. 30, 2022 – Jan. 28, 2023
• Legislative Records
  • Explanation (Dec. 27, 2022)
  • Report on Status of Revision (June 26, 2023)
  • Report on Results of Deliberation (Oct. 20, 2023)
    • Research Opinion on Constitutional & Constitution-Related Issues
  • Report on Suggestions for Revision (Oct. 24, 2023)
  • Presidential Order (Oct. 24, 2023)

NPC Observer Coverage

• 📰 NPC Observer Monthly: October 2023 (Nov. 2, 2023)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Lawmaking Reforms, Corporate Bankruptcy, Charity, Financial Stability, Foreign Sovereign Immunity, Cross-Border Litigation & More (Dec. 12, 2022)

Last updated: March 12, 2026, 21:07 EDT