The General Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment ("MEE") has recently distributed the Implementation Plan of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Fulfilling 2019 Key Tasks for Transparency of Government Affairs (the "Plan").
The Plan states that efforts will be made to: 1. step up disclosure of key information on ecology and environment; 2. provide better policy interpretations and better respond to public concerns; and 3. improve platforms and systems designed to enhance transparency of government affairs. the Plan expressly states that real-time data about ambient air quality will be published and information regarding air quality forecast will be announced in a timely manner. Also, four lists indicating the top 20 cities where ambient air quality is best, 20 cities where ambient air quality is worst, 20 cities that see largest improvement to local ambient air quality, and 20 cities that see little improvement to local ambient air quality, will be prepared and released. Meanwhile, local authorities are urged to timely publish the list of major pollutant emission entities and monitoring information about pollutant emission entities. Whether the automatic monitoring facilities of major pollutant emission entities have connected to network should be made public. What needs to be published as well is statistical information about nationwide pollutant emissions and treatment. Furthermore, the Plan highlights efforts to issue in-depth interpretations of significant policies and take an active approach to responding to public concerns. The implementing measures of the MEE for transparency of government affairs will be enacted pursuant to relevant provisions of the recently amended Regulations on Government Information Disclosure.