Environmental Impact Assessment in China : Theory Exploration and Innovation in Practice

This open access book systematically summarizes 30 years of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) management experience by the authors based on the following perspectives: the role and definition, unique features, the development process, key events at various stages, and practical experience in China's EIA. It presents an innovative conceptual framework for implementing EIA in China, and it further outlines a phased, hierarchical and strategic roadmap for EIA development in the Ecological Civilization Era.

Dr. Haisheng Li is a professor and the chief scientist of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES). He serves as a Parliamentarian on the Environmental Protection and Resource Conservation Committee of the National People's Congress, the special advisor of China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), and fellow of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences (CSES). He has won the Distinguished Engineer Award.He dedicates his research on theoretical methods, technical standards, and policy systems of China's environmental impact assessment (EIA) and has integrated the theoretical findings into innovative practices for nearly 40 years. He made significant contribution to China's campaign against air, water, and soil pollution and provided scientific and technological support for the environmental management of major national strategic projects, including the coordinated treatment of PM2.5 pollution in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the water pollution control of the Yangtze River Basin. He has presided over 20 key scientific research projects, such as Prime Fund Project, National Key Research and Development Program of China. He wrote 27 books, including China Environmental Impact Assessment and The Path to Ecological Civilization Construction. Moreover, he has published more than 70 academic thesis in the field of environmental sciences, more than 50 policy proposals for the Chinese government.

Xiaomin Li, Deputy Director of the Management Center at the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, is a Senior Engineer. She has long been engaged in theoretical, methodological, and practical research related to EIA, Eco-environmental Zoning-based Regulation(EZR), and regional green development.She serves as a Standing Committee Member of the 6th Environmental Impact Assessment Committee of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, an expert in the Technical Support Group for EZR of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and an expert in Planning EIA.In recent years, she has published over 50 papers and 10 books, and has been awarded two First Prizes in the Ministry of Ecology and Environment Science and Technology Awards.

Yuting Zhao is a Senior Engineer working at the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on Strategic Environmental Assessment, Planning EIA, Eco-environmental Zoning-based Regulation(EZR) and macro-environmental management. She either led or participated as a technical expert in over 20 research projects in the field of environmental impact assessment at the national or provincial level.She specializes in economic-environmental coupling studies and has worked as a member of the expert group on SEA of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Xiaoli Liu, Ph.D./Research Fellow. Specializing in regional ecological protection, strategic and policy environmental assessment, ecological zoning control, and technical support for zero-waste city development. Led and participated in dozens of major national, ministerial-provincial and international cooperation projects. Author of 30+ academic papers, co-compiler of 7 books, and editorial board member of 11 published titles. Her special reports submitted to national authorities received official instructions, with research outcomes supporting the formulation of key national policies.

Yihan Yao, Senior Engineer, specializes in research on EIA and Eco-environmental Zoning-based Regulation.

Liwen Zhan is an Environmental Impact Assessment Engineer, working at the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, who specializes in assessing major policy and industrial parks planning impacts, green development and high-quality development, and Eco-environmental Zoning-based Regulation management. Her work focuses on integrated approaches to environmental policy-making that combine technological, social and economic strategies to foster a sustainable future, providing technological and forward-looking support for the nation's environmental decisions. She was certified by the CFA Institute as an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investment analyst.

Jianmin Wu, Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing, China.