Policy Digest

SPP publishes cases on environmental protection

The Supreme People's Procuratorate, China's top procuratorial organ, published 10 typical cases of procuratorial public interest litigation related to environmental protection on June 5, which was World Environment Day.

The move aims to effectively improve the quality and efficiency of public interest litigation in the sector and contribute more to the green transition in all areas of socioeconomic development, the SPP said in a notice on Thursday.

The released cases were all initiated by the procuratorial organs and involved issues such as water pollution, solid and hazardous waste pollution, soil pollution prevention and the protection of agricultural land, mineral resources, wetland ecology, nature reserves and marine resources.

According to the SPP, from January 2024 to May 2025, China's procuratorates handled 74,000 public interest litigation cases centered on environmental protection, of which 13,000 were civil public interest lawsuits, effectively solving some grave ecological and environmental issues.

State Council to conduct 4th national agricultural census

The State Council, China's Cabinet, has decided to conduct the fourth national agricultural census in 2026, according to a circular released on Thursday.

The census aims to collect accurate data on the current status of China's agriculture, rural areas and rural residents to reflect new developments in these categories in an objective way.

According to the circular, the industries covered by the census include crop farming, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, and services related to agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fisheries.

The census is expected to determine the conditions of agricultural, grain and major food production, the development of new quality productive forces in rural areas and the living conditions of rural residents.

Statistical fraud and falsification must be effectively prevented and violators must be punished to ensure that the census data is authentic, accurate, complete and reliable, the circular said.

Changsha gears up for heritage day celebration

China will celebrate the 2025 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day on Saturday, with the main event to be held in Changsha, Hunan province, the National Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Friday.

Established in 2006, the annual event falls on the second Saturday of June. This year's theme, which translates to "revitalizing cultural heritage to showcase new brilliance", highlights efforts to preserve and rejuvenate the nation's cultural relics.

The celebrations in Changsha will feature an opening ceremony, thematic forums, a cultural heritage technology innovation forum and an exhibition on the Yangtze River and Chinese civilization.

Water usage more efficient, ministry says in annual report

China reported continued improvement in its water usage efficiency in 2024, according to the water resources bulletin released annually by the Ministry of Water Resources.

Last year, China's water consumption per 10,000 yuan ($1,400) of GDP declined 4.4 percent year-on-year. And water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value dropped 5.3 percent, the bulletin shows.

Both precipitation and water resources were significantly above multiyear averages. The country's average annual precipitation was 717.7 millimeters in 2024 — 11.4 percent higher than the multiyear average. Total water resources stood at 3.11 trillion cubic meters, marking a 12.7 percent increase compared with the multiyear average.

The bulletin also shows that the supply of unconventional water sources continued to rise in 2024, with the structure of water resources being continuously optimized.

China Daily - Xinhua