Research On the Choice of Structural Models for the Codification of China’s Environmental Law

Abstract

On April 21, 2021, the announcement of the 2021 Legislative Work Plan of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress reignited discussions about the codification of environmental law. Against this backdrop, this paper adopts a comparative analysis method to examine the structural models of codification in the Swedish Environmental Code, the French Environmental Code, and the German Environmental Code (Expert Committee Draft, 1997). It aims to provide a reference for selecting a structural model for the codification of China’s environmental law. In choosing the specific mode of environmental law codification, it is recommended to adopt the structural models used in Sweden, France, and Germany while retaining certain standalone laws. The codification should follow a logical structure of “General Provisions–Specific Provisions–Supplementary Provisions” and be organized with a hierarchical layout of “Parts–Chapters–Sections.”