On Dec 3, the State Council publicized a plan for a pilot ecological damage compensation system that will eventually go national.

The government will pilot the trial in several selected provinces and municipalities from 2015 to 2017, and popularize it throughout the whole country in 2018, according to the plan.

The plan said China will strive to establish a comprehensive damage compensation system by 2020 with high efficiency, to protect and improve the nation’s ecosystem.

The trial provinces are not yet finalized.

The plan shall mainly deal with cases of significant impact or environmental damage cases occurred in areas where development is banned or restricted by national or provincial governments.