ClientEarth in China

ClientEarth’s work in China is focused on using the power of law to support systemic change on climate, nature and environmental protection. China’s environmental choices have global significance, and our approach recognises that meaningful impact requires constructive engagement with Chinese institutions, including government ministries, regulators, the judiciary and civil society.

Over nearly a decade, our work to foster multi-stakeholder partnerships has become a unique feature of our approach. This work aligns closely with ClientEarth’s strategic priorities in China: addressing major environmental harm, strengthening legal systems, delivering strategic impact and supporting change at scale.

Our China programme is built around five main areas: 

• We strengthen environmental rights and the rule of law by engaging judges, prosecutors and legal practitioners, supporting stronger environmental adjudication, legislation and enforcement, and integrating climate adaptation and gender considerations into legal training and regranting.
• We work on financial and economic systems, including efforts to green China’s overseas investment and trade, and improve disclosure and public participation.
• Through resources, energy and mobility work, we build expertise on plastics governance, chemicals regulation, climate law, high-integrity carbon markets and their links to energy transition and nature protection.
• We support food, oceans and land-use priorities, including Global Biodiversity Framework implementation, marine law enforcement, illegal fishing and fisheries subsidies.
• We enhance ecosystem governance by strengthening an interconnected network of environmental NGOs, public institutions, the judiciary, academia, businesses, philanthropies and other partners. We enable Chinese environmental NGOs to contribute meaningfully to legal and policy development and enforcement, and foster balanced, constructive interaction between bottom-up expertise and innovation and top-down institutional processes to advance systemic change.

Some of our key contributions:

• ClientEarth highlighted its contribution to the development and implementation of China’s Yangtze River Protection Law, including providing expert recommendations on public participation, information disclosure, and environmental justice, while supporting exchanges on international river basin management practices. 

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  • We co-hosted a high-level dialogue to strengthen cooperation on energy transition and explore how Chinese investment, technology and policy support can help accelerate Indonesia’s shift to renewable energy. 

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• The EU-China Environment Project, funded by the EU Foreign Policy Instrument, promoted EU-China cooperation on environmental policy and governance. Running in two phases from 2018 to 2024, it supported dialogue on environmental protection, green development, pollution, climate change, and China’s carbon-neutrality goals, with ClientEarth among its implementing partners. 

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