1. Develop and organize the implementation of national policies and plans for environmental protection, draft laws and regulations, and formulate administrative rules and regulations for environmental protection. Organize the development of environmental function zoning, organize the development of various kinds of environmental protection standards, criteria and technical norms; organize the development of the plan for pollution prevention and control in key regions and river basins as well as environmental protection plan for drinking water source areas; cooperate with relevant departments to develop the plan for pollution prevention and control in key marine areas and participate in the development of national zoning of main function areas according to national requirement.

2. Take charge of overall coordination, supervision and management of key environmental issues. As the leading organization, coordinate the investigation and handling of very serious environmental protection accidents and ecological damages; guide and coordinate the activities of local governments in terms of early warning and emergency response to very serious environmental protection accidents; coordinate and address trans-province pollution disputes; make overall arrangement for pollution prevention and control of key watershed, regions and marine areas; guide, coordinate and supervise marine environment protection work.

3. Shoulder and materialize the responsibility for achieving national target on emission reduction. Organize the development of total emission control system and pollutant discharge license system for major pollutants and supervise their implementation; identify the name and control indicators of the pollutants under total discharge control; check and supervise if local governments finish their emission reduction task; carry out environmental protection target responsibility system, examine the outcome of total discharge control and make public the examination results.

4. Take charge of putting forward recommendations on the scale and direction for fixed assets investment in the field of environmental protection and arrangement of national financial budget; review and check the fixed-asset investment projects under national plan and annual plan in accordance with its terms of reference identified by the State Council; cooperate with relevant departments to do well the implementation and supervision work. Take part in, guide and facilitate the development of circular economy and environmental protection industry; take part in climate change activities.

5. Shoulder the responsibility for preventing and controlling environmental pollution and damage at source. Conduct environmental impact assessment as entrusted by the State Council on major economic and technical policies, development programs and major economic development plans; put forward suggestions on environmental impacts to draft laws and regulations relevant to environmental protection; review and approve environment impact statements of key development regions and projects.

6. Take charge of supervision and management on the prevention and control of environmental pollution. Develop and carry out the management system for pollution prevention and control of water, air, soil, noise, light, odor, solid wastes, chemicals and vehicle emissions; it works with other relevant departments to supervise and administrate environmental protection of drinking water source areas; organize and guide comprehensive environmental control activities in urban and rural areas.

7. Guide, coordinate and supervise ecological conservation. Develop ecological conservation plan, organize the assessment of eco environment quality, monitor natural resource development & utilization, important eco environment development and ecological restoration activities that influence eco environment. Guide, coordinate and supervise the environmental protection of various kinds of nature reserves, scenic spots and forest parks; coordinate and supervise such activities as conservation of wildlife, wetland environmental protection and prevention and control of desertification. Coordinate and guide eco environment protection in rural areas, supervise environmental safety of biotechnology; take charge of biological species (including genetic resources) activities; organize and coordinate the conservation of biodiversity.

8. Take charge of the supervision and administration of nuclear and radiation safety. Draw up relevant policies, laws, regulations and standards; take part in emergency response to nuclear accidents, take charge of emergency response to radiation environmental accidents. Monitor and administrate the safety & security of nuclear facilities and radioactive sources; supervise and administrate pollution prevention and control of nuclear facilities, application of nuclear technology, electromagnetic radiation, and the development and utilization of mineral resources with radioactive pollution. Supervise and administrate the regulation of nuclear materials and the safety of design, manufacture, installation and damage-free test of civil nuclear safety equipment.

9. Take charge of the work on environmental monitoring and information release. Develop environmental monitoring systems and norms; organize the implementation of the monitoring of environment quality and pollution sources. Organize investigation, assessment, prediction and early warning of environmental quality; organize the development of and administrate national environmental monitoring network and national environmental information network; establish and practice environment quality publication system, make public comprehensive national environment report and key environmental information.

10. Carry out environmental science & technology work, organize key scientific research projects and technological demonstration in the field of environmental protection and facilitate the development of environment science & technology administration system.

11. Carry out international cooperation and exchanges on environmental protection; study and put forward recommendations on relevant issues in international environment cooperation; organize and coordinate the implementation of international environmental conventions, take part in handling of foreign environmental protection affairs.

12. Organize, guide and coordinate environmental publicity and communications work; develop and organize the implementation of the outlines for publicity and communications of environmental protection; carry out the publicity and education on the development of conservation culture and environment-friendly society; promote the participation of the public and social organizations in environmental protection.

13. Undertake other affairs delivered by the State Council.

(This English version is for your reference only. In case any discrepancy exists between the Chinese and English context, the Chinese version shall prevail.)