context: 'Notice on adjusting MEE (Ministry of Ecology and Environment)' was issued by the general offices of the CPC (Communist Party of China) and State Council on 12 October. Adjustments to MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), NHC (National Health Commission), PBoC (People's Bank of China) and CASS (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences) were also announced.
The restructuring of MEE (Ministry of Ecology and Environment) roles and responsibilities encompasses three key areas, reports State Council, noting the ministry will
- assume the responsibility to formulate scitech plans and policies to promote ecological environment development plans from MOST (Ministry of Science and Technology)
- MEE Social Development Science and Technology Department will have 4 administrative staff and 1 department-level leadership position
- discontinue the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Surrounding Regions Air Pollution Prevention and Control Leading Group and its associated offices
- MEE Atmospheric Environment Department will cease using the brand of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Surrounding Regions Atmospheric Environment Management Bureau
- rename the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection Office as Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection and Coordination Bureau
- the bureau will no longer serve the State Council, but the 'Central Government'
Following the adjustement, MEE now has 21 internal agencies, an administrative staff of 504 and 79 department-level leadership positions, according to the report.