A joint press briefing has been held to announce the development of environmental legal services in China. Representatives from the All-China Environment Federation (ACEF) and UN Development Program attended the meeting. They introduced their cooperative project to encourage more social forces to maintain public environmental rights.

For thirty years, environmental degradation has been one of the most unfortunate bi-products of China’s tremendous economic growth. Increasing concerns over environmental damage has become a key consideration within central and local government planning.

Zeng Xiaodong, Sec. General of ACEF, said, "In recent years, the environmental protection has made big progress with the government’s support. But the environmental problem is always serious and has severely affected people’s daily life."

Last month, the cadmium contamination in a river in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region caused nationwide concern. The local drinking water security was seriously threatened and the fishermen suffered great economic loss. The State Environment Department and ACEF sent investigators to Guangxi to prepare for an environmental public interest lawsuit to compensate all sufferers. With the help of the cooperative project with UNDP, the ACEF is participating in more and more environmental rights services.

In 2011, many NGOs participated in environmental legal services, something they were legally unqualified for in the past. Last year the ACEF was involved in 15 lawsuits and won 6 of them.