China makes officials liable for environmental damage for life

China's Communist Party and State Council have revised rules holding officials lifelong accountability for serious environmental damage. These new regulations, released on Tuesday, aim to strengthen environmental protection by linking green efforts to performance assessments as China pursues higher-quality growth. Under these rules, officials will be held responsible for significant environmental harm regardless of their current employment status, including if they have been transferred, reassigned, promoted, left their jobs, or retired. The revised rules specify conditions and potential disciplinary actions for such environmental damage.