China Threatens Serious Polluters With Death Penalty

As China steps up it’s environmental efforts around the country, state officials make it clear that the death penalty is an option when it comes to the issue of serious polluters.

After admitting last month that cancer villages exist within China, the communist state continues to make new green pledges and increase their commitment to protecting the environment. One such guideline outlines what companies need to do when making foreign investments so as to curb pollution and reduce negative impacts on local communities.

In light of these ongoing changes, it may even be unsurprising that China announced the use of the death penalty when it cam the most serious polluters. Reuters reported about the announcement on Wednesday by officials saying that a new judicial interpretation which took effect on Wednesday would impose “harsher punishments” and tighten “lax and superficial” enforcement of the country’s environmental protection laws, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

“In the most serious cases the death penalty could be handed down,” it said.

This particular announcement comes as a clear sign that the general public are unwilling to accept poisonous levels of pollutions and a reduced quality of life in exchange for economic growth. How the country plans to continue it’s phenomenal growth following these changes is a question of it’s own, but at least it means good things for the environment in the mean time.

Asides from the death penalty becoming an option for serious polluters in China, the threshold for what is considered serious pollution has also been lowered. This increases the potential pool of criminals who could face the most severe punishment there is but stands as further proof the country is serious about this new interpretation.

Do you think China should threaten serious polluters with the death penalty, or is it a step too far?