Jiangsu Requires Local Gov'ts to Consider 'Social Stability' in Project Approvals

(Beijing) – With an increasing number of protests linked to environmental hazards caused by industrial projects, one province has begun including "social stability" on its checklist for getting a new project approved.

The coastal province of Jiangsu had its environmental protection bureau issue a decree on November 8 that required local governments to evaluate "risk to social stability" before giving the green light to major projects.