Recently, while handling a case involving excessive atmospheric particulate matter emissions by an enterprise, the Guangning Branch of the Zhaoqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau thoroughly implemented the working requirements of “dual investigation in one case”, advancing administrative penalties and compensation for ecological and environmental damage in parallel. It urged the enterprise to plant 120 trees to fulfill its restoration responsibilities, achieving an organic integration of “punishing violations” and “restoring ecology”. As a typical case in the reform practice of the ecological and environmental damage compensation system in Guangning County, this case has provided replicable and promotable experience and practices for handling similar cases.

Case Review

On December 30, 2025, law enforcement officers from the Guangning Branch of the Zhaoqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau conducted an enforcement inspection of an enterprise and found that the concentration of atmospheric particulate matter emitted during its production process exceeded the national emission standards, violating relevant provisions of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution and causing damage to the surrounding atmospheric environment. The Guangning Branch of the Zhaoqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau immediately initiated investigation procedures, secured evidence of the violation, and lawfully ascertained the facts, circumstances, and harmful consequences of the enterprise’s illegal acts, confirming that it should bear responsibility for administrative violations and compensation for ecological and environmental damage.

Dual Investigation in One Case

In this case, the Guangning Branch of the Zhaoqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau broke away from the traditional case-handling model of “ending the matter with a single penalty” and strictly aligned with the requirements of “dual investigation in one case”, advancing the work simultaneously from two dimensions: administrative violations and ecological damage:

First, investigate administrative violations and impose penalties in accordance with the law

In accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution and the Provisions of Guangdong Province on Discretionary Power in Administrative Penalties for Ecological and Environmental Matters, and after comprehensively considering the circumstances of the enterprise’s violation, its rectification attitude, and the degree of social harm, the authority applied discretionary circumstances for a lighter penalty in accordance with the law, given that the party concerned took the initiative to apologize and actively cooperated in rectification, and issued an administrative penalty decision. This not only upheld the authority of the law, but also reflected the rule-of-law principles of proportionality between fault and penalty and the integration of punishment with education.

Second, investigate ecological damage and urge fulfillment of restoration responsibilities

On the basis of carrying out administrative penalties, the procedure for compensation for ecological and environmental damage was initiated simultaneously, and experts were commissioned to conduct a professional assessment of the extent of damage to the atmospheric environment. After full consultation and demonstration with the enterprise on the compensation method and restoration plan, it was finally determined that the enterprise would adopt the alternative restoration method of “replanting and regreening” by planting trees in a designated area, so as to make up for the environmental damage through alternative restoration and truly implement the governance principle of “whoever pollutes shall treat it, and whoever causes damage shall restore it”.

Urging the enterprise to plant trees in the designated area

Work Highlights

First, investigations were synchronized to improve efficiency. The administrative penalty investigation and the ecological and environmental damage investigation were carried out simultaneously with shared evidence, avoiding repeated evidence collection and multi-agency enforcement, significantly shortening the case-handling cycle and enabling intensive and efficient use of law enforcement resources.

Second, procedures were synchronized to ensure standardized operation. By unifying the standards for the application of law, the two procedures of administrative penalty and damage compensation were ensured to connect smoothly without conflict, forming a work pattern with standardized procedures and orderly operation.

Third, outcomes were synchronized to restore ecology. Upholding the concept that “punishment is not the purpose; restoration is the foundation”, the disciplinary function of administrative penalties was organically combined with the restoration function of damage compensation. At the same time, in conjunction with the publicity activities for “June 5 Environment Day”, typical case-based legal education on “dual investigation in one case” was carried out for enterprises within the jurisdiction, achieving sound social and ecological benefits of “punishing one case, restoring one area, and standardizing one region”.

Next, the Guangning Branch of the Zhaoqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau will continue to align with the work arrangements of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province for the reform of ecological and environmental damage compensation, further deepen “dual investigation in one case”, further expand channels for ecological and environmental damage compensation, enrich alternative restoration methods, and strive to build a closed-loop governance model featuring “strong environmental law enforcement, adequate damage compensation, and effective ecological restoration”, providing a solid rule-of-law guarantee for thoroughly advancing the battle against pollution and accelerating the building of a beautiful Guangning.