The Ministry of Natural Resources is an executive-department of the State Council of the People's Republic of China which is responsible for natural resources in the country. It is the 14th-ranking department of the State Council.
It was formed on 19 March 2018, taking on the responsibilities of the now-defunct Ministry of Land and Resources, State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and State Oceanic Administration, with additional responsibilities coming from other departments and ministries.
History
On March 19, 2018, the Government of the People's Republic of China announced the simultaneous creation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and dissolution of the Ministry of Land and Resources, State Oceanic Administration, and State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping. That same day, Lu Hao was elected Minister of Natural Resources. In 2019, the Ministry held its first international forum on nature protection.
Functions
According to regulations concerning the Ministry, it is responsible for regulating, managing, registering, and exploiting the natural resources in China including land, minerals, forests, grasslands, wetlands and water. It is also responsible for ecological restoration, protecting arable land, geological land exploration, granting permits for undersea cables and pipelines, upholding maritime interests and rights, coordinating and managing urban and rural planning, as well as surveying and registering water resources. The Ministry administers the National Forestry and Grasslands Administration.
The Ministry has a significant role in shaping environmental education in China. It supports environmental education in China's national parks, nature parks, and environmentally-protected areas. Responsibilities of the former Ministry of Land and Resources Responsibilities of the former State Oceanic Administration Responsibilities of the former State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping Responsibilities of organizing and planning the major-function oriented zone (Responsibilities of National Development and Reform Commission) Responsibilities of urban and rural planning management (Responsibilities of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development) Responsibilities of water resources survey and the management of the registration of the right (Responsibilities of Ministry of Water Resources) Responsibilities of grassland resources survey and the management of the registration of the right (Responsibilities of Ministry of Agriculture) Responsibilities of forest, wetland, national parks, and other resources survey and registration management (Responsibilities of State Forestry and Grassland Administration)