Introduction

In order to combat the hydra-headed ogre of pollution, the legal framework that attempts to implement integrated pollution prevention and control using the permit instrument was adopted in 1996 at the EU level and in 2020 in China. By setting forth the research background, research questions and introducing the research methodology and research structure of this book, this chapter initiates the exploration of ‘to what extent the regulatory design of the emissions permit system in China, considering the EU regulatory experiences in relation to integration and seen from the perspective of the specific Chinese situation, provides possibilities for or barriers to the implementation of integrated pollution prevention and control’ in later chapters.