Construction on China's tallest atmospheric environment and meteorological observation tower reached a significant milestone on Tuesday, as the main structure of the 400-meter project successfully soared past the 200-meter mark.
The Luzhou Tower, located in Hefei, the provincial capital of east China's Anhui, is a major national research infrastructure project. The milestone was achieved with the precise installation of the 22nd steel structure section, marking a key step forward in the tower's vertical ascent.
Upon completion, the Luzhou Tower will stand 400 meters tall and serve as a state-of-the-art facility for atmospheric environmental research.
Once operational, it will provide critical data for understanding atmospheric processes, pollution transport, and climate change, further solidifying China's capabilities in environmental and meteorological research.
"The 400-meter Luzhou Tower will feature 23 fixed observation platforms and a continuously elevating observation capsule. This will allow us to achieve continuous, fine-grained observations of atmospheric pollution gradients, greenhouse gas fluxes, and comprehensive meteorological parameters, placing its integrated observation capabilities at the forefront internationally," said Wu Dexia, deputy director of the Science Center Office at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
The massive research facility is jointly supported by the CAS and the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center. Construction began in November 2025, and the 400-meter main structure is expected to be completed by late November to early December this year. The project is scheduled for final acceptance and delivery in September 2027.
China's tallest atmospheric research tower soars past 200 meters in construction milestone
China's top court on Thursday issued a set of provisions, marking the first judicial interpretation supporting the country's Ecological and Environmental Code.
The provisions are designed to ensure a smooth legal transition between old and new laws and the full and accurate implementation of the Code.
The provisions will take effect simultaneously with the Code on Aug. 15, according to the Supreme People's Court.
Consisting of 13 articles, the provisions clarify the general standards and specific rules for courts to apply old and new laws when hearing environmental cases after the Code takes effect.
They stipulate that, in principle, cases based on the facts that occurred before the Code takes effect will generally be handled under the laws and judicial interpretations then in force, while those arising afterward will be governed by the Code.
"For illegal acts such as environmental pollution and ecological damage that occurred before the code becomes effective, where the offender has taken the initiative to eliminate or mitigate the harmful consequences, effectively implemented ecological and environmental restoration measures, promptly paid compensation, or taken other similar measures, the provisions of the code may be applied to impose a lighter or mitigated penalty. This aims to actively encourage offenders to voluntarily fulfill their ecological restoration and compensation responsibilities, thereby better protecting the ecological environment," said Yang Linping, vice president of the Supreme People's Court.
The Ecological and Environmental Code was adopted by China's top legislature in March.
The 1,242-article Code has five chapters, covering areas including pollution control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development.
The Code is aligned with China's pledges to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
China issues judicial interpretation on Ecological and Environmental Code
