Chinese authorities on Thursday released regulation on the use of natural space to protect the ecosystem.
The move coordinate existing policies on the use of ecological space, according to the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR).
The regulation specifies rules and requirements for natural resources to be used for agricultural and urban purposes to ensure protection of ecological space.
The government will formulate standards and build monitoring platforms to ensure proper implementation of policies at lower levels, according to the regulation.
China will first experiment the regulation in Fujian, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hainan and Qinghai. The MLR, along with other concerned authorities, will assess the effects in 2019.
China's environmental protection lags far behind its economic status, and the government is intensifying efforts on ecological security.
Earlier this year, China's central authorities issued guidelines on an ecological "red line" strategy that will protect certain regions. The zones will be clearly defined by the end of 2020.
