[JURIST] Chinese state media reported Monday that the National People's Congress [official website, in Chinese] is considering new legislation [China Daily report] that would increase penalties for companies that pollute the nation's waterways. The new law would remove present pollution fine caps and allow the government to fine companies 20-30 percent of the direct financial loss caused by their polluting.

China's population amounts to 22 percent of the world population, but the country holds only 8 percent of the world's water [TIME Asia report], making water pollution a growing concern. China has recently committed itself to reducing major pollution by 10 percent between 2006 and 2010. AP has more.