Leading government officials will be audited on their performance on environmental protection based on an evaluation of natural resources records, a practice expected to expand nationwide by 2018.

The audit results will be a major criterion for official performance, and those found accountable for environmental pollution will face harsh punishments even beyond their terms, as China focuses more on eco-civilization.

The pilot audit project, launched this year, will focus on leading officials who are about to leave office. It will audit changes in natural resources such as land, water, and forest within the officials' administrative zones during their terms, and will analyze the reasons for any change, said Chen Chenzhao, deputy auditor general of the National Audit Office, on Thursday.