Green tape refers to excessive environmental regulations and guidelines that must be followed before an official action can be taken, which may lead to delays and cost blowouts on projects.

 

Green tape指某个项目正式开始之前需要通过大量的环保法规和方针政策的审核，由此可能导致项目延后以及成本超额，我们可以暂且称之为“环保类条条框框”。

 

This term is the environmental analogue¹ of the phrase red tape, which originally referred to a piece of woven tape, red or pink in color, used to bind² together official papers and legal documents. The pejorative³ sense of the term has been in the language since at least 1736. 

 

这个表达其实就是环保领域对red tape（官僚习气，繁文缛节）一词的类比用法，red tape最早指用于捆绑官方文件和法律文件的红色或粉色的编织带。日常语言中关于该词的贬义内涵至少在1736年就已经产生了。

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