After having undergone the era of primitive and agricultural civilizations, the industrial revolution that began in the 18th century brought about the rapid development of productivity, but also caused serious environmental pollution and ecological damage, such as climate warming, ozone layer depletion, biodiversity reduction, widespread acid rains, sharp reduction in forests, land desertification, air pollution, water pollution, marine pollution and solid waste pollution. These ecological crises have become the Top 10 Environmental Issues that threaten the survival and development of mankind. At the third session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in 2017, a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimated that the environmental degradation could be the cause for 12.6 million deaths worldwide each year, accounting for one-fourth of the global deaths. Welfare losses caused by pollution are estimated to amount to US$4.6 trillion per year, about 6.2% of the global economic output. In 2019, a report issued by the UNEP at the fourth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly pointed out that human health would be under growingly grave threat if mankind does not act immediately in environmental protection. In January 2020, the Global Risks Report 2020 by the World Economic Forum pointed out that in the 10-year outlook, the top five global risks in terms of likelihood are all environmental. According to the degree of likelihood, the top five risks are: extreme weather incidents (such as floods and rainstorms); failure of climate-change mitigation and adaptation; major natural disasters (such earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and geomagnetic storms); major biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse; and man-made environmental damages and disasters.
The natural environment is the material basis for the survival and multiplying of mankind, and therefore protecting and improving the environment is the precondition for mankind to safeguard its own survival and development. Facing multiple crises such as resources shortage, energy consumption, biological degradation and environmental pollution, many countries have adopted various policies for green development, including the Green New Deal of the United States, the Low Carbon Transition Plan of Great Britain, the Green Economy and Social Change Strategy of Japan, the National Strategy for Green Growth of South Korea, the Multiannual Energy Program (PPE) of France, and the National Sustainable Development Strategy of Germany. The policies are intended to reduce the dependency on fossil energy for economic development, and to hold back and prevent further degradation of the ecological environment by elevating the economy to the path of clean and sustainable development.
China also faces serious problems with resources and the environment. Since the implementation of the reform and opening-up in 1978, Chinas economy has been developing very fast, but at the same time, the ecological and environmental problems have also become increasingly acute. The waste of resources, reduction of energy, random felling of forests, sharp declines in plants and animals, environmental pollution, and damages to the ecological system are all the ecological and environmental prices paid for economic development. The rise or fall of a civilization is closely tied to its relationship with nature. Ecological civilization is a brand-new form of the human civilization, and is a new stage and new state in the development of the human society. Building an ecological civilization is a lasting mission with a direct bearing on the well-being of the people and the future of the nation. It is an important part of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation to build a beautiful China with blue skies, green land and lucid waters. Since the reform and opening-up, China has promulgated a series of laws, regulations and policies on environmental protection, greatly increased investments in environmental protection, constantly strengthened the ecological and environmental protection, and continuously strengthened environmental pollution treatment, with urban and rural living environment seeing remarkable improvements. After the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, in particular, the construction of an ecological civilization has been incorporated into the five-sphere integrated plan, and green development has been integrated in all aspects and the whole process of the economic, political, cultural and social construction. It shall strengthen the philosophy underlying ecological civilization that nature should be respected, adapted to, and protected; fully aware that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets has been written into the Constitution of the CPC. The nine obligatory targets specified in the 13th Five-Year Plan (20162020) and the phased targets for the battle against pollution have all been accomplished, and important achievements have been made in the three battles to ensure and defend the blue skies, lucid waters and green land, and continuing progress has been made in ecological protection and restoration. Green development has become the iconic pursuit in the new era, solid advancement has been made in the construction of a beautiful China, the sense of gain among the people in terms of the ecological environment has been increased and strengthened, and a sound ecological environment has become the most inclusive benefits to peoples well-being. Upholding multilateralism and the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China has deeply involved in the global environmental governance, and has become an important participant, contributor and trailblazer in global ecological conservation.
The achievements made by China in building an ecological civilization have won high praises from the international community. In 2013, the 27th session of the Governing Council of the UNEP adopted a draft decision to promote the Chinese concept of ecological civilization, and the theory and practice of Chinas ecological civilization have been recognized and supported by the international community. In 2016, the report entitled Green Is Gold: The Strategy and Actions of Chinas Ecological Civilization endorsed Chinas practice and experiences in incorporating ecological civilization into the national development plans, and explained and showcased Chinas resolve and achievements in promoting ecological civilization and green development.
In September 2017, the UNEP published the Report on Ecological Wealth Creation in Chinas Kubuqi Desert, setting Chinas desert control experiences as a role model. During the third session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in December 2017, the generations of foresters in the Saihanba forest farm in Hebei Province won the United Nations highest environmental honor the Champions of the Earth award. Chinas construction of an ecological civilization served as a constructive exploration and specific practice of the conception of sustainable development, and as a model for other countries in answering to similar economic, environmental and social challenges. In 2020, Nature published an editorial, saying that China has charted a greener way forward, which could be modeled on by other countries......