Theoretical Reflection on Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological …
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It also deepened as time went by. At 15th National Congress of the CPC held in
1997, the Party made the first statement on the relationship between the environment
and the economy, saying that population growth and economic development posed
huge pressure on the environment and resources. It was further stressed at the 16th
National Congress of the CPC that the conflicts between ecological environment,
natural resources and economic and social development were becoming increasingly
prominent. Then at the 17th National Congress of the CPC, it was made clear that
the environmental cost of economic growth was too huge. It was stressed at the 18th
National Congress of the CPC that unbalanced, poorly coordinated and unsustainable
development remained a big problem.
It was point out at the 2014 Central conference on Economic Work that the
carrying capacity of resources and the environment had reached or was approaching
the ceiling. The 5th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee stated that
environmental pollution, particularly air, water and soil pollution had emerged as a
prominent weak point that threatened the completion of the building of a moderately
prosperous society in all respects. At the National Conference on Eco-environmental
Protection held in 2018, it was stated that the environment “is stable and goes on an
upward trajectory, but the achievements of environment protection are not stable.”
This statement has two-found meanings. First, after arduous efforts, the overall situation of environmental deterioration was contained. Second, in an era of economic
new normal featuring gear shifting and restructuring, the impact of economic and
social activities on resources and the environment was going down. However, China
was still facing great pressure, high risks and grave problems in the field of environmental protection. China was in a critical period when it was confronted with
overlapping pressures from environmental protection and various other aspects. So,
the CPC made it clear at the 19th National Congress that “we have a long way to go
in protecting the environment.”
In sync with such an understanding, China’s strategic arrangement for dealing
with the relationship between the environment and economic development started
and was unfolded gradually in the 1990s. The process was basically parallel with
the global efforts to balance between the environment and development. After the
1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, China took the
lead in 1994 in releasing its own Agenda 21, which put forth the idea of changing
traditional development path and embracing sustainable development for the first
time. In 1996, the 9th Five-Year Plan and the 2010 visions were formulated, putting
into action the strategy for invigorating China through science and education and the
sustainable development strategy. China also vowed to pursue transformations in its
socialist market economy and its growth path.
In general, before the Scientific Outlook on Development was fully implemented,
China’s understanding of laws in environmental economics as well as its strategic
arrangements and practices for balanced development of the economy and the environment was at a stage featuring a focus on economic growth and neglect of environmental protection. In other words, wealth outweighed lucid waters and lush mountains. For example, though Article 4 of the 1989 Environmental Protection Law
requires coordination between environmental protection and economic and social
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It also deepened as time went by. At 15th National Congress of the CPC held in
1997, the Party made the first statement on the relationship between the environment
and the economy, saying that population growth and economic development posed
huge pressure on the environment and resources. It was further stressed at the 16th
National Congress of the CPC that the conflicts between ecological environment,
natural resources and economic and social development were becoming increasingly
prominent. Then at the 17th National Congress of the CPC, it was made clear that
the environmental cost of economic growth was too huge. It was stressed at the 18th
National Congress of the CPC that unbalanced, poorly coordinated and unsustainable
development remained a big problem.
It was point out at the 2014 Central conference on Economic Work that the
carrying capacity of resources and the environment had reached or was approaching
the ceiling. The 5th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee stated that
environmental pollution, particularly air, water and soil pollution had emerged as a
prominent weak point that threatened the completion of the building of a moderately
prosperous society in all respects. At the National Conference on Eco-environmental
Protection held in 2018, it was stated that the environment “is stable and goes on an
upward trajectory, but the achievements of environment protection are not stable.”
This statement has two-found meanings. First, after arduous efforts, the overall situation of environmental deterioration was contained. Second, in an era of economic
new normal featuring gear shifting and restructuring, the impact of economic and
social activities on resources and the environment was going down. However, China
was still facing great pressure, high risks and grave problems in the field of environmental protection. China was in a critical period when it was confronted with
overlapping pressures from environmental protection and various other aspects. So,
the CPC made it clear at the 19th National Congress that “we have a long way to go
in protecting the environment.”
In sync with such an understanding, China’s strategic arrangement for dealing
with the relationship between the environment and economic development started
and was unfolded gradually in the 1990s. The process was basically parallel with
the global efforts to balance between the environment and development. After the
1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, China took the
lead in 1994 in releasing its own Agenda 21, which put forth the idea of changing
traditional development path and embracing sustainable development for the first
time. In 1996, the 9th Five-Year Plan and the 2010 visions were formulated, putting
into action the strategy for invigorating China through science and education and the
sustainable development strategy. China also vowed to pursue transformations in its
socialist market economy and its growth path.
In general, before the Scientific Outlook on Development was fully implemented,
China’s understanding of laws in environmental economics as well as its strategic
arrangements and practices for balanced development of the economy and the environment was at a stage featuring a focus on economic growth and neglect of environmental protection. In other words, wealth outweighed lucid waters and lush mountains. For example, though Article 4 of the 1989 Environmental Protection Law
requires coordination between environmental protection and economic and social