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Foreword III
development is the key to solving all problems in China, and environmental problems must also be solved through development. Economic development must not
come at the expense of the environment, and vice versa. Environmental benefits can
be transformed into economic benefits. Improving the environment can lead to a
rise in productivity. A good environment itself has infinite economic values. It can
bring various benefits and drive sustainable economic and social development. To
fundamentally solve environmental problems, we must implement new development
concepts, promote the development and adoption of environmentally friendly spatial
patterns, industrial structures, production methods, and lifestyles, reduce the environmental impact of human activities, and ensure there is enough time for ecosystems
to regenerate.
China is mobilizing the whole society for environment protection. The environment is the fairest public good. Building an ecological civilization is a cause that
affects and involves all people. Everyone should participate in environment protection which can truly benefit us instead of taking the role of a bystander, outsider, or
critic. To mobilize the whole society for environment protection, we should continue
to enhance public environmental awareness, set sustainability codes of ethics and
conduct, build a society-wide environmental governance system, and encourage
people to reduce energy consumption and pollution discharge and be part of a
nationwide movement about protecting the environment.
III. Timely Respond to the Collective Rise in Consciousness About the Health
of the Environment
According to the report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC, it is necessary
to create more material and spiritual wealth to improve the people’s life quality
and provide more high-quality public goods concerning environment protection in
response to the collective rise in consciousness about the health of the environment.
At present, environmental quality in China has steadily improved, but may deteriorate
in the case of a slight slack in environment protection efforts.
It must be noted that China still faces many environmental issues, including limited
environmental capacity, fragile ecosystems, heavy pollution, and low ecological
security. The unique geographical environment has exacerbated regional imbalances
in environmental quality. For example, bad weather events caused by heavy pollution
occur frequently in autumn and winter in northern China; some rivers, lakes, and sea
areas are still heavily polluted; the country is still under massive pressure to control
soil environmental risks and crack down on illegal transfer and dumping of solid
waste and hazardous waste; ecological degradation and biodiversity decline have not
been effectively reversed in some regions, and the contradiction between biodiversity
conservation and economic development still exists. There are two main reasons for
this situation: First, it is closely related to China’s national conditions and development stage. China is still undergoing industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural
modernization. Heavy industries are still the dominant contributors to GDP, and coal
is still the leading fuel for power generation in China. Road transportation is still the
primary transportation mode. The level of pollution is still increasing at a fast pace,
putting ecosystems under huge pressure. Second, it is related to poor implementation
Foreword III
development is the key to solving all problems in China, and environmental problems must also be solved through development. Economic development must not
come at the expense of the environment, and vice versa. Environmental benefits can
be transformed into economic benefits. Improving the environment can lead to a
rise in productivity. A good environment itself has infinite economic values. It can
bring various benefits and drive sustainable economic and social development. To
fundamentally solve environmental problems, we must implement new development
concepts, promote the development and adoption of environmentally friendly spatial
patterns, industrial structures, production methods, and lifestyles, reduce the environmental impact of human activities, and ensure there is enough time for ecosystems
to regenerate.
China is mobilizing the whole society for environment protection. The environment is the fairest public good. Building an ecological civilization is a cause that
affects and involves all people. Everyone should participate in environment protection which can truly benefit us instead of taking the role of a bystander, outsider, or
critic. To mobilize the whole society for environment protection, we should continue
to enhance public environmental awareness, set sustainability codes of ethics and
conduct, build a society-wide environmental governance system, and encourage
people to reduce energy consumption and pollution discharge and be part of a
nationwide movement about protecting the environment.
III. Timely Respond to the Collective Rise in Consciousness About the Health
of the Environment
According to the report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC, it is necessary
to create more material and spiritual wealth to improve the people’s life quality
and provide more high-quality public goods concerning environment protection in
response to the collective rise in consciousness about the health of the environment.
At present, environmental quality in China has steadily improved, but may deteriorate
in the case of a slight slack in environment protection efforts.
It must be noted that China still faces many environmental issues, including limited
environmental capacity, fragile ecosystems, heavy pollution, and low ecological
security. The unique geographical environment has exacerbated regional imbalances
in environmental quality. For example, bad weather events caused by heavy pollution
occur frequently in autumn and winter in northern China; some rivers, lakes, and sea
areas are still heavily polluted; the country is still under massive pressure to control
soil environmental risks and crack down on illegal transfer and dumping of solid
waste and hazardous waste; ecological degradation and biodiversity decline have not
been effectively reversed in some regions, and the contradiction between biodiversity
conservation and economic development still exists. There are two main reasons for
this situation: First, it is closely related to China’s national conditions and development stage. China is still undergoing industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural
modernization. Heavy industries are still the dominant contributors to GDP, and coal
is still the leading fuel for power generation in China. Road transportation is still the
primary transportation mode. The level of pollution is still increasing at a fast pace,
putting ecosystems under huge pressure. Second, it is related to poor implementation