Developing Socialist Ecological Civilization …
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countries’ strengths while holding fast to its conviction and aspiration, will definitely
draw theoretical and policy inspirations from the western concept and practices of
sustainable development, and take an active part in global ecological environmental
governance.
2 Basic Connotations of Ecological Civilization
with Chinese Characteristics
1. Ecological civilization is a new economic and social normal
Ecological civilization requires the liberation and development of green productive forces. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that “protecting and improving
the ecological environment is protecting and improving productivity,” a statement
that has enriched and developed the Marxist theory on productivity by classifying
natural environment as a kind of productive force. Agricultural civilization creates
the economic model of static circulation, industrial civilization pursues economic
growth only, but ecological civilization combines static circulation with economic
growth—it boosts circular economy to raise the efficiency of resource use, promotes
clean production to reduce pollution during production, advocates green consumption to mitigate ecological impacts, and develops new energies for a thorough shift
of production mode. Only when we work on productivity can we straighten out the
man-nature relation at source, and make it possible to build a green economic system
and environment-friendly society that is based on the environment and resource’s
carrying capacity, follows natural laws, and achieves maximal ecological benefits at
minimal ecological cost.
Ecological civilization requires an ecological approach to industrial development.
An ecological layout shall be formed through industrial transformation and upgrade
to combine economic and ecological benefits. We should develop ecological agriculture, recover the ecological chain and improve resource use ratio, so as to coordinate
the development of planting, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery. We should
develop ecological industry, reform traditional productive technologies and create
new technologies of energy conservation, circular resource utilization, and development and utilization of new energies and materials. We also should develop ecological
service industry, and establish a modern service industry chain focused on highend finance and commerce, trade and logistics, conference and exhibition, cultural
creativity and ecological tourism by adopting clean service paths, ecological service
providers and green consumption mode.
Ecological civilization advocates a green lifestyle. Lifestyle in industrial civilization, characterized by materialism and high consumption, upholds that more
consumption contributes to economic development. In contrast, lifestyle in ecological civilization, characterized by practicality, economy and green consumption, aims
to meet basic living needs while aspiring for mental and cultural advancement. It is
401
countries’ strengths while holding fast to its conviction and aspiration, will definitely
draw theoretical and policy inspirations from the western concept and practices of
sustainable development, and take an active part in global ecological environmental
governance.
2 Basic Connotations of Ecological Civilization
with Chinese Characteristics
1. Ecological civilization is a new economic and social normal
Ecological civilization requires the liberation and development of green productive forces. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that “protecting and improving
the ecological environment is protecting and improving productivity,” a statement
that has enriched and developed the Marxist theory on productivity by classifying
natural environment as a kind of productive force. Agricultural civilization creates
the economic model of static circulation, industrial civilization pursues economic
growth only, but ecological civilization combines static circulation with economic
growth—it boosts circular economy to raise the efficiency of resource use, promotes
clean production to reduce pollution during production, advocates green consumption to mitigate ecological impacts, and develops new energies for a thorough shift
of production mode. Only when we work on productivity can we straighten out the
man-nature relation at source, and make it possible to build a green economic system
and environment-friendly society that is based on the environment and resource’s
carrying capacity, follows natural laws, and achieves maximal ecological benefits at
minimal ecological cost.
Ecological civilization requires an ecological approach to industrial development.
An ecological layout shall be formed through industrial transformation and upgrade
to combine economic and ecological benefits. We should develop ecological agriculture, recover the ecological chain and improve resource use ratio, so as to coordinate
the development of planting, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery. We should
develop ecological industry, reform traditional productive technologies and create
new technologies of energy conservation, circular resource utilization, and development and utilization of new energies and materials. We also should develop ecological
service industry, and establish a modern service industry chain focused on highend finance and commerce, trade and logistics, conference and exhibition, cultural
creativity and ecological tourism by adopting clean service paths, ecological service
providers and green consumption mode.
Ecological civilization advocates a green lifestyle. Lifestyle in industrial civilization, characterized by materialism and high consumption, upholds that more
consumption contributes to economic development. In contrast, lifestyle in ecological civilization, characterized by practicality, economy and green consumption, aims
to meet basic living needs while aspiring for mental and cultural advancement. It is