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X. Zhang
and vows to “implement major ecosystem conservation and recovery projects” when
making work arrangements for the future. At present, China is endeavoring to restore
ecosystems, recover biodiversity and re-establish the habitat environment they rely
on, covering mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands both in
coastal and inland areas. According to past experience and lessons, a solution based
on natural conditions and laws must be applied to such a massive and systematic
ecological restoration program as it is not only more cost-effective than other solutions, but also accomplishes win–win results for man and nature, development and
protection by addressing the root causes.
4 Combining Knowledge with Action
Practice is the only criterion to verify truth. For many years we have explored wide
and far for the vision of ecological civilization. Apart from theoretical discussions,
we have spent ten years implementing this vision in Guizhou, the province of the
most backward economic and social development in China, and worked with local
governments, Party organs and other related parties to create the ECO Forum Global
Guiyang.
Marx said, “Philosophers only know how to explain the world in different ways,
but the key is how to change the world.” Bearing this in mind, we, while believing
in the huge guiding force of thoughts and visions, also advocate concrete actions
by hosting the ECO Forum Global, which has yielded bountiful fruits through ten
years’ efforts. ECO Forum Global Guiyang was the first to practice the assertion that
“civilization prospers when ecological prospers; civilization declines when ecological declines,” the first to call attention to climate change in China, the first to
propose green financial measures, the first to promote carbon–neutral infrastructure
construction, and the first to explore the legal guarantee for ecological advancement
in China…It has contributed a lot to China’s explorations for the strategy and path
of building ecological civilization.
“Combining knowledge with action” is the only way to solve the conflict between
development and protection. For a very long time in the past, Guizhou has been one
of the poorest regions in China with its per capita GDP ranking last nationwide. In the
meantime, it is an important ecological barrier in western China, and maintaining its
somewhat fragile ecosystem is an arduous task since the province is filled with mountains and hills typical of a karst landform. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the
CPC Guizhou provincial committee and the Guizhou government, eco-civilization is
deeply driven home across the province today. More importantly, ecological conservation and economic development have made headway in parallel guided by concept.
In 2018, forest coverage rate in the province increased to 57%. Guizhou piloted the
“river chief system” and found a way of environmental protection on that basis in
view of local conditions. The Fanjing Mountain was successfully listed as a world
natural heritage, driving the total number of such heritages in Guizhou to four. Also
in 2018, the provincial GDP climbed up 9.1% from the previous year, the highest
X. Zhang
and vows to “implement major ecosystem conservation and recovery projects” when
making work arrangements for the future. At present, China is endeavoring to restore
ecosystems, recover biodiversity and re-establish the habitat environment they rely
on, covering mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands both in
coastal and inland areas. According to past experience and lessons, a solution based
on natural conditions and laws must be applied to such a massive and systematic
ecological restoration program as it is not only more cost-effective than other solutions, but also accomplishes win–win results for man and nature, development and
protection by addressing the root causes.
4 Combining Knowledge with Action
Practice is the only criterion to verify truth. For many years we have explored wide
and far for the vision of ecological civilization. Apart from theoretical discussions,
we have spent ten years implementing this vision in Guizhou, the province of the
most backward economic and social development in China, and worked with local
governments, Party organs and other related parties to create the ECO Forum Global
Guiyang.
Marx said, “Philosophers only know how to explain the world in different ways,
but the key is how to change the world.” Bearing this in mind, we, while believing
in the huge guiding force of thoughts and visions, also advocate concrete actions
by hosting the ECO Forum Global, which has yielded bountiful fruits through ten
years’ efforts. ECO Forum Global Guiyang was the first to practice the assertion that
“civilization prospers when ecological prospers; civilization declines when ecological declines,” the first to call attention to climate change in China, the first to
propose green financial measures, the first to promote carbon–neutral infrastructure
construction, and the first to explore the legal guarantee for ecological advancement
in China…It has contributed a lot to China’s explorations for the strategy and path
of building ecological civilization.
“Combining knowledge with action” is the only way to solve the conflict between
development and protection. For a very long time in the past, Guizhou has been one
of the poorest regions in China with its per capita GDP ranking last nationwide. In the
meantime, it is an important ecological barrier in western China, and maintaining its
somewhat fragile ecosystem is an arduous task since the province is filled with mountains and hills typical of a karst landform. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the
CPC Guizhou provincial committee and the Guizhou government, eco-civilization is
deeply driven home across the province today. More importantly, ecological conservation and economic development have made headway in parallel guided by concept.
In 2018, forest coverage rate in the province increased to 57%. Guizhou piloted the
“river chief system” and found a way of environmental protection on that basis in
view of local conditions. The Fanjing Mountain was successfully listed as a world
natural heritage, driving the total number of such heritages in Guizhou to four. Also
in 2018, the provincial GDP climbed up 9.1% from the previous year, the highest