Several Issues About Promoting Ecological Civilization …
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and mountains become obstacles on their way to wealth; but when they have lived a
comfortable urban life, they want to relax themselves in nature, although it is already
impossible for most people to live in a “pure” natural environment for a long time
as they have become socialized. Fourth, with social and technological progress, it is
hard to imagine what the humankind and the natural world it lives in will be like in
hundreds of years, but we must keep in mind that nature remains nature whatever
changes come its way. To quote from a documentary, “nature doesn’t need man, man
needs nature.” I put down these points to remind us all that nature and society are
closely intertwined, even integrated as a whole, and human activities have tremendous
and far-reaching effects on nature, of which we know little about. Therefore, it would
be wise for man to stand in awe of nature and be very cautious when developing and
utilizing it.
3 Ecological Civilization and Sustainable Development
We have briefly reviewed how the international community has gradually realized
and recognized sustainable development and the policy measures adopted by China.
In fact, ecological civilization is closely related with sustainable development, with
their basic concepts being connected and consistent. The former is the result of
combining sustainable development and China’s national conditions.
First of all, both ecological civilization and sustainable development are initiated
to cope with the environmental crisis in the process of human development. Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Second, the two ideas have similar contents. The three pillars of sustainable development that support and strengthen each other are economic development, social
development and environmental protection. Ecological progress is an integral part
of socialism with Chinese characteristics along with economic, social, cultural and
political progress, and is embedded in the other four aspects. Developing ecological civilization and pursuing sustainable development are both significant decisions
made in consideration of the overall interests and long-term development of human
society. However, they are different in terms of the perspective of viewing things and
the focus of resolving problems, the latter focused on ensuring stable and sustained
economic growth. It is stated in the report Our Common Future that “the environment
is where we all live; and development is what we all do in attempting to improve
our lot within that abode. The two are inseparable.” In the same year that United
Nations Conference on Environment & Development in Rio de Janeiro released the
Agenda 21, the World Bank’s World Development Report 1992 defined development
as the cause of reforming people’s lives and the cyclic progress of the economy and
society. Ten years later, the UN held the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002, at which a political statement and the execution plan
(for Agenda 21) were issued, which prioritized eliminating poverty and developing
economy and took poverty as the most severe global challenge. According to Xiao
439
and mountains become obstacles on their way to wealth; but when they have lived a
comfortable urban life, they want to relax themselves in nature, although it is already
impossible for most people to live in a “pure” natural environment for a long time
as they have become socialized. Fourth, with social and technological progress, it is
hard to imagine what the humankind and the natural world it lives in will be like in
hundreds of years, but we must keep in mind that nature remains nature whatever
changes come its way. To quote from a documentary, “nature doesn’t need man, man
needs nature.” I put down these points to remind us all that nature and society are
closely intertwined, even integrated as a whole, and human activities have tremendous
and far-reaching effects on nature, of which we know little about. Therefore, it would
be wise for man to stand in awe of nature and be very cautious when developing and
utilizing it.
3 Ecological Civilization and Sustainable Development
We have briefly reviewed how the international community has gradually realized
and recognized sustainable development and the policy measures adopted by China.
In fact, ecological civilization is closely related with sustainable development, with
their basic concepts being connected and consistent. The former is the result of
combining sustainable development and China’s national conditions.
First of all, both ecological civilization and sustainable development are initiated
to cope with the environmental crisis in the process of human development. Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Second, the two ideas have similar contents. The three pillars of sustainable development that support and strengthen each other are economic development, social
development and environmental protection. Ecological progress is an integral part
of socialism with Chinese characteristics along with economic, social, cultural and
political progress, and is embedded in the other four aspects. Developing ecological civilization and pursuing sustainable development are both significant decisions
made in consideration of the overall interests and long-term development of human
society. However, they are different in terms of the perspective of viewing things and
the focus of resolving problems, the latter focused on ensuring stable and sustained
economic growth. It is stated in the report Our Common Future that “the environment
is where we all live; and development is what we all do in attempting to improve
our lot within that abode. The two are inseparable.” In the same year that United
Nations Conference on Environment & Development in Rio de Janeiro released the
Agenda 21, the World Bank’s World Development Report 1992 defined development
as the cause of reforming people’s lives and the cyclic progress of the economy and
society. Ten years later, the UN held the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002, at which a political statement and the execution plan
(for Agenda 21) were issued, which prioritized eliminating poverty and developing
economy and took poverty as the most severe global challenge. According to Xiao