Basic Path of Building Ecological Civilization
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ecological knowledge in the whole society, for which culture and education is the
primary approach. Ecological education in schools, including primary and middle
schools as well as colleges, should be strengthened, so should social education,
covering governments, enterprises and the public, with the media, training and
self-education being effective approaches. It must be made clear that professionals
engaged in science, engineering, law, management, finance and social governance
all bear a responsibility for ecological progress and therefore should be educated
thereof. In this way, we can foster a social ethos where everyone feels responsible
for protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development.
Most importantly, we should intensify quality education across the board, advocate environmental ethics, and urge the public to respect and protect nature, care for
themselves and the whole mankind, and consider both the present and the future.
We must continuously publicize the sustainable development strategy and ecological progress, drive home the idea of “unification of nature and man” that is a key
message of traditional Chinese culture, and also introduce new ideas and theories
from developed countries, such as “industrial ecology” and “eco-city.”
6. Legal system and administration
The legal system for ecological progress must be founded on the basis of a series
of established and interrelated legal systems, in accordance with the concept and
basic laws of ecological civilization as well as the general evolution laws of environmental factors, and on the principle of ecology first, non-deterioration, ecological
democracy and common responsibility. The legal systems can be categorized into
preventive, controlling and relief ones. The current laws should be revised to incorporate ecological requirements and be more interrelated with other laws, including
criminal ones, law enforcement and punishment of violations should be reinforced,
and a lifetime accountability system for resource waste and environmental damage
should be established. We must perfect the economic and social development assessment system to include indicators that reflect the status of ecological progress, such as
resource consumption, environmental damage and ecological benefits, thus making
it an important guide and restriction for building ecological civilization. Environmental protection systems should also be established, such as the system regarding
the property rights and the use of natural resource assets, regarding the red line of
ecological protection, ecological compensation mechanism, environmental damage
claims and accountability, and ecological work assessment and statistics. The assessment indicators should include sindicators to build an ecological civilization across
the board.
4 Conclusion
Ecological civilization is proposed based on the denial of the industrial outlook on
nature and values. It is a new civilization concept marking the direction of human
447
ecological knowledge in the whole society, for which culture and education is the
primary approach. Ecological education in schools, including primary and middle
schools as well as colleges, should be strengthened, so should social education,
covering governments, enterprises and the public, with the media, training and
self-education being effective approaches. It must be made clear that professionals
engaged in science, engineering, law, management, finance and social governance
all bear a responsibility for ecological progress and therefore should be educated
thereof. In this way, we can foster a social ethos where everyone feels responsible
for protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development.
Most importantly, we should intensify quality education across the board, advocate environmental ethics, and urge the public to respect and protect nature, care for
themselves and the whole mankind, and consider both the present and the future.
We must continuously publicize the sustainable development strategy and ecological progress, drive home the idea of “unification of nature and man” that is a key
message of traditional Chinese culture, and also introduce new ideas and theories
from developed countries, such as “industrial ecology” and “eco-city.”
6. Legal system and administration
The legal system for ecological progress must be founded on the basis of a series
of established and interrelated legal systems, in accordance with the concept and
basic laws of ecological civilization as well as the general evolution laws of environmental factors, and on the principle of ecology first, non-deterioration, ecological
democracy and common responsibility. The legal systems can be categorized into
preventive, controlling and relief ones. The current laws should be revised to incorporate ecological requirements and be more interrelated with other laws, including
criminal ones, law enforcement and punishment of violations should be reinforced,
and a lifetime accountability system for resource waste and environmental damage
should be established. We must perfect the economic and social development assessment system to include indicators that reflect the status of ecological progress, such as
resource consumption, environmental damage and ecological benefits, thus making
it an important guide and restriction for building ecological civilization. Environmental protection systems should also be established, such as the system regarding
the property rights and the use of natural resource assets, regarding the red line of
ecological protection, ecological compensation mechanism, environmental damage
claims and accountability, and ecological work assessment and statistics. The assessment indicators should include sindicators to build an ecological civilization across
the board.
4 Conclusion
Ecological civilization is proposed based on the denial of the industrial outlook on
nature and values. It is a new civilization concept marking the direction of human