Ecological Civilization—The Chinese Path
519
people, serve society, and boost development.” This is written in the report of the
18th CPC National Congress.
Today the study of ecological culture is elevated to the national level in terms of
leadership, scale and capability. Research institutes of ecological culture have been
established on national and sub-national levels, departments and courses regarding
ecological culture have been established in colleges, and bachelors, masters and
doctors are being cultivated in related disciplines. This is an imperative step to implement the ecological civilization strategy outlined by the 17th, 18th and 19th CPC
National Congresses. Relevant studies have made impressive progress and results.
Monographs, theses, and literary, artistic and film and TV works on ecological philosophy, ecological politics, ecological economics, ecological law, ecological Marxism
and many other subjects have emerged like mushrooms after a spring rain, serving
the nation’s ecological progress.
2 Ecological Civilization—A Path of Socialism
with Chinese Characteristics
In the early twenty-first century, along with China’s remarkable achievements in
industrialization were serious environmental pollution, especially the pollution of
air, water and heavy metals. A number of grave pollution events happened at that
time. There were severe heavy metal pollution events such as the “cadmium pollution
event” in Hunan’s Liuyang (2008–2009) and the “lead in blood event” in Shaanxi’s
Fengxiang (2009). Water pollution gave rise to several “cancer villages” (2000–2006)
in different regions, including Henan’s Shenqiu, Anhui’s Mengcheng and Lingbi,
Shandong’s Wenshang, Shangba Village in Guangdong’s Shaoguan, and Jiangxi’s
Dexing and Leping, where the incidence rate and mortality rate of cancer increased
shockingly. Food safety events took place constantly, such as the “Sanlu formula
event” (2008), poisonous dumpling event (2008), clenbuterol event (Guangdong’s
Heyuan, 2006), “toxic cowpea event” (Wuhan, 2010), and “gutter oil event” (2010).
Air pollution was also serious with thick smog spreading from Beijing and other big
cities in the north to the central, eastern and southern part of China (2013). These
pollution events were more serious than the eight environmental hazards regarding
the scope, gravity, number of deaths, hazard to human health and economic damages.
The Chinese government and people were so shocked that they embarked on the path
of building an ecological civilization.
In 2007, General Secretary Hu Jintao said, “the 17th CPC National Congress
emphasized the need to develop ecological civilization. It was the first time the
CPC put it forth as a strategic task.” “We will develop ecological civilization and
basically establish the industrial structure, growth pattern and consumption mode
characterized by energy and resource conservation and environmental protection.
The circular economy will reach a large scale, the share of renewable energies will
increase considerably, the discharge of main pollutants will be effectively controlled
519
people, serve society, and boost development.” This is written in the report of the
18th CPC National Congress.
Today the study of ecological culture is elevated to the national level in terms of
leadership, scale and capability. Research institutes of ecological culture have been
established on national and sub-national levels, departments and courses regarding
ecological culture have been established in colleges, and bachelors, masters and
doctors are being cultivated in related disciplines. This is an imperative step to implement the ecological civilization strategy outlined by the 17th, 18th and 19th CPC
National Congresses. Relevant studies have made impressive progress and results.
Monographs, theses, and literary, artistic and film and TV works on ecological philosophy, ecological politics, ecological economics, ecological law, ecological Marxism
and many other subjects have emerged like mushrooms after a spring rain, serving
the nation’s ecological progress.
2 Ecological Civilization—A Path of Socialism
with Chinese Characteristics
In the early twenty-first century, along with China’s remarkable achievements in
industrialization were serious environmental pollution, especially the pollution of
air, water and heavy metals. A number of grave pollution events happened at that
time. There were severe heavy metal pollution events such as the “cadmium pollution
event” in Hunan’s Liuyang (2008–2009) and the “lead in blood event” in Shaanxi’s
Fengxiang (2009). Water pollution gave rise to several “cancer villages” (2000–2006)
in different regions, including Henan’s Shenqiu, Anhui’s Mengcheng and Lingbi,
Shandong’s Wenshang, Shangba Village in Guangdong’s Shaoguan, and Jiangxi’s
Dexing and Leping, where the incidence rate and mortality rate of cancer increased
shockingly. Food safety events took place constantly, such as the “Sanlu formula
event” (2008), poisonous dumpling event (2008), clenbuterol event (Guangdong’s
Heyuan, 2006), “toxic cowpea event” (Wuhan, 2010), and “gutter oil event” (2010).
Air pollution was also serious with thick smog spreading from Beijing and other big
cities in the north to the central, eastern and southern part of China (2013). These
pollution events were more serious than the eight environmental hazards regarding
the scope, gravity, number of deaths, hazard to human health and economic damages.
The Chinese government and people were so shocked that they embarked on the path
of building an ecological civilization.
In 2007, General Secretary Hu Jintao said, “the 17th CPC National Congress
emphasized the need to develop ecological civilization. It was the first time the
CPC put it forth as a strategic task.” “We will develop ecological civilization and
basically establish the industrial structure, growth pattern and consumption mode
characterized by energy and resource conservation and environmental protection.
The circular economy will reach a large scale, the share of renewable energies will
increase considerably, the discharge of main pollutants will be effectively controlled