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Y. Wang
problems, the expansion of areas affected by environmental problems, and the characteristics of China in its current stage of development. After 2002, China put forward
a series of new concepts such as scientific outlook on development, resource-efficient
and environment-friendly society, circular economy, low-carbon development, and
ecological civilization. During 2006–2015, the Chinese government began to implement legally binding energy consumption and emission reduction targets and build a
comprehensive indicator system consisting of emission intensity, total emissions, and
structural indicators and a corresponding accountability mechanism. It embarked on
a path of “proposing new ideas, setting goals, launching pilot programs, and rolling
out a replicable model.” It also enacted a series of environmental laws, such as
the Environmental Impact Assessment Law, the Renewable Energy Law, and the
Circular Economy Promotion Law. This was conducive to problem solving and the
implementation of relevant plans, but it also made it difficult to respond to specific
problems in a systematic, scientific and differentiated manner.
4. Stage 4—systematically promoting environmental protection (2013–
present)
After the concept of ecological civilization was proposed at the 18th National
Congress of the CPC in 2012, China started to promote environmental protection in
a systematic manner. Since 2013, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council
have issued 40 important policy documents such as the Decisions of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues of Comprehensively Deepening Reform, Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party of China and the State Council on Accelerating the Construction of Ecological
Civilization, and Overall Plan for the Reform of the Ecological Civilization System. It
also developed a theoretical system for the development of an ecological civilization
with Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization at its core.
Along with the rapid development brought about by the reform and opening-up,
China has accumulated more than 40 years of experience in environmental protection.
It now has the capabilities required to develop top-level design and realize systematic transformation. The theory of ecological civilization development in the new era
emphasizes protecting the environment with sound systems, attaches importance to
the modernization of environmental governance systems and capabilities, and points
out that the quality of the environment is the key and that “we should prioritize the
environment and promote green development.” However, from a more comprehensive perspective, since China is still a developing country in the primary stage of
socialism, development and environmental protection should still be advanced in
good coordination.
After more than five years of hard work, the environmental quality in China has
improved at an unprecedented rate and China’s environmental protection system has
seen dramatic changes. At the same time, China’s economic structure changes, the
society undergoes transformation, and the situations at home and abroad have seen
profound changes, it is now necessary for China to adjust its timeframe, path, and
priorities of development. Standing at a new starting line, we must pursue a deeper
understanding of the concept of ecological civilization, accurately grasp the basic
Y. Wang
problems, the expansion of areas affected by environmental problems, and the characteristics of China in its current stage of development. After 2002, China put forward
a series of new concepts such as scientific outlook on development, resource-efficient
and environment-friendly society, circular economy, low-carbon development, and
ecological civilization. During 2006–2015, the Chinese government began to implement legally binding energy consumption and emission reduction targets and build a
comprehensive indicator system consisting of emission intensity, total emissions, and
structural indicators and a corresponding accountability mechanism. It embarked on
a path of “proposing new ideas, setting goals, launching pilot programs, and rolling
out a replicable model.” It also enacted a series of environmental laws, such as
the Environmental Impact Assessment Law, the Renewable Energy Law, and the
Circular Economy Promotion Law. This was conducive to problem solving and the
implementation of relevant plans, but it also made it difficult to respond to specific
problems in a systematic, scientific and differentiated manner.
4. Stage 4—systematically promoting environmental protection (2013–
present)
After the concept of ecological civilization was proposed at the 18th National
Congress of the CPC in 2012, China started to promote environmental protection in
a systematic manner. Since 2013, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council
have issued 40 important policy documents such as the Decisions of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues of Comprehensively Deepening Reform, Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party of China and the State Council on Accelerating the Construction of Ecological
Civilization, and Overall Plan for the Reform of the Ecological Civilization System. It
also developed a theoretical system for the development of an ecological civilization
with Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization at its core.
Along with the rapid development brought about by the reform and opening-up,
China has accumulated more than 40 years of experience in environmental protection.
It now has the capabilities required to develop top-level design and realize systematic transformation. The theory of ecological civilization development in the new era
emphasizes protecting the environment with sound systems, attaches importance to
the modernization of environmental governance systems and capabilities, and points
out that the quality of the environment is the key and that “we should prioritize the
environment and promote green development.” However, from a more comprehensive perspective, since China is still a developing country in the primary stage of
socialism, development and environmental protection should still be advanced in
good coordination.
After more than five years of hard work, the environmental quality in China has
improved at an unprecedented rate and China’s environmental protection system has
seen dramatic changes. At the same time, China’s economic structure changes, the
society undergoes transformation, and the situations at home and abroad have seen
profound changes, it is now necessary for China to adjust its timeframe, path, and
priorities of development. Standing at a new starting line, we must pursue a deeper
understanding of the concept of ecological civilization, accurately grasp the basic