Family's Words | Take stock of the hot issues in China's ecological civilization construction in 2023

2023 is the first year for the full implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and it is also an important milestone in the process of China's ecological civilization construction. This year, the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection was held, China ushered in the first National Ecological Day, the construction of a beautiful China drew a new picture, China actively responded to climate change and promoted the construction of ecological civilization has achieved remarkable results, and the continuous improvement of air quality has promoted air pollution control to enter a new stage, and the construction of ecological civilization has reached a new level. To this end, this paper takes stock of the hot spots in the research of ecological civilization construction in the past year, and reviews the green stories of ecological civilization construction, so as to show the great achievements of ecological civilization construction in the new era.

Hotspot 1: The white paper comprehensively demonstrates the core concepts and vivid practices of China's green development in the new era

On January 19, 2023, the Information Office of the State Council released the white paper "China's Green Development in the New Era", telling China's story of promoting green development in the new era at home and abroad, reflecting the concepts, major measures and historic achievements of China's promotion of green and low-carbon economic and social development since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The responsibility of a major country to seek global sustainable development.

The international community and academic circles have hotly discussed the concept, practice and effectiveness of China's green development in the new era, contributing China's wisdom and strength to promoting global sustainable development. Some scholars have pointed out that the "gold content" and "green content" of China's economic development have increased significantly, and China's green development has added more "Chinese green" to the earth and expanded the global green map, which has benefited both China and the world. From January to November 2023, the added value of China's high-tech manufacturing industry above designated size increased by 2.3% year-on-year, and the export of new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products grew rapidly. The white paper "China's Green Development in the New Era" points out that from 2012 to 2021, China has completed a total of 960 million mu of afforestation, 278 million mu of desertification prevention and control, 600 million mu of grass planting and improvement, and more than 12 million mu of new and restored wetlands, and the forest coverage rate and forest stock have maintained "double growth" for more than 30 consecutive years, making it the country with the largest increase in forest resources and the largest area of artificial afforestation in the world.

Hotspot 2: Promote and improve the national ecological and environmental legislative system

In 2023, China will continue to promote ecological and environmental legislation and the construction of various standards and systems, the "Yellow River Protection Law of the People's Republic of China" (hereinafter referred to as the "Yellow River Protection Law") will be officially implemented, and the "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law of the People's Republic of China" (hereinafter referred to as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law) and other laws will be formulated, and the "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law" and other laws will be completed, providing a solid legal guarantee for the in-depth fight against pollution and the construction of a beautiful China.

The Yellow River Protection Law came into effect on April 1 and is China's second river basin law after the Yangtze River Protection Law, marking that the Yellow River has entered a new stage of "joint efforts to protect and promote governance". Some scholars pointed out that the law grasps the main contradiction in the Yellow River Basin, insists on focusing on protection and governance, and forms an effective legal system for the protection of the Yellow River, which is of great significance for ensuring the tranquility of the Yellow River, promoting the conservation and intensive utilization of water resources, and realizing the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

In addition, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law came into force on September 1, focusing on the main contradictions, special problems and outstanding characteristics of the ecological protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and promoting the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, sand and ice. The law establishes the basic principles of ecological protection on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, establishes a coordination mechanism for ecological protection on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, constructs an ecological security pattern on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, strengthens the protection and restoration of the alpine ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, strengthens the prevention and control of ecological risks on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and improves the policy support and guarantee for the ecological protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The promulgation and implementation of this law plays an important leading role in accelerating the development of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau into a national and even international ecological civilization highland, and provides a solid legal guarantee for building a solid national ecological security barrier and realizing the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

Hotspot 3: The resumption of CCER and the expansion of the national carbon market help achieve the "dual carbon" goal

In May 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) officially launched a study on the expansion of carbon markets in seven key industries, including building materials, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, petrochemicals, chemicals, papermaking, and civil aviation, and promoted the inclusion of key industries in the national carbon market in a phased and step-by-step manner. In order to further standardize the national greenhouse gas voluntary emission reduction trading and related activities, and promote the realization of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the State Administration for Market Regulation issued the Administrative Measures for Greenhouse Gas Voluntary Emission Reduction Trading (Trial) on October 19, which compels the carbon trading market and the national certified emission reduction (China Certified Emission Reduction, hereinafter referred to as CCER) trading market to form a complete carbon market trading system in China. CCER restart is imminent.

At present, the expansion of the national carbon market is accelerating, and CCER, as a supplementary product of the carbon market, fully supports the orderly progress of the national mandatory carbon emission reduction market, provides a new platform for enterprises in various industries and all sectors of society, and helps to promote the realization of the "double carbon" goal. After the CCER mechanism is launched, more owners of voluntary emission reduction projects can also participate in market transactions, which will help more entities participate in the construction of the national carbon market, thereby improving the efficiency of carbon pricing, increasing the volume of the carbon market, and enhancing market liquidity. CCER can not only participate in international carbon market transactions and promote the integration of China's carbon market with the international carbon market, but also improve the international recognition and competitiveness of China's carbon market, and enhance China's carbon pricing voice and influence in the international market.

Hotspot 4: Guiyang International Forum on Ecological Civilization Tells the "Chinese Story" of Ecological Civilization

From July 8 to 9, 2023, the 2023 Guiyang International Forum on Ecological Civilization was held with the theme of "Seeking Harmonious Coexistence and Modernization of Man and Nature - Promoting Green and Low-Carbon Development", aiming to demonstrate China's firm determination to actively respond to global climate change and deepen international exchanges and cooperation on ecological civilization.

This forum condensed the global consensus on the construction of ecological civilization, demonstrated the achievements of China's ecological civilization construction, focused on the key issues of ecological civilization construction, and reached an ideological foundation at the theoretical and practical levels to adhere to the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and build a solid foundation for the construction of ecological civilization in the new era, adhere to the theoretical way of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and consolidate the theoretical way of building a clean and beautiful world, adhere to the development policy of innovation-driven science and technology, plan and promote comprehensive green transformation, and adhere to the promotion of green and low-carbon development. There are 14 consensuses in four aspects, including taking the road of action to promote global sustainable development.

The Guiyang International Forum on Ecological Civilization adheres to the principle of "Towards a New Era of Ecological Civilization and Building a Beautiful China", closely follows the major decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on the construction of ecological civilization, actively responds to the concerns of the international community about the hot spots in the field of ecological civilization, continues to promote the dissemination of the concept of ecological civilization and sustainable development, and continuously deepens extensive exchanges and pragmatic cooperation with the international community in the fields of ecological environmental protection and climate change. An important platform to showcase the achievements of ecological civilization construction in various countries and promote the construction of global ecological civilization.

Hotspot 5: The National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection writes a new chapter in the construction of ecological civilization in the new era

On July 17-18, 2023, the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection was held in Beijing.practiceNear-flatThe general secretary attended the meeting and delivered an important speech. This National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection is a major milestone in the history of China's ecological civilization construction, which demonstrates the great importance that the Party Central Committee attaches to the construction of ecological civilization and ecological environmental protection, and provides direction and fundamental guidance for further promoting the construction of ecological civilization.

practiceNear-flatThe general secretary profoundly expounded at the conference "four major changes", "five major relationships" and "six major tasks" and other important expositions, clearly put forward the important requirements of adhering to and strengthening the party's overall leadership over the construction of ecological civilization. For in-depth learningpracticeimplementpracticeNear-flatThe spirit of the general secretary's important speech at the conference, conscientiously implement the major decisions and arrangements made by the conference for the construction of a beautiful China, and earnestly fulfill the responsibility of promoting the construction of ecological civilizationpracticePublicize and implement the spirit of the conference, and go deeper and more practical. On the new journey, we must learn deeplypracticeimplementpracticeNear-flatThe idea of ecological civilization should plan and promote the ecological environmental protection of the new journey with a higher position, a wider vision and greater efforts, accelerate the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and write a new chapter in the construction of ecological civilization in the new era.

Hotspot 6: The first National Ecological Day promotes the concept of ecological civilization in the hearts of the people

On August 15, 2023, China ushered in the first National Ecology Day, with the theme of "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets", which reflects the important position of ecological civilization construction in the new era, marks an important step in the construction of ecological civilization in China, and also demonstrates the great importance attached to ecological environmental protection.

On August 15, 2005, he was the secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party CommitteepracticeNear-flatWhen the comrades inspected Yu Village in Anji, they put forward for the first time the scientific thesis that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." Nowadays, "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has become the common concept of the people of all ethnic groups across the country, the harmonious coexistence of man and nature has become the common understanding of the whole party and the whole society, and green, circular and low-carbon development has become the common action of all regions and departments.

The establishment of a national ecology day is conducive to better learningpracticePublicity and implementationpracticeNear-flatEcological civilization thinking, improve the awareness of ecological civilization in the whole society, enhance the awareness of ecological environmental protection and action consciousness of the whole people, promote the construction of ecological civilization with the spirit of nailing, and further tell the story of China's ecological civilization construction to the international community. Different forms and connotations of the "Ecology Day" publicity activities have been carried out all over the country, with practical actions to protect the lucid waters and lush mountains, and paint a beautiful picture of China.

Hotspot 7: Green development of the Belt and Road Initiative contributes to the realization of the goals of the global sustainable development agenda

The 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in October 2023,practiceNear-flatAt the forum, the General Secretary announced China's eight actions to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, marking a new stage of high-quality development for the Belt and Road Initiative.

Over the past 10 years since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, the construction of the Green Silk Road has achieved fruitful results, bringing new opportunities to the countries and injecting new green momentum into global governance. Some scholars have pointed out that in the eight actions of "promoting green development", China will continue to deepen cooperation in green infrastructure, green energy, green transportation and other fields, increase support for the "Belt and Road" international green development alliance, continue to hold the "Belt and Road" green innovation conference, and build a dialogue and exchange mechanism for the photovoltaic industry and a network of green and low-carbon experts. In practice, in the first half of 2023, China's trade in goods with the Belt and Road countries reached 6.89 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.8%. China's new energy industry has expanded overseas, driven by its own growth to drive the development of the world's green economy, and has also made important contributions to China's active participation in the global response to climate change, helping to promote the global cause of emission reduction. In the first three quarters of 2023, the total export of China's foreign trade "new three" products, represented by electric manned vehicles, lithium batteries and solar cells, was 798.99 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 41.7%, accounting for 1.3 percentage points of China's exports, reaching 4.5%.

Hotspot 8: Plan and promote the construction of a beautiful China from the perspective of building a harmonious coexistence between man and nature

On November 7, 2023, the third meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensively Deepening Reform deliberated and adopted the "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful China".practiceNear-flatThe general secretary stressed that building a beautiful China is an important goal of building a modern socialist country in an all-round way, and it is necessary to anchor the basic realization of the goal of a beautiful China by 2035 and promote the fundamental improvement of the ecological environment.

Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other provinces have compiled and issued the construction plan of the beautiful province in the region, Guangdong, Shanghai and other places are also actively promoting the preparation of the provincial beautiful construction plan or opinion, and a number of cities such as Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Shenzhen and Yantai have issued a city-level beautiful construction plan. The next five years will be an important period for the construction of a beautiful China, and China will accelerate the construction of the Beautiful China Pilot Zone, carry out beautiful practices in different carriers and forms such as beautiful provinces, beautiful cities, and beautiful villages, and promote the full coverage of the construction of a beautiful China according to local conditions, echelons and sustainability, and strive to create beautiful blue skies, beautiful rivers and lakes, beautiful bays, and beautiful mountains and rivers, so as to create a vivid picture of jointly building and sharing a beautiful China.

Hotspot 9: China actively responds to climate change and promotes the construction of a global climate governance system

From November 30 to December 12, 2023, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held annually and the world's only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change, and COP28 is the largest climate conference ever held, with almost all parties participating, underscoring the sense of urgency and growing consensus that prevails in the international community.

The conference comprehensively demonstrated China's pragmatic actions and remarkable results in actively responding to climate change and strengthening international cooperation on climate change, further publicized China's achievements in ecological civilization construction, and expounded China's proposition on global climate and environmental governance, which was widely recognized by all parties in the international community. According to the National Energy Administration's press release, China's installed renewable energy capacity reached 1.322 billion kilowatts in the first half of 2023, accounting for about 48.8% of the total installed capacity, historically surpassing coal power. When it comes to the green transition, China's decisive and strong actions are widely recognized as an important enabler of the changes needed to achieve the necessary green transition. As of September 2023, China has signed 48 climate change cooperation documents with 40 countries, cooperated in building 4 low-carbon demonstration zones, and carried out 75 climate change mitigation and adaptation projects.

Hotspot 10: Continuous improvement of air quality has pushed air pollution control into a new stage

In November 2023, in order to continue to fight the battle to defend the blue sky, the State Council issued the Action Plan for Continuous Improvement of Air Quality, clarifying the goals and roadmap for China's air pollution control in the coming period, and promoting high-quality economic development with continuous improvement of air quality.

Looking back on the past 10 years, China is the first developing country in the world to comprehensively control PM2.5 pollution, from the "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan", to the "Three-year Action Plan for Winning the Blue Sky Defense War", and then to the "Air Quality Continuous Improvement Action Plan", it can be said that accelerating the green and low-carbon transformation has become an important measure to promote the continuous improvement of air quality. Some studies have pointed out that from 2015 to 2022, the average concentration of PM2.5 in China dropped from 46 micrograms per cubic meter to 29 micrograms per cubic meter, historically reaching the first stage transition value of the World Health Organization (WHO) and is known as the country with the fastest air pollution control speed in the world.

In the past 10 years, while China's total economic output has achieved an average annual growth rate of 6.5%, pollutant emissions have continued to be significantly reduced, with the emission reductions of SO and NOx exceeding 84% and 58% respectively.