Strengthen biodiversity conservation and promote harmonious coexistence between man and nature

Author: Cui Shuhong (Department of Natural Ecology and Conservation, Ministry of Ecology and Environment)

Strengthening biodiversity conservation is the consensus of the international community and an important part of China's ecological civilization construction. China has embarked on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, and the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature is one of its important characteristics. Recently, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity was held in Kunming, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Conservation of Biodiversity" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), and the Information Office of the State Council issued a white paper on "Biodiversity Conservation in China", which not only comprehensively summarized the effectiveness of China's biodiversity conservation work, but also clarified the new goals and tasks for further strengthening biodiversity conservation in the new era. The work of biodiversity conservation in various localities has provided guidance, and has also demonstrated to the world that China attaches importance to and assumes responsibility for biodiversity conservation, which is of great significance to promoting the joint construction of a global community of life.

First, strengthening the conservation of biodiversity is the foundation for building a modern era in which man and nature coexist in harmony

In the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping depicted a grand blueprint for marching toward the second centenary goal after building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way in 2020, and opened a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China put forward the long-term goal of basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035. General Secretary Xi Jinping further emphasized at the 29th collective study of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee: "China's construction of socialist modernization has many important characteristics, one of which is that China's modernization is the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and pays attention to promoting the construction of material civilization and the construction of ecological civilization at the same time. ”

Biodiversity provides mankind with a rich variety of production and living necessities, a healthy and safe ecological environment and a unique natural landscape culture, which is the basis for human survival and development, and the bloodline and foundation of the community of life on earth. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the significance of strengthening biodiversity conservation at the World Horticultural Expo in Beijing, China, the United Nations Biodiversity Summit, and the COP15 Leaders' Summit, and put forward the initiatives of "jointly building a community of life on earth", "jointly building a beautiful home for harmony of all things" and "building a harmonious and coexistence of man and nature on the earth". China has continued to increase the conservation of biodiversity and adopted a series of effective measures, and remarkable results have been achieved in biodiversity conservation.

The "Opinions" implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of speeches on biodiversity conservation and the important decision-making and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on biodiversity conservation, fully connect with the requirements of building a harmonious and beautiful home for all things, and clarify the tasks of biodiversity conservation in the new era. In the new stage of development, we must completely, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development concept, uphold the concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, continue to promote biodiversity conservation and high-quality development, adhere to the priority of conservation, protection and natural restoration, continuously enhance the resilience of the ecosystem, coordinate pollution control, ecological protection, and response to climate change, promote the continuous improvement of the ecological environment, and comprehensively promote the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

Second, fully grasp the strategic deployment of strengthening biodiversity conservation in the new era

The "Opinions" clearly define the overall goal of further strengthening biodiversity conservation, and put forward tasks and measures such as accelerating the improvement of biodiversity conservation policies and regulations, and continuously optimizing the spatial pattern of biodiversity conservation, which is the action guide for all localities and departments to comprehensively promote the work of biodiversity conservation.

The first is to effectively respond to the challenges facing biodiversity, comprehensively improve the level of biodiversity conservation as the overall goal, respectively, with the "14th Five-Year Plan" and the realization of beautiful China as the time node, clarify the protection goals of ecosystems, key species, biological genetic resources and other conservation targets in 2025, and propose that by 2035," "typical ecosystems, wild animal and plant species under national key protection, endangered wild animals and plants and their habitats will be fully protected" Form a good situation of biodiversity conservation to promote green development and harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and strive to build a beautiful China" goal.

The second is to accelerate the construction of the rule of law for biodiversity conservation, study and promote the formulation and revision of relevant laws and regulations, coordinate the management of ecological protection redlines, nature reserves, priority areas for biodiversity conservation, and key ecological function areas, promote the integrated protection and restoration of grass and sand and ice in landscapes, forests, lakes, and grasses, continue to strengthen law enforcement supervision and inspection, severely crack down on illegal and criminal acts involving biodiversity, and form a high-pressure situation of strict crackdown and strict prevention and strict control.

The third is to coordinate the promotion of biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of biological resources, strengthen the research on the development of biological resources and sustainable use technologies, standardize biodiversity-friendly business activities, promote the development and concession of green industries, build a high-quality and diversified ecological product system, and achieve the sustainable use of biodiversity.

The fourth is to strengthen the capacity building of biodiversity governance, build a complete biodiversity conservation monitoring system, continue to promote the investigation of ecosystems, key biological species and important biological genetic resources in key areas, and continue to improve the level of prevention and control management of invasive alien species. Earnestly implement the international biodiversity-related treaties to which China is a party, actively participate in global biodiversity governance, strengthen bilateral and multilateral dialogue and cooperation in the field of biodiversity conservation and green development, and enhance international influence. Strengthen publicity and education on biodiversity conservation, improve social participation mechanisms, and guide party committees and governments at all levels, enterprises and public institutions, social organizations and the public to consciously and actively participate in biodiversity conservation.

The fifth is to strengthen organizational leadership and overall coordination, earnestly assume the responsibility for biodiversity conservation, study the establishment of market-oriented and socialized investment and financing mechanisms, strengthen technical research and professional personnel training, and effectively ensure the orderly and efficient development of biodiversity conservation.

Third, earnestly implement the tasks of strengthening biodiversity conservation

At present, we are in a critical period of strengthening biodiversity conservation and promoting global environmental governance. To implement the requirements and tasks and measures of the Opinions, it is necessary to take Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization as the guide, base on the new development stage, implement the new development concept, build a new development pattern, integrate biodiversity conservation into the whole process and aspects of ecological civilization construction and high-quality development, and promote the effective implementation of various tasks.

Full implementation of responsibilities. Reversing biodiversity loss will require long and strenuous efforts. In accordance with the basic principles of hierarchical compaction of the main responsibility, party committees and governments at all levels should implement the responsibility system for the construction of ecological civilization, the competent departments of biodiversity should improve the implementation of various tasks, and all relevant departments should perform their responsibilities for biodiversity conservation, strengthen coordination and cooperation, and jointly gather protection synergy.

Improve policies and systems. In accordance with the overall requirements of the construction of ecological civilization, incorporate biodiversity into the whole process of economic and social development, in accordance with the requirements of the ecological civilization system system, promote the formulation and revision of laws and regulations in the field of biodiversity, formulate China's biodiversity conservation strategy and action plan and ten-year plan for major biodiversity conservation projects in the new era, continuously improve relevant policies and systems, and implement new requirements and new deployments for biodiversity in all aspects and fields.

Improve conservation effectiveness. Adhere to the development in conservation, conservation in development, on the basis of increasing the conservation of biodiversity, further determine the direction and scope of sustainable use. In accordance with the requirements of the new development concept, adhere to ecological priority and green development, accelerate the optimization and adjustment of natural protected areas, improve the supervision system of ecological protection redlines, carry out systematic protection and restoration, innovate the sustainable use mechanism of biodiversity, promote the realization of the value of ecological products, and promote high-quality economic and social development through biodiversity conservation.

Improve governance capabilities. Effectively link investigation and monitoring work, fully rely on all types of monitoring sites at all levels, build monitoring networks such as ecological positioning sites, integrate and use databases and information systems of various biological species and genetic resources at all levels to achieve data sharing, and promote the modernization of biodiversity monitoring. At the same time, effectively link all kinds of law enforcement actions, and promote the comprehensive implementation of law enforcement supervision and inspection. Increase the intensity of scientific and technological research and development, education and training, and public participation, build a new pattern of the whole society participating in biodiversity conservation, and comprehensively improve biodiversity conservation capabilities and governance levels.

Actively participate in global governance. Uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, adhere to multilateralism, earnestly implement international conventions on environmental protection, actively participate in global biodiversity governance, carry out international cooperation on biodiversity conservation in depth, provide Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for promoting global biodiversity conservation, and work with the international community to build a community of human and natural life.

Source: China Environment News