Accelerate the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature

Source: Economic Daily

The Central Economic Work Conference stressed that "the promotion of Chinese-style modernization must be regarded as the most important politics". Respecting nature, conforming to nature, protecting nature, and promoting the harmonious coexistence of man and nature are the distinctive characteristics of Chinese modernization. Promoting the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature is a dynamic process. To better promote the comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation of economic and social development and support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment, it is necessary to deeply understand the unique connotation and characteristics of modernization in which man and nature coexist in harmony.

First, it contains a unique ecological concept of excellent traditional Chinese culture. In modern times, most of the modernization of Western countries has gone through the stage of wanton plundering of natural resources and vicious destruction of the ecological environment, creating huge material wealth while causing environmental pollution and resource depletion. The "Eight Major Public Pollution Incidents in the World" that occurred in some Western countries in the last century have triggered people's profound reflection on Western modernization. The mainland's per capita energy resource endowment is seriously insufficient, and accelerating development is facing more energy resources and environmental constraints, which determines that the mainland cannot follow the old path of Western modernization. Chinese modernization adheres to the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, abandons the traditional industrialization path of pollution first and then treatment, embodies the Marxist ecological outlook, inherits and develops the ecological concept of the unity of nature and man and the cultivation of all things in the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and provides a new idea for the world to fundamentally solve the ecological crisis.

Second, it embodies the unity of economic ecology and ecological economy. It is necessary to consciously limit economic activities and human behavior to the limits that natural resources and the ecological environment can bear, and promote the effective improvement of the quality and reasonable growth of the economy in the process of green development. At the same time, the ecological environment has increasingly become an important resource and guarantee for production and development, and natural resources, environmental capacity, and climate capacity can be regarded as economic resources for development, protection and use, and its ecological value and economic value should be considered. In this sense, economic growth and environmental protection are coordinated and mutually supportive. Chinese modernization adheres to sustainable development, unswervingly follows the path of civilized development with production development, affluent life and good ecology, requires the correct handling of the relationship between high-quality development and high-level protection, and takes into account economic and environmental interests, opening up broad prospects for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.

The third is to build a system that integrates ecology with economy, politics, culture and society to achieve modernization. Human society is a rigorous organic whole composed of economic, political, cultural, social, ecological and other elements, and human social civilization includes five civilizations: material civilization, political civilization, spiritual civilization, social civilization and ecological civilization. Promote the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, regard the construction of ecological civilization as the fundamental plan related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and put the construction of a beautiful China in a prominent position in the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation, forming a complete ecological civilization system in theory, reflecting that Chinese modernization is a comprehensive modernization of the "five-in-one" of economic, political, cultural, social and ecological civilization.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the mainland has adhered to the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, adhered to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands and sands, strengthened ecological environmental protection in all directions, all regions and the whole process, made the ecological civilization system more sound, promoted pollution prevention and control in depth, and made solid steps in green, circular and low-carbon development. At the same time, the task of ecological and environmental protection on the mainland is still arduous, facing many outstanding contradictions and challenges, the structural, root cause, and trend pressures on ecological environmental protection have not been fundamentally alleviated, the constraints of resources and environment on economic development are becoming increasingly tight, and the construction of ecological civilization is still in a critical period of superimposed pressure and heavy burden.

Comprehensively promote energy conservation and carbon reduction in key industries and fields. Accelerate the adjustment and optimization of the industrial structure, energy structure, and transportation structure, vigorously develop green and low-carbon industries, and promote the clean and efficient use of coal and other fossil energy. Adhere to the priority policy of energy conservation, accelerate the research and development, promotion and application of advanced technologies for energy conservation and carbon reduction, and deepen energy conservation in traditional fields such as industry, construction, and transportation. By encouraging equipment renewal, strengthening technical research, promoting agglomeration development, and accelerating the elimination of backwardness, we will accelerate the transformation and upgrading of energy conservation and carbon reduction in key areas such as steel, petrochemical, and building materials. Strengthen the energy-saving management of key energy-using units, implement key projects such as energy system optimization and energy-saving technological transformation, accelerate the formulation and revision of mandatory national standards for energy consumption limits and energy efficiency of products and equipment, and expand industries such as energy conservation and environmental protection, clean production, clean energy, and green services.

Efforts will be made to expand the city's blue-green space. Clarify the demand for blue-green space and the proportion target in urban planning. Protect and restore urban ecosystems, including wetlands, forests and water bodies, and maintain urban ecological balance and biodiversity. Build multi-functional blue-green space, promote urban agriculture, and improve the efficiency of blue-green space. Improve the quality of blue-green space, strengthen the management of blue-green space, and improve its attractiveness and usability. Use modern technology to monitor and manage blue-green spaces and develop more effective management strategies.

Accelerate the improvement of the level of conservation and intensive utilization of land resources. We will continue to tap potential land reserve resources and optimize the land use structure. Give full play to the leading role of planning and scientifically allocate land space. Promote the redevelopment of inefficient land and improve the utilization efficiency of existing construction land. According to the industrial life cycle and project production cycle, optimize land supply, establish and improve the assessment and evaluation system for construction land supply, and improve the level of land use management.

Vigorously promote the development of new energy. Accelerate the construction of a new power system, promote the large-scale, high-proportion, market-oriented and high-quality development of renewable energy, and effectively support the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system. Adhere to ecological priority, adapt measures to local conditions, diversified and integrated development, and orderly develop new energy suitable for local conditions. We will further build a new energy infrastructure network and improve the power grid's ability to accept, allocate and regulate clean energy. Focus on key areas and major needs of energy, strengthen joint research on key core technologies, and strengthen the transformation and application of scientific research achievements. Deepen new energy technology innovation and international cooperation in the industrial chain, deeply participate in the reform of international energy governance, and build a new win-win model for green and low-carbon energy transformation.

(Source of this article: Economic Daily Author: An Shuxin The author is a researcher at the Institute of Economic Research, China Academy of Macroeconomics)