The timeline of the development of the EC concept in China (above) and of SD globally (below) [IMAGE: Wei et al, Natl Sci Rev, 2021, Vol. 8, nwaa279]

Holistic thinking is required to integrate environmental goals with human activities and find better solutions for global challenges. These approaches include sustainable development (SD), planetary boundaries (PB) and ecological civilization (EC) based on the unity of nature and man (UNM).

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15, with the theme of ‘Ecological civilization: building a shared future for all life on Earth’ will review and adopt the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and set global goals for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use for the next decade and beyond.

Ecological Civilization and Sustainable Development

The term EC was put forth by a European researcher who encouraged self-sacrifice for the benefit of future generations. EC was first used in China in the 1980s as an academic concept and has been widely used in scientific publications since the 2000s. The idea has had a strong appeal in China as it is consistent with ancient Chinese Taoist philosophy.

As China’s economy rapidly grew, China increasingly focused on addressing environmental challenges, and EC was proposed as an innovative way to reconcile the apparent contradiction between economic development and environmental protection at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2007. From then on President Xi has consistently championed its adoption and maturation, describing it as “vital for sustaining the development of the Chinese nation”. EC was embedded in the country’s constitution in 2018, and became the general national development strategy and cornerstone of the “New Era”.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are described by the UN as the blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all, and address global challenges related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. While EC and SD both seek to improve humanity’s relationship with the environment and have many compatibilities, they are not identical concepts. SD seeks to reconcile the competing interests of society, the economy and the environment to identify the ‘sweet spot’ where they all come together synergistically.

EC has six core principles that are highly compatible with the SDGs. EC and the top-level design and strategic arrangements of the country’s ‘Five Sphere Integrated Plan’ can be viewed as the Chinese means of fulfilling the SDGs. However, unlike the SDGs, in EC and those arrangements there is an additional emphasis on political and cultural aspects and on defining a new relationship between humanity and nature.

The relationship between the six principles of EC and the SDGs reflects the core concept of ‘Harmony between Man and Nature’, while EC is safeguarded by the strictest regulations and laws and joint efforts from international communities. ‘Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets’ is the development principle; ‘no welfare more universally beneficial than a sound natural environment’ is the awareness and action principle; while ‘mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasslands form a biotic community’ is the governing principle. [IMAGE: Wei et al, Natl Sci Rev, 2021, Vol. 8, nwaa279]

Experiences and Achievements of EC Development in China

Global leadership in afforestation

China launched large-scale national ecological restoration programs such as the Three-North Shelter Forest Program in 1978, which were followed by two of the largest conservation programs in the world: the Natural Forest Protection Project (1998), which banned logging, and the Grain to Green Program (2000), which incentivized afforestation. In addition, regional and local ecological restoration and afforestation projects have contributed to the ‘greening’ of China. Together, these restoration and afforestation projects have greatly increased forest coverage and ecosystem carbon sequestration and improved ecosystem services.

Promoting biodiversity conservation

While China rapidly industrialized and pursued numerous development projects, it also learned of the need to mitigate developmental impacts on biodiversity. China has rolled out a number of programs to address biodiversity issues, and the mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation has been embraced throughout all levels of government. In order to strengthen the effectiveness of its Protected Area (PA) system, which covers ~18 percent of the country’s land, China has established a system of protected natural areas with national parks as its mainstay. Other accomplishments include the promulgation of laws, establishment of nature reserve networks, creation of national catalogues of species, assessment of threatened status of vertebrates, higher plants and macrofungi and setting of conservation priorities for them; and use of in situ and ex situ strategies to conserve genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Many threatened species such as the giant panda, Père David’s deer and the crested ibis have begun to recover and will likely avoid extinction.

The Ecological Conservation Redline

A focal point of EC is a national ecological conservation system called the Ecological Conservation Redline (ECR). The ECR, first proposed in 2011, was formally adopted in 2017, and its national impact on land is expected to be finished by 2020 while efforts to extend it into the marine realm are underway. The ECR is designed to constrain human activities in areas important to maintaining national ecological security that provide essential ecosystem services, including water and soil conservation, biodiversity maintenance, windbreaks and sand-fixation, and in ecologically fragile regions that are prone to soil erosion, desertification and salinization.

Fighting pollution

China’s rapid industrialization and urbanization have given rise to pollution problems that affect both human health and biodiversity. Concerted efforts have been made since 2013 to improve air, soil and water quality. The Chinese government issued the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, Water Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, and Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, in 2013, 2015 and 2016, respectively. Specific targets and measures were adopted for each Action Plan to be reached and implemented by 2020 and 2030. A target of zero growth in chemical fertilizer and pesticide use by 2020 was set in 2015. Better definition of roles and responsibilities across levels of government has improved management and coordinated implementation. With the implementation of these Action Plans, air, water and soil quality in China have improved.

Implementing green development

China has proposed a comprehensive economic-ecological production framework called ‘Gross Economic-Ecological Product Accounting’ (GEEP) in its evaluation of local governments, which will help spark an industrial transformation and shift the economy to resource-saving and recycling, renewable energy and low-carbon emissions. Another approach recently adopted is to transform ecological advantages into economic ones. The Kubuqi Desert Eco-Economy embodies this new business model. Market-based mechanisms, with cooperation between government and private enterprises, are employed to achieve sustainable development goals, including restoration of degraded land and improvement in the provision of ecological services and products.

Climate change

China has committed to aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and is setting a pathway to achieve it. China is already a leader in research, development, production and application of clean energy technologies. It is also exploring nature-based solutions to climate change.

Lessons Learned that Could Help Build a Shared Future for All Life on Earth

As the host of CBD COP15, China has expressed its determination to make commitments and contributions to global biodiversity conservation, and work with other countries to explore a successful paradigm for a harmonious relationship between human beings and nature. The lessons learned in China to date may be helpful in informing national and global efforts.

Redefine the relationship between humanity and nature

China has recognized that a systematic understanding of the relationship between human beings and nature, and a fundamental shift from viewing humans as isolated in a competitive world to seeing them as an integral part of an interconnected society and biosphere is needed.

The ancient Taoist idea of the UNM advocates for the intrinsic value of nature, upholding the belief that humanity is a component of nature and promoting respect for nature and the need to conform to its rules. The EC approach is more than just a pragmatic reliance on ecosystem service values, and instead places inherent value on nature. Other cultures have their own traditions that could be drawn upon to set a national philosophy that seeks the unity of humanity and nature. Such a reconsideration of the relationship between human beings and nature could help the international community to find better solutions regarding environmental challenges and economic development.

Implement with pilot projects and adaptive governance

Experiences in China prove that pilot projects are a good way to start. During the pilots and trials, priorities, objectives and technologies can be adapted to the various situations. Local, provincial and central governments can coordinate thoroughly on development of goals but different priorities and objectives could be set by different local governments to achieve them. Such evidence-based and highly adaptive governance has been found to be essential for the success of sustainability programs in China.

The planning and implementation process should take into account actual economic, political, ecological and legal feasibilities, as well as the needs of stakeholders at all levels. Timely evaluation and feedback should be incorporated to ensure necessary measures are taken to balance multiple planning objectives in the natural environment and economic society and to reveal and mitigate shortcomings. Furthermore, a comprehensive monitoring system should be established and multi-source data from different fields should be integrated to minimize uncertainties and aid decision-making with the best available empirical evidence. China has also found that both strict supervision and enforcement at the national level are recommended to improve governance and to achieve goals.

Strengthen information exchange and cooperation

China’s experience with EC is an example of how a concerted national effort to mainstream environmental policy with a culturally appropriate philosophy and leadership from the top levels of government can help to realize objectives of environmental improvement under the Rio Conventions and the SDGs.

Building the community of the future with common goals for humankind will require extensive sharing of information on best practices, sustainable innovation, problem-solving techniques and traditional wisdom; with that sharing each community will draw on the strength of the others and all may thrive and prosper in a nature-rich future. Enhanced inter-community exchanges and cooperation, coupled with mutual respect for differences, will be important in crafting appropriate solutions that meet shared global goals.

Future Research and Conclusion

Serving as agents for transformative change, the concept and actions of EC in China provide important insights for the international community to consider when meeting these unprecedented challenges. Further research is needed regarding market-oriented eco-compensation mechanisms, consumer support for the products of EC-oriented enterprises, social engagement strategies that cultivate awareness and participation in EC, and the synergies between different goals or targets like biodiversity conservation, climate change, desertification and SDGs.

CBD COP15 provides a good opportunity for discussion of the potential for developing a global eco-civilization appropriate for the diverse cultures of the world. There might be chances for scholars, practitioners and policy-makers worldwide to understand the Chinese experience with EC and generate broader global applications, especially for those countries with very different governance arrangements. China wishes to promote collaboration among international communities and engage in information exchange and sharing of lessons learned with other countries in an atmosphere of mutual respect. China’s experiences can stimulate a global conversation about how best to achieve the SDGs and the goal of living in harmony with nature in a manner appropriate to differing national contexts. Such an approach could contribute to the development of a robust new GBF designed to build a shared future for all life on Earth.

Source: Wei et al, Natl Sci Rev, 2021, Vol. 8, nwaa279

Chinese Academy of Sciences