A Socialist Approach to Eco-Civilization

The relationship between humanity and nature is a basic relationship in human society. Marxism holds that human beings have to rely on nature to survive and interact with nature in their production, life and development. The Chinese civilization emphasizes that heaven, earth and humanity are an integrated whole, and that people should observe the laws of nature and take from nature at the proper time and to the proper extent.

The socialist approach to eco-civilization is rooted in traditional Chinese culture, as well as in the decades of practice of the CPC and the Chinese people. It represents their deeper understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature, as they adapt Marxism to China's realities and develop Chinese socialism.

The CPC attaches great importance to building an eco-civilization. In the course of leading the people in eliminating poverty, developing the economy, and advancing modernization in the primary stage of socialism since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, the CPC central leadership, for successive generations, have followed the laws governing human progress, borne in mind the relationship between humanity and nature, and devoted great efforts to eco-environmental protection and ecological conservation.

In the early days of the People's Republic, the CPC launched a nationwide campaign to plant trees and build water conservancy projects. After reform and opening up began, it adopted resource conservation and environmental protection as a basic national policy, initiated a legal system on eco-environmental protection, and included a strategy on sustainable development in China's long-term plan for economic and social development designed to balance economic development with the population, resources and the environment.

Environmental conservation was highlighted with relevant goals in the report to the CPC's 17th National Congress held in 2007. Since its 18th National Congress in 2012, the CPC has introduced a number of new ideas, concepts and strategies related to eco-civilization and included eco-civilization in its Five-sphere Integrated Plan and Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy. Believing that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, the CPC wrote this idea into the report to its 19th National Congress in 2017 and into the amended Constitution of the Communist Party of China.

Promoting eco-environmental progress is vital to sustaining China's development. China's modernization is characterized by harmonious coexistence of humanity with nature. In addition to creating more material and cultural wealth to meet people's increasing desire for a better life, it must also provide more quality eco-friendly goods to meet their growing demand for a beautiful environment.

To foster harmony between humanity and nature, China will act on the belief that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, continue its national policy of conserving resources and protecting the environment, and apply the principles of prioritizing resource conservation and environmental protection and letting nature restore itself. It will pursue a model of sustainable development featuring increased production, higher living standards and healthy ecosystems. It will institute a sound system of institutions for building an eco-civilization, develop eco-friendly growth 

models and lifestyle, adopt a holistic approach to conserving its mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands, and implement the strictest possible systems for environmental protection. It will continue the Beautiful China initiative so that the people can appreciate pleasant natural landscapes, retain their love of nature, and enjoy agreeable working and living environments. In this way, China will also play its part in ensuring global ecological security.

社會主義生態文明觀

人與自然的關系是人類社會最基本的關系。馬克思主義認為，人靠自然界生活。人類在同自然的互動中生產、生活、發展。中華文明強調要把天地人統一起來，按照大自然規律活動，取之有時，用之有度。社會主義生態文明觀的形成和發展，不僅根植于優良的傳統文化，也基于中國共產黨和中國人民的長期實踐探索，是對人與自然關系的認識升華，是馬克思主義中國化和中國特色社會主義實踐的有機融合。

中國共產黨一貫高度重視生態文明建設。新中國成立以來，中共中央歷代領導集體立足社會主義初級階段基本國情，在領導中國人民擺脫貧困、發展經濟、建設現代化的歷史進程中，深刻把握人類社會發展規律，持續關注人與自然關系，大力推進環境保護和生態文明建設事業：建國之初，以植樹造林、興修水利為主，開啟“綠化祖國”的偉大征程；改革開放后，確立節約資源和保護環境的基本國策，建立生態環境保護法律體系，將可持續發展戰略納入國民經濟和社會發展長遠規劃，促進經濟發展同人口、資源、環境相協調；進入21世紀，中共十七大首次將“生態文明”寫入黨代會報告，提出了生態文明的建設目標。中共十八大以來，中國共產黨圍繞生態文明建設提出了一系列新理念新思想新戰略，將生態文明建設作為統籌推進“五位一體”總體布局和協調推進“四個全面”戰略布局的重要內容，將“綠水青山就是金山銀山”理念寫入中共十九大報告和《中國共產黨章程》。

生態文明建設是關系中華民族永續發展的根本大計。中國要建設的現代化是人與自然和諧共生的現代化，既要創造更多物質財富和精神財富以滿足人民日益增長的美好生活需要，也要提供更多優質生態產品以滿足人民日益增長的優美生態環境需要。中國堅持人與自然和諧共生，樹立和踐行綠水青山就是金山銀山的理念，堅持節約資源和保護環境的基本國策，堅持節約優先、保護優先、自然恢復為主的方針，堅持走生產發展、生活富裕、生態良好的文明發展道路，堅持和完善生態文明制度體系，推動形成綠色發展方式和生活方式，統籌山水林田湖草系統治理，實行最嚴格的生態環境保護制度，建設“望得見山、看得見水、記得住鄉愁”的美麗中國，為人民創造良好生產生活環境，為全球生態安全作出貢獻。