Hu Jun: A Good Ecological Environment is the Most Universal Well-being for the People’s Livelihood [1]
Improving people's wellbeing is an eternal theme of social development and a major subject of Marxism. Constructing an ecological civilization [1] concerns the welfare of the people and the future of the nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has consistently upheld the original aspiration and founding mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. Maintaining that a good ecological environment is the most universal benefit to people's wellbeing, the Party has vigorously promoted the construction of an ecological civilization. Historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes have occurred in our country’s ecological and environmental protection. The skies of our motherland are bluer, the mountains greener, and the waters clearer. The people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security has become more substantial, better guaranteed, and more sustainable.
The proposition that "a good ecological environment is the most universal benefit to people's wellbeing" is a major achievement in theoretical innovation. It elucidates the relationship between the environment and people's lives and the thematic requirements of our country's ecological civilization construction. It demonstrates General Secretary Xi Jinping’s constant concern [2] for the people and the distinct character of the people-centered nature of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization.
Profoundly elucidating the relationship between the environment and people's wellbeing. Marxism holds that humans live off nature, emphasizing that humanity produces, lives, and develops through interaction with nature. It recognizes the vital role of nature in the production process and foresightedly identifies the ecological needs of humanity, providing the theoretical foundation for understanding the dialectical relationship between man and nature. On this basis, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that the ecological environment has no substitute—we do not notice it when using it, but it is difficult to survive once lost. It relates not only to the quality of economic development but also to everyone’s quality of life. Developing the economy is for the sake of people's wellbeing, and protecting the ecological environment is likewise for their wellbeing. The environment is people's wellbeing; green mountains are beauty, and blue skies are happiness. A good ecological environment is the fairest public product and the most universal benefit to people's wellbeing. These important judgments clarify the inherent consistency and interconnectedness between the environment and wellbeing, point out the critical status of the ecological environment in improving lives, deepen and expand the traditional concept of "people's wellbeing" (min sheng),革新 (innovate/transform) our understanding of the environment-wellbeing relationship, and enrich the development of Marxist thought on the relationship between man and nature.
Powerfully demonstrating the people-centered nature of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. A people-centered nature is the essential attribute of Marxism, and the people's standpoint is the fundamental standpoint of Marxism. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the ecological environment is a major political issue concerning the Party's mission and purpose, as well as a major social issue concerning people's wellbeing. We must provide more high-quality ecological products to continuously meet the people’s growing needs for a beautiful ecological environment. Ecological civilization is an undertaking participated in, built by, and shared by the masses. These important judgments scientifically answer fundamental questions such as for whom we build ecological civilization, upon whom we rely, and who shares the fruits. They profoundly clarify the thematic requirements of ecological civilization construction, endow the Marxist people's standpoint with new connotations of the New Era, and allow fine traditional Chinese ecological culture to manifest new vitality of the times.
Innovatively endowing Chinese-path modernization with the distinct characteristic of promoting harmony between man and nature. As the principal contradiction in Chinese society has evolved into the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing need for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development [3], the people’s demand for ecological products such as fresh air, clear water, and a clean environment has become increasingly urgent. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the construction of an ecological civilization is most capable of bringing a sense of gain to the common people; when the environment improves, the people feel it most deeply. We must treat the resolution of prominent ecological and environmental problems as a priority area for people's wellbeing, allowing the masses to share in the beauty of nature, life, and living amidst lush mountains and lucid waters [4], and leaving a sustainable "green bank" for future generations. These important judgments grasp the people's aspirations and concentrate the people's wisdom. From the levels of epistemology, methodology, and praxeology, they demonstrate the people-centered orientation of a modernization characterized by harmony between man and nature, achieving a critical transcendence over Western modernization centered on capital, polarization, and the expansion of materialism.
Significant improvement in the people's sense of gain regarding the ecological environment in the New Era. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has adhered to the principles of ecology for the people’s benefit, advantage, and service. With unprecedented determination and intensity, we have promoted ecological civilization construction, continuously improving the targeted, scientific, and effective nature of environmental protection work. We have concentrated forces to tackle prominent environmental problems around the masses, striving to ensure the people can breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat safe food, and live in habitable environments, feeling the tangible ecological benefits brought by economic development.
A large number of prominent environmental problems around the masses have been resolved. Entering the New Era, our Party has actively responded to the thoughts, expectations, and urgencies of the masses. We have vigorously promoted ecological civilization construction, innovatively launched Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspections, and deeply implemented the Battle Against Pollution. We have dared to "gnaw on hard bones" and target "long-standing, great, and difficult" problems [5], focusing on resolving prominent environmental issues near the people. As of June 2024, the completion rate of the 3,294 tasks specified in the rectification plans for the first round of inspections and "look-backs" reached 98%; the completion rate of the 2,164 tasks in the second round surpassed 79%; and rectifications for the first and second batches of the third round are steadily progressing. Actively responding to the people's expectations for a beautiful environment, the inspections have handled over 320,000 Tip-offs and complaints from the public, the vast majority of which have been concluded or achieved stage-specific results, pushing for the resolution of a large number of hazards to wellbeing and "pains of the heart" in the ecological field.
The supply of high-quality ecological products continues to increase. Since the New Era, the achievements in our country's ecological civilization construction have attracted worldwide attention, becoming a prominent hallmark of the historic achievements and transformations in the cause of the Party and the state. In 2024, the average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities at the prefecture level and above was 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter, and the proportion of days with good air quality was 87.2%, remaining above 86% for five consecutive years. Our country has become the nation with the fastest improvement in air quality globally. The proportion of surface water sections with good quality increased from 64.5% in 2015 to 90.4% in 2024, approaching the average level of developed countries. The main stream of the Yangtze River has maintained Grade II water quality for five consecutive years, and the Yellow River for three. The proportion of coastal waters with good quality reached 83.7%, and "Beautiful Bays" featuring "clear water, clean beaches, flying gulls, and harmony between people and the sea" continue to emerge. The quality of the soil environment has remained generally stable, and soil pollution risks have been basically controlled.
A good ecological environment has become a growth point for a happy life. "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" [6]. A good ecological environment is not only natural wealth but also economic and social wealth. Since the New Era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, various regions and departments have vigorously promoted the industrialization of ecology and the ecologization of industry. By providing ecological public welfare jobs, increasing ecological compensation, and developing ecological industry, agriculture, and tourism, as well as forest-understory economies, bio-economies, and ice-and-snow economies, they have focused on exploring paths to realize the value of ecological products. More of the masses have taken up the "ecological bowl" and are eating "ecological rice" [7]. Meanwhile, China has built the world's largest carbon market by greenhouse gas emissions coverage, the world's largest green credit market, and the second-largest green bond market. It has become the world's top exporter of environmental products. "Green" has become a new driver and engine for achieving high-quality development and new quality productive forces, playing an increasingly strong role in common prosperity.
Ensuring a good ecological environment continues to add to the people’s wellbeing. Currently, the improvement of our country's ecological environment quality is still an enhancement from a low level. There remains a significant gap between the current state and the people’s expectations for a better life and the goal of building a Beautiful China. On the new journey of the New Era, we must take the improvement of ecological environment quality as the core, fully implement the requirements for targeted, scientific, and law-based pollution control, and continuously improve the modernization of ecological environment governance. We must plan and promote environmental protection work on the new journey with a higher standpoint, a broader vision, and greater intensity, pushing the improvement of environmental quality from quantitative change to qualitative change.
Persisting in and strengthening the Party's overall leadership. The people’s aspiration for a better life is the goal of our Party's struggle. On the new journey, we must deeply implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, persist in and strengthen the Party's overall leadership over ecological civilization construction, and treat ecological protection as a political responsibility for practicing the Party's mission and purpose. We must treat a beautiful environment as a basic public service, the resolution of prominent environmental problems as a priority area for wellbeing, and the resolution of contradictions and difficult problems as the breakthrough point for opening up new prospects in environmental protection. We must vigorously strengthen environmental protection, make up for shortcomings in people's wellbeing, and follow the path of ecology benefiting and serving the people.
Ensuring the fruits of Beautiful China construction benefit all people more extensively and fairly. A good ecological environment is the source of people's happiness and an important element of the high-quality life they pursue. On the new journey, we must adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, actively adapt to the people’s new expectations for high-quality environments, and fight the Battle Against Pollution with higher standards. We must win the people's trust and benefit them through the actual results of continuous, comprehensive, and fundamental environmental improvement. We must persist in reform and innovation, further deepen the reform of the ecological civilization system, tighten the responsibility for environmental protection, and move toward the modernization of environmental governance.
Transforming the construction of a Beautiful China into the conscious action of all people. For the people and relying on the people is the distinct color and "magic weapon" [8] of our Party. On the new journey, we must utilize the mass line work method of "coming from the masses and going to the masses," respect the pioneering spirit of the masses, and accelerate the establishment of an ecological culture system based on ecological value concepts. We should deeply carry out the "Beautiful China, I am an Actor" series of activities, letting ecological culture take root in society and making harmony between man and nature a common value. We must promote a social atmosphere where everyone, everywhere, and at all times advocates for ecological civilization, pooling strength for the construction of a Beautiful China.
(The author is the Director of the Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization Research Center, and the Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment)
Source: Learning Times (Xuexi Shibao) February 12, 2025