Zhang Bo: Adhere to Integrated Protection and Systematic Governance to Build a Grand Pattern of Conservation and Restoration from Mountain Tops to the Ocean
The construction of an ecological civilization is a project of fundamental importance for the eternal development of the Chinese nation [1]. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "We must persist in the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, and construct a grand pattern of protection and governance extending from the mountaintops to the oceans." Persisting in the integrated protection and systematic governance of these elements to allow Beautiful China [2] to manifest its diverse beauty is an important measure for practicing the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" [3]. This fully embodies the power of truth and the practical might of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization.
Marxism holds that all things are universally connected, and the entire world is an interconnected and interacting whole. Only by viewing things from a perspective of universal connection, comprehensive systems, and evolutionary change can one scientifically grasp the laws of objective development. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization adheres to the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method, clarifying that ecological environmental governance is a systematic project and proposing the systemic thought that "mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts are a community of life." To persist in their integrated protection and systematic governance, we must deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, utilizing systems thinking to promote the construction of Beautiful China in a more coordinated and efficient manner. By optimizing top-level design, expanding practical paths, and strengthening technological support, we can realize the holistic protection and systematic restoration of ecosystems through "one map" for planning, "one chessboard" for implementation [4], and "one network" for supervision, thereby resolutely fortifying the national barrier for ecological security.
Strengthening overall coordination through top-level design. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must plan holistically, grasp key and decisive factors, and manage the rhythm and pace well. We must focus on consolidating and expanding advantages, breaking through bottlenecks and blockages, strengthening weak links, and improving quality and efficiency, ensuring that the orientation remains consistent with the overall goals." Ecology is a unified natural system—an interdependent and closely linked organic chain. Within an ecosystem, various ecological elements depend upon and influence one another, constituting an organic whole. Persisting in integrated protection and systematic governance requires taking all factors into consideration and applying systematic treatment. Only by strengthening top-level design can we improve our capacity for holistic coordination. We must improve the system of partitioned ecological environmental control that covers the entire territory, highlighting refined and differentiated management. We should integrate the protection of the atmosphere, water, soil, and biodiversity with the reduction of environmental risks and the improvement of resource utilization into the "one map" of economic and social development planning, allowing the construction of ecological civilization to better play its guiding role. We must improve the investigation and monitoring systems for related fields such as forests, grasslands, rivers, lakes, wetlands, oceans, water resources, soil and water conservation, desertification, and rocky desertification. This will form a support system for ecological protection and restoration, promoting better coordination of ecological elements across mountains and valleys, above and below ground, and between land and sea, thereby enhancing regional development potential through environmental improvement. We should explore cross-departmental collaboration mechanisms, break through institutional barriers, and establish collaborative platforms for information sharing and shared responsibility to provide a strong organizational guarantee for improving holistic coordination capabilities.
Driving the overall work through major projects. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must focus on carrying out all tasks related to the implementation of major national strategies and the construction of security capabilities in key areas." Persisting in integrated protection and systematic governance cannot be achieved without the support of major ecological projects that are global, strategic, and foundational. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, we have fortified the "Three Zones and Four Belts" [5] ecological security barriers and implemented 52 integrated protection and restoration projects for mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts. We have comprehensively advanced the construction of a natural protected area system centered on national parks and implemented projects such as the Sanjiangyuan (Source of Three Rivers) ecological protection and construction project and the natural forest protection project. Consequently, the diversity, stability, and sustainability of our ecosystems have steadily improved. To persist in integrated protection and systematic governance, we must apply precision, focusing on the implementation of major national strategies and the construction of security capabilities in key areas. We should scientifically design major ecological projects and earnestly organize the preliminary planning, feasibility studies, and the drafting of guarantee plans for key elements such as land use, energy consumption, environmental impact assessments, and funding. Starting from the systematic, holistic, and professional nature of ecosystems and their internal laws, we should focus on enhancing the restorative capacity of ecological cycles, identifying the root causes of problems, and deeply implementing major ecological projects. We must promote full-lifecycle management—encompassing "planning, construction, management, and operation"—to better drive holistic protection, systematic restoration, and comprehensive governance. This will continuously enhance ecosystem service functions and contribute to the sustained improvement of the people's livelihood.
Enhancing supervisory quality and efficiency through technological empowerment. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must always persist in using the strictest systems and the densest rule of law to protect the ecological environment, maintaining a state of normalized external pressure." Persisting in integrated protection and systematic governance requires conducting ecological environmental protection inspections strictly according to the procedures and requirements stipulated in the Regulations on Ecological Environmental Protection Inspection Work. We must adhere to a problem-oriented approach, dare to tackle tough issues [6], and focus on key fields, key regions, and prominent problems. We must press home the primary responsibility of local Party committees and governments at all levels, promote the serious investigation and punishment of various illegal and non-compliant environmental behaviors, and continuously release the efficacy of ecological inspections to make environmental law enforcement more focused, precise, and powerful. By integrating cutting-edge technologies such as satellite remote sensing, drones, and ground sensors, we can establish a three-dimensional and intelligent monitoring network covering all elements of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, achieving dynamic monitoring and precise perception. We should strengthen the research, development, and application of artificial intelligence, embedding "technological genes" into the "nerve endings" of environmental monitoring. By strengthening the management, development, and utilization of ecological big data, we can promote data interconnection and shared use. This will facilitate the construction of AI-assisted decision-making systems based on big data, helping to build an ecological environmental evaluation system that covers all elements and reflects systematicity. Such a system will realize the simulation and prediction of environmental quality and provide intelligent early warnings, supporting scientific decision-making and precision policy implementation. With the drive to seize every moment [7], the tenacity to persist over the long term, and the spirit to strive to stand at the forefront of the tide, we will increase the intensity of integrated protection and systematic governance through more effective enforcement and supervision. We shall strive to build a beautiful home with blue skies, green lands, and clear waters, where mountains are greener, waters clearer, forests denser, fields more fertile, lakes cleaner, grasslands more abundant, and deserts more stable.